The Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada 2026-2027 departmental plan
The original version was signed by
The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
At a glance
This departmental plan details the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (ORSCC)’s priorities, plans, and associated costs for the upcoming three fiscal years.
These plans align with the ORSCC’s Vision, mission, raison d’être and operating context.
Key priorities
The ORSCC identified the following key priorities for 2026–27:
- Business Transformation: to ensure that the necessary business processes and technologies are in place – or are being planned – to reduce the number of documents required to be filed in paper format, to transition to electronic processes within the Court, to create an electronic filing system that allows parties, whether they are represented or not, to e-file through a secure portal, to manage and preserve Court records in electronic format, to provide the general public with better access to Court information online, and to allow effective communication with counsel and litigants through multiple and secure digital channels.
- Communications and Outreach: to ensure that the Court’s social media, communications and outreach strategies remain effective, focusing on delivering timely, accessible and relevant information to Canadians in order to increase public awareness and understanding of the Supreme Court of Canada.
- Security: to ensure the Court’s security profile which has many components, such as physical security, information technology security and business continuity planning, remains effective in mitigating security risks.
- Facilities Management: In collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), efforts over the past several years have been dedicated to preparing for the Supreme Court of Canada’s (SCC) move to the West Memorial Building in 2026. This marks a significant milestone as the Court now turns to finalizing the logistical and operational components necessary to support a successful move to the new building.
Comprehensive expenditure review
The government is committed to restraining the growth of day-to-day operational spending to make investments that will grow the economy and benefit Canadians.
The ORSCC does not have planned reductions under the Comprehensive expenditure review.
The ORSCC will, however, respect the spirit of the exercise by doing the following:
- Continue to focus investments on its core operations, replenishment of assets and strategic priorities;
- Continue to enforce its long-standing practice of minimizing travel costs by prudent planning and making travel arrangements as early as possible to obtain lower rates, as well as by minimizing the number of attendees, where operationally feasible;
- Limit the use of professional services in favour of in-house resources, where operationally feasible.
This departmental plan reflects these measures.
Highlights for the ORSCC in 2026–27
In 2026–27, the primary focus will be the SCC’s relocation to the West Memorial Building. This major organizational initiative represents the culmination of years of planning and preparation. The goal is to ensure a smooth transition, minimizing disruption and enabling court operations to resume as quickly and efficiently as possible.
In 2026–27, total planned spending (including internal services) for the ORSCC is $52,430,167 and total planned full-time equivalent staff (including internal services) is 252.
Summary of planned results
The following provides a summary of the results the department plans to achieve in 2026–27 under its main areas of activity, called “core responsibilities.”
Core responsibility: The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal
In support of its Core Responsibility, the focus of the ORSCC’s plans are:
- Effective case management services provided to the Court and litigants for all judicial proceedings brought to or decided by the Court.
- Maintaining effective communications strategies and continuing its outreach activities, including in-person and remote tours, in order to support the Court in a context of increased interest in the cases and growing visibility of the Supreme Court of Canada.
- Increasing access to judicial information for the public through various means of communications.
- Ongoing enhancement of the Court’s overall security posture – including both physical security and information technology, through proactive strategies, such as continuous monitoring, risk assessment and effective governance and oversight. These efforts are designed to ensure a safe and secure environment for Court staff and visitors.
- As the Court prepares for its transition to the West Memorial Building in 2026, efforts remain focused on executing the final stages of the move plan with precision and minimal disruption. The objective is to stabilize operations swiftly and efficiently following the relocation. Dedicated resources continue to support both the transition and the planned rehabilitation of the Supreme Court of Canada building, in close collaboration with PSPC.
Planned spending: $33,872,598
Planned human resources: 159
More information about the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal can be found in the full plan.
For complete information on the ORSCC’s total planned spending and human resources, read the Planned spending and human resources section of the full plan.
From the Registrar
Registrar
I am pleased to present the 2026–27 Departmental Plan for the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (ORSCC).
