COVID-19 Announcements

1. All requests for an emergency or urgent hearing during the sitting suspension period should be submitted via the online Emergency/Urgent Hearing Request Form at:
https://albertacourts.ca/qb/court-operations-schedules/urgent.   

All emergency/urgent hearings will be presided over by Justices or Applications Judges in the following locations, as set out in the Amended Master Order #2 of March 25, 2020:

2. In the event that a party requesting an emergency or urgent hearing does not have access to the internet and the online Emergency/Urgent Hearing Request Form, they are directed to make the request by telephone:

3. Please do not send multiple requests, or make requests by both online form and telephone.

4. Upon receipt of the emergency or urgent request, the Designated Court Coordinator will send the parties/counsel an email confirming receipt of the request. Unless it is intended to be a without notice (ex parte) application, the responding party/counsel must be copied. The request will be provided to a Triage Justice (in Commercial Cases, to Justice K. Horner in Calgary or to ACJ K. Nielsen in Edmonton) or a Triage Applications Judge to review so that a determination can be made whether it meets the Court's requirements to be heard on an emergency or urgent basis.  The applicant may be directed to email relevant unfiled materials to assist with the Court’s determination as to whether the matter is of sufficient urgency to require a hearing. Emails with materials cannot exceed 10MB. For an application on notice, these materials must also be sent to the responding party/counsel.

5. There is no need to provide copies of relevant case law; rather, case law should be cited and hyperlinked (with an appropriate URL).

6. If the Triage Justice or Triage Applications Judge determines that a hearing is required, the Designated Court Coordinator will set a hearing date and provide directions to the parties/counsel as to filing and service of materials.

7. The Designated Court Coordinator will advise the parties/counsel of the date and time for the hearing, and the method of hearing. Parties will appear by telephone or video where appropriate and available. There will be strict limits for the duration of the hearing, and the Designated Court Coordinator will advise of the maximum allotted time for the hearing.

8. A Justice of the Commercial Practice Group will continue to hear and decide urgent and time-sensitive Commercial matters, and may also hear time-sensitive matters submitted in writing in appropriate cases.

9. For the purpose of Emergency/Urgent Commercial hearings, any matters that fall within the following categories will likely be considered urgent:

• Initial Orders under the CCAA;
• CCAA stay extensions (if parties agree, a draft Order on consent can be forwarded to the Justice);
• Receivership Applications;
• Plans of Arrangements;
• Injunctions;
• Approval and Vesting Orders;
• Sales Orders, which have been pre-scheduled;
• Urgent bankruptcy applications.

THE FOREGOING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
ANY UPDATED DIRECTIONS WILL BE POSTED ON THE COURT’S WEBSITE.