The information presented in this report highlights our main areas of focus, the results we aim to achieve as well as providing transparency on how financial resources will be spent. We also describe in our report our programs and services for Canadians, our priorities for 2026–27, and how our work will help us attain our organizational priorities.
The judges of the Supreme Court of Canada (Court) are supported by the ORSCC, being an integral component of the Court. As defined by its Core Responsibility statement, i.e. “The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal”, the ORSCC provides services and support for Canada’s final court of appeal to process, hear and decide cases. It also plays a central role in communications and outreach, while enhancing access to justice. The environment and context in which the Court manages and decides cases is continuously evolving, which presents us with new challenges, but also new opportunities.
In 2026–27, the ORSCC will continue to place a high priority on pursuing its work towards the adaptation of its business processes to an electronic environment. The ORSCC will continue to improve electronic access to the Court’s case files and information, with new functionalities of its electronic filing portal, both for internal use by the Court as well as by the public, including counsel and self-represented litigants, and therefore enhancing access to justice and judicial information for all Canadians.
The launch of our new modernized website in early 2025 is one key measure that improved the discoverability of information and enhances access to case files. Access to justice and court modernization go hand-in-hand and these initiatives support the Court’s commitment to key judicial principles of openness and transparency.
We will also continue our initiatives to enhance the Court’s overall security services which is aimed to balance the safety of all participants in the judicial process, as well as the basic principles of fairness, access and openness which underpin the administration of justice. Additionally, as we prepare for our transition to the West Memorial Building, resources will continue to be dedicated to execute the final stages of our move plan, while ensuring a smooth transition for all Court users. Dedicated resources continue to support both the transition and the planned rehabilitation of the Supreme Court of Canada building, in close collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).
Finally, raising public and stakeholders’ awareness of the Court and increasing access to justice and to judicial information for the public continues to be a priority for the ORSCC. As such, efforts will continue to be dedicated to ensure effective communications and outreach activities in support of the Court’s evolving role and the increased public interest in the Court’s work.
As we commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada in 2025, it has become increasingly evident that the role the Court has played over the last century and a half has been central in the development of Canada’s law and judicial excellence. We are therefore very committed and proud to be able to continue supporting communications and outreach activities and support the Court in continuing its legacy and fostering access to justice and judicial independence.
I would like to conclude by thanking the entire staff of the Court for their continuing hard work and enthusiasm in serving the Court and Canadians with unfailing professionalism and a dedicated sense of purpose. Their contribution in 2025 supporting the commemorative activities of the 150th anniversary to honour the Supreme Court was exceptional. They play an essential role in realizing our plans and priorities. We will continue to support them and foster a safe, inclusive, and diverse workplace, while supporting the professional growth of every employee.
As we move forward in 2026–27, I am looking forward to continue collaborating with the Chief Justice, members of the Court and our employees to advance our priorities in the year ahead.
Chantal Carbonneau, Registrar
Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
Description
Provide services and support for Canada’s final court of appeal to process, hear and decide cases. Support communications and outreach to stakeholders.
Quality of life impacts
This core responsibility contributes to the ‘Good Governance’ domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, ‘Confidence in institutions’, through all of the activities mentioned in the core responsibility description.
Indicators, results and targets
This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal. Details are presented by departmental result.
Table [1]: Judges and parties are supported through effective court services and case management
Table [1] provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal.
| Departmental result indicators | Actual results | 2026–27 Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of weeks between the filing of an application for leave to appeal and the date when it is submitted to the Court for decision |
|
12 weeks |
March 31, 2027 Frequency: Annually |
| Average number of weeks between date when leave to appeal is granted and the hearing of the appeal – indicator has been removed effective fiscal year 2026–27. |
(Target of 35 weeks was in effect until 2025–26). |
N/A | N/A |
| Percent of parties that were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the services of the Registry Branch of the Office of the Registrar |
|
95% |
March 31, 2027 Frequency: Annually |
Table [2]: Public and stakeholders’ awareness of the Court is increased through effective communication and outreach
Table [2] provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal.
| Departmental result indicators | Actual results | 2026–27 Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual percentage increase in number of unique visitors to Court web information |
|
5% increase per year |
March 31, 2027 Frequency: Annually |
| Annual percentage increase in the number of social media followers |
|
5% increase per year |
March 31, 2027 Frequency: Annually |
| Percent of visitors that were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the Tour Program |
|
95% |
March 31, 2027 Frequency: Annually |
Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for the ORSCC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Plans to achieve results
The following section describes the planned results for the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal in 2026–27.
Judges and parties are supported through effective court services and case management
In support of its Core Responsibility, the focus of the ORSCC’s work continued to be the processing and management of all cases brought to the Court.
Results we plan to achieve:
- The Court has a consistent record of meeting its objectives in processing cases without delay, providing effective access to Court services and case management, including reference information, and providing reliable courtroom services. At the same time, the ORSCC strives continuously to maintain stakeholder satisfaction and high standards of service quality.
- Workload projections for 2026:
Workload projections for 2026 Category Projected workload Leave applications filed 500 Leave applications submitted to the Court 500 Appeals as of right filed 20 Appeals heard 60 Judgments 55 - To meet the research needs of the Court, the Library Branch provides timely reference and research services and access to print and online legal resources. Ongoing efforts will be made to increase digital content and strengthen metadata across library systems, to improve findability and enhance user experience. The Library’s priority will be executing its plans to move library collections to the West Memorial Building in 2026, ensuring that materials are organized once they are relocated.
Public and stakeholders’ awareness of the Court is increased through effective communication and outreach
As the public’s interest in the Court’s cases increases and as a result of the growing visibility of the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) judges in Canada and abroad, the ORSCC must also support the Court by ensuring effective communication strategies and maintaining its outreach activities.
Results we plan to achieve:
- In 2026, the Court will temporarily relocate to the West Memorial Building at 344 Wellington Street. The Court will update its website to reflect this change, redirect visitors to the new location and revise its interpretation materials, while continuing to communicate its commitment to improving access to justice and judicial information.
- The ORSCC will continue to offer on-site public tours of the SCC building at 301 Wellington Street until the end of summer 2026, after which tours will resume at 344 Wellington Street. Remote tours will remain available to allow individuals and school groups who cannot visit in person to participate and learn about the Court’s history and its place in the Canadian judicial system. The content of the remote tours will be updated and modernized, and new exhibits will be developed for 344 Wellington Street. Student guide-interpreters offer tours year-round.
- The continued publication of Cases in brief and media briefings for all appeals support the Supreme Court of Canada’s commitment to openness, transparency and make judicial/legal information more accessible to all.
Gender-based Analysis Plus
In relation to ORSCC’s core responsibility, which is the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal, the following are the organizational highlights for 2026–27:
- The GC Workplace Accessibility Passport was implemented in November 2025 to assist employees with disabilities in recognizing and identifying workplace barriers, documenting these barriers, and proposing solutions that support the employee’s unique needs. In 2026–27, the ORSCC will continue to promote the use of this tool to employees.
- The ORSCC conducted Focus Groups to identify workplace barriers that may discriminate employees and visitors to the Court. Identified barriers were used to inform the Accessibility Plan 2026-2028, which highlights the ongoing commitment to promote plain language use, inclusive imagery, alternative formats, and improved facility accessibility in the current and future SCC building.
- The ORSCC will continue to promote Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resources, including for those employees who face barriers related to gender, disability, or other identity factors.
Planned resources to achieve results
Table [3]: Planned resources to achieve results for the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal
Table [3] provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned |
|---|---|
| Spending | $33,872,598 |
| Full-time equivalents | 159 |
Complete financial and human resources information for the ORSCC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Program inventory
The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal is supported by the following programs:
- Court administration
- Administration of the Judges Act for the Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada
Additional information related to the program inventory for the administration of Canada’s final court of appeal is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year
Changes were made to some Departmental Results Indicators under the Court administration program:
- Removal of the indicator ‘Average number of weeks between date when leave to appeal is granted and the hearing of the appeal’. This indicator is not specific to a program or an activity of the ORSCC. It is part of the judicial function of the Court and is more appropriately reported in the Year in Review.
- Adjusted the methodology for ‘Annual percentage increase in the number of social media followers’ to generalize the text to cover multiple social media platforms.
- Adjusted the methodology for ‘Percent of visitors that were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the Tour Program’ to reflect the fact that the satisfaction survey is now conducted for both on-site and remote tours throughout the year.
Description
Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:
- acquisition management services
- communications services
- financial management services
- human resources management services
- information management services
- information technology services
- legal services
- material management services
- management and oversight services
- real property management services
Plans to achieve results
This section presents details on how the department plans to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.
Internal services support the Court by providing timely and responsive services that are effective and efficient as per established service standards. Some key initiatives planned for 2026–27 are:
- The Human Resources Branch will continue to support managers and employees, with a focus on mental health and well-being of staff. Supporting staff during the transition to the West Memorial Building in 2026 will be a priority for the organization.
- An increased focus on improving accessibility in the workplace, promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment, and continuing efforts on knowledge transfer/succession planning and employee retention, more specifically to better identify essential positions and opportunities to streamline.
- The Finance and Procurement Branch will continue to improve, strengthen and monitor key internal controls for finance and procurement within the organization.
- The Integrated Security Services Branch (ISSB), comprised of the SCC Corporate Security, RCMP and Private Security Contractors has a 24/7 presence at the court. The ISSB will continue to seek improvements to various security and information technology security initiatives, including programs, policies, operating procedures and practices, equipment upgrades, as well as training and awareness.
- In collaboration with PSPC, the Building Operations and Programs Branch will play a key role in supporting the move team with logistics for the Court’s transition to the West Memorial Building in 2026. The Branch will continue to provide operational support aligned with the move plan and will work to stabilize building operations following the relocation. It will also remain actively engaged in planning for the future rehabilitation of the Supreme Court of Canada building, in partnership with PSPC.
- Communications and Outreach Services will maintain the Court’s presence on social media, and will also continue to provide on-site and remote tours of the SCC building located at 301 Wellington Street until the end of summer 2026, after which tours will resume at 344 Wellington Street.
- The Information Management and Technology Branch will support the West Memorial Building transition and operational readiness in 2026–27, while continuing to evergreen infrastructure and application architecture and advance modernization toward greater digital service delivery and electronic case processing. Priorities for 2026–27 include:
- Information Technology (IT)
- Strengthening security and IT security through updated policies, procedures, equipment refreshes, and awareness training, with a 2026–27 focus on move-in readiness and fully operational security controls at the West Memorial Building.
- Modernization of core infrastructure: sustained efforts to evergreen key IT infrastructure components to ensure continued reliability, security, and performance of core systems. These activities support the day-to-day operations of the Court and align with best practices for maintaining a stable and secure IT environment.
- Support the Legal Services and Registry Sectors in addressing critical pain points in the processing of court cases through the continuous improvements to the ORSCC’s application architecture, Courtroom audio-visual systems and the Electronic Filing Portal.
- System interoperability and optimization: Maintain a strong focus on improving interoperability across platforms and maximizing the value of existing technology investments. This work has led to greater system cohesion and more streamlined workflows across the organization.
- Cybersecurity enhancements: Advancing the Court’s cybersecurity posture through the implementation of additional security controls, user awareness initiatives, and monitoring capabilities in alignment with government-wide standards.
- Information Management (IM)
- Continuing the implementation of a records and document management system (GCdocs) across the organization to better manage the Court’s administrative information and closed case files, and to enhance the operational processing of case files.
- Enhancing the capacity of information management employees to support business units, modernize processes, and maximize the use of implemented technologies.
- Reviewing the platforms that support the document management of Court cases and correspondence tracking systems.
- Integrating operational processes into current IM systems.
- Maturing lifecycle management processes, performing regular document disposition activities, investing in digitization efforts to increase accessibility and maintaining the IM awareness program.
Planned resources to achieve results
Table [4]: Planned resources to achieve results for internal services this year
Table [4] provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned |
|---|---|
| Spending | $18,557,569 |
| Full-time equivalents | 93 |
Complete financial and human resources information for the ORSCC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Over the last few years, procurement officers and project authorities have worked hard to identify opportunities where contracts could be awarded to Indigenous businesses. The ORSCC uses the Indigenous Business Directory as the primary source of information for Indigenous vendors by commodity groupings. While a lot of progress has been made, Deputy Head approved exceptions are required for the following areas in light of the nature of the ORSCC’s operations:
- Protection services provided by the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires who have the first right of refusal;
- Specific software licenses where there are no substitutes for these vendors;
- Subscriptions to legal databases and purchase of legal publications and periodicals for the SCC Library, to support the legal research for SCC judgments; and
- Specialized translation and review services performed by jurilinguists (translators with a legal background and/or accreditation).
Table [5]: Percentage of contracts planned and awarded to Indigenous businesses
Table [5] presents the current, actual results with forecasted and planned results for the total percentage of contracts the department awarded to Indigenous businesses.
| 5% reporting field | 2024–25 actual result | 2025–26 forecasted result | 2026–27 planned result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total percentage of contracts with Indigenous businesses | 13% | 5% | 5% |
Related government priorities
United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
In working towards achieving a sustainable future, the ORSCC is contributing to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal 10: Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action to reduce inequality
- Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act
- Goal 12: Reduce Waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs)
- Transform the federal light-duty fleet
- Strengthen green procurement criteria
- Goal 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts
- Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations
More information on the ORSCC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal sustainable development strategy can be found in our Departmental sustainable development strategy.
Key risks
The ORSCC, like any other department, is faced with risks. These are regularly assessed and involve primarily IT and physical security.
-
- IT Security (cyber threats):
- unintentional or unauthorized access, use, manipulation, interruption or destruction (via electronic means) of electronic information held by the Court and the electronic and physical infrastructure used to process, communicate and/or store that information. Risk to the security and confidentiality of judicial information and data.
Mitigation strategies:
- IT security action plans;
- IT security awareness plans/staff awareness;
- periodic vulnerabilities assessment and penetration testing;
- regular IT threat and risk assessments;
- key investments in security software and systems; and
- sensitive information is clearly identified, classified and stored.
-
- Security (persons, building, information, infrastructure):
- threats to the safety of judges, staff or all building occupants, including visitors, and to the security of the building, information and infrastructure. Balancing security measures required for the protection of judges, staff and visitors with the principle of an open court.
Mitigation strategies:
- security governance structure;
- security design and action plan;
- security risk register;
- policies and procedures updated regularly;
- security audits/exercises, threat and risk assessments;
- business continuity plan;
- staff awareness;
- effective relationship with the RCMP; and
- enhanced physical security measures.
Despite being stable over time, the ORSCC has ongoing risks which require constant vigilance, as identified above. In response to these risks, the ORSCC continues to monitor and take a proactive approach to managing risks – both physical and IT security. These measures enable the ORSCC to strengthen its security posture and to properly address security vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the move to its temporary location at the West Memorial Building in 2026 will represent a new set of risks and vulnerabilities. The Integrated Security Services Branch (ISSB) is committed to working with PSPC and other federal, provincial, municipal partners and stakeholders in identifying solutions to enhance security at the West Memorial Building to protect judges, staff and visitors.
Planned spending and human resources
This section provides an overview of the ORSCC’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and of planned spending for 2026–27 with actual spending from previous years.
Spending
This section presents an overview of the department’s planned expenditures from 2023–24 to 2028–29.
Budgetary performance summary
Table [6]: Three-year spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Table [6] presents the ORSCC’s spending over the past three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services. Amounts for the 2025–26 fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2023–24 actual expenditures | 2024–25 actual expenditures | 2025–26 forecast spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal | $31,247,610 | $34,471,429 | $34,393,900 |
| Internal services | $17,114,215 | $16,850,564 | $16,571,441 |
| Total | $48,361,825 | $51,321,993 | $50,965,341 |
Analysis of the past three years of spending
The ORSCC’s spending increase of $2,960,168 between 2023–24 and 2024–25 is mainly due to adjustments to collective agreements, as well as general increases in statutory operating expenditures. These collective agreement adjustments included one-time retroactive payments in 2024–25, which mostly explains the net forecast spending decrease of $356,652 in 2025–26.
More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.
Table [7]: Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Table [7] presents the ORSCC’s planned spending over the next three years by core responsibilities and for internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services |
2026–27 planned spending |
2027–28 planned spending |
2028–29 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal | $33,872,598 | $33,679,524 | $34,435,688 |
| Internal services | $18,557,569 | $17,197,027 | $17,201,399 |
| Total | $52,430,167 | $50,876,551 | $51,637,087 |
Analysis of the next three years of spending
A one-time increase in planned spending is expected in 2026–27 as a result of the West Memorial Building move.
More detailed financial information on planned spending is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.
Funding
This section provides an overview of the department’s voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.
Graph [1]: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a six-year period
Graph [1] summarizes the department’s approved voted and statutory funding from 2023–24 to 2028–29.
![Graph [1]](/images/reports/planning/2026-2027-graph-1-eng.png)
Text description of graph [1]
| Fiscal year | Total | Voted | Statutory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | $48,361,825 | $34,782,562 | $13,579,263 |
| 2024–25 | $51,321,993 | $36,670,249 | $14,651,744 |
| 2025–26 | $50,965,341 | $36,407,278 | $14,558,063 |
| 2026–27 | $52,430,167 | $37,464,713 | $14,965,454 |
| 2027–28 | $50,669,965 | $35,528,823 | $15,141,142 |
| 2028–29 | $50,680,125 | $35,538,983 | $15,141,142 |
Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period
The increase noted from 2024–25 is largely due to funding received for adjustments to collective agreements as well as general increases in statutory operating expenditures. The one-time increase reflected in 2026–27 stems from funding reprofiled for the purpose of the West Memorial Building move.
For further information on the ORSCC’s departmental appropriations, consult the 2026–27 Main Estimates.
Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the ORSCC’s operations for 2025–26 to 2026–27.
Table [8]: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ended March 31, 2027 (dollars)
Table [8] summarizes the expenses and revenues which net to the cost of operations before government funding for 2025–26 to 2026–27. The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.
| Financial information | 2025–26 forecast results | 2026–27 planned results |
Difference (planned results minus forecasted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $61,942,498 | $62,754,645 | $812,147 |
| Total revenues | $1,255 | $639 | $(616) |
| Net cost of operations before government funding | $61,941,243 | $62,754,006 | $812,763 |
Analysis of forecasted and planned results
The variance between forecast and planned results in the table above is mainly due to temporary funding for the West Memorial Building move as well as an increase in the Employee Benefits Plan (EBP) rate, offset by an increase in adjustments affecting the net cost of operations but not affecting authorities and capital assets.
A more detailed Future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes for 2026–27, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, is available on the Supreme Court of Canada’s website.
Human resources
This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2023–24 to 2028–29.
Table [9]: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
Table [9] shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents, for the ORSCC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Human resources for the 2025–26 fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2023–24 actual full-time equivalents | 2024–25 actual full-time equivalents | 2025–26 forecasted full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal | 150 | 150 | 159 |
| Internal services | 85 | 89 | 96 |
| Total | 235 | 239 | 255 |
Analysis of human resources over the last three years
The increase in full-time equivalents (FTEs) over the last three years was mainly attributable to the creation of new positions to support enhancements to the Security, Communication and Outreach, Corporate Services and Information Technology Systems.
Table [10]: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
Table [10] shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents, for each of the ORSCC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next three years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2026–27 planned full-time equivalents | 2027–28 planned full-time equivalents | 2028–29 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administration of Canada’s final court of appeal | 159 | 159 | 159 |
| Internal services | 93 | 93 | 93 |
| Total | 252 | 252 | 252 |
Analysis of human resources for the next three years
FTEs are expected to remain relatively stable over the next three fiscal years.
Supplementary information tables
The ORSCC has no supplementary information tables to report.
Information on the ORSCC’s departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on the Supreme Court of Canada’s website.
Federal tax expenditures
The ORSCC’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.
The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.
This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.
Corporate information
Departmental profile
Appropriate minister(s): The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., M.P.
Institutional head: Chantal Carbonneau
Ministerial portfolio: Justice
Enabling instrument(s):
Supreme Court Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. S-26)
Judges Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. J-1)
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1875
Departmental contact information
Mailing address
301 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0J1
Telephone: 1-888-551-1185
Fax: (613) 996-3063
Email: reception@scc-csc.ca
Website: https://www.scc-csc.ca/
Chantal Carbonneau - Registrar
Telephone: (613) 947-8608
Email: reception@scc-csc.ca
Cristina Damiani - Deputy Registrar
Telephone: (613) 996-7521
Email: reception@scc-csc.ca
Emily Moreau - General Counsel and Director General, Legal Services Sector
Telephone: (613) 996-7548
Email: law-droit@scc-csc.ca
Catherine Laforce - Director General and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Sector
Telephone: (613) 947-0682
Email: Catherine.Laforce@scc-csc.ca
Michel Gallant - Executive Director, Judicial Support and Protocol Services Sector
Telephone: (613) 996-4841
Email: Michel.Gallant@scc-csc.ca
- appropriation (crédit)
- Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
- Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, departments or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
- core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
- An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
- Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
- A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.
- departmental result (résultat ministériel)
- A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
- departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
- A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.
- departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
- A framework that connects the department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.
- Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
- A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
- full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
- A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full-time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.
- gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
- Is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
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Using GBA Plus involves taking a gender- and diversity-sensitive approach to our work. Considering all intersecting identity factors as part of GBA Plus, not only sex and gender, is a Government of Canada commitment.
- government priorities (priorités gouvernementales)
- For the purpose of the 2026–27 Departmental Plan, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2025 Speech from the Throne.
- horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
- An initiative where two or more federal departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
- Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)
- Requirements for verifying Indigenous businesses for the purposes of the departmental result report are available through the Indigenous Services Canada Mandatory minimum 5% Indigenous procurement target website.
- non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
- Non-budgetary authorities that comprise assets and liabilities transactions for loans, investments and advances, or specified purpose accounts, that have been established under specific statutes or under non-statutory authorities in the Estimates and elsewhere. Non-budgetary transactions are those expenditures and receipts related to the government’s financial claims on, and obligations to, outside parties. These consist of transactions in loans, investments and advances; in cash and accounts receivable; in public money received or collected for specified purposes; and in all other assets and liabilities. Other assets and liabilities, not specifically defined in G to P authority codes are to be recorded to an R authority code, which is the residual authority code for all other assets and liabilities.
- performance (rendement)
- What a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
- performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
- A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of a department, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
- plan (plan)
- The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.
- planned spending (dépenses prévues)
- For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.
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A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
- program (programme)
- Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
- program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
- Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.
- result (résultat)
- A consequence attributed, in part, to a department, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single department, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the department’s influence.
- statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
- Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
- target (cible)
- A measurable performance or success level that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
- voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
- Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.
Footnote
- Footnote 1
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In 2023–24, the time lapse between the hearing of an appeal and the date when leave to appeal was granted or the notice of appeal as of right was filed increased to 45 weeks, largely due to the impact of the hearing of one appeal that, in an unusual set of judicial circumstances, was concluded three years after leave was granted.