Judges Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. J-1)

Marginal note:Court of Appeal and Court of Queen’s Bench for Manitoba

16 The yearly salaries of the judges of the Court of Appeal for Manitoba and of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Manitoba are as follows:

• (a) the Chief Justice of Manitoba, $371,400;

• (b) the six Judges of Appeal, $338,800 each;

• (c) the Chief Justice, the Senior Associate Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, $371,400 each; and

• (d) the 31 puisne judges of the Court of Queen’s Bench, $338,800 each.

Marginal note:Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of British Columbia

17 The yearly salaries of the judges of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia and of the Supreme Court of British Columbia are as follows:

• (a) the Chief Justice of British Columbia, $371,400;

• (b) the 12 Justices of Appeal, $338,800 each;

• (c) the Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, $371,400 each; and

• (d) the 86 other judges of the Supreme Court, $338,800 each.

Marginal note:Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island

18 The yearly salaries of the judges of the Court of Appeal of Prince Edward Island and of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island are as follows:

• (a) the Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island, $371,400;

• (b) the two other judges of the Court of Appeal, $338,800 each;

• (c) the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, $371,400; and

• (d) the three other judges of the Supreme Court, $338,800 each.

Marginal note:Court of Appeal and Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan

19 The yearly salaries of the judges of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan and of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan are as follows:

• (a) the Chief Justice of Saskatchewan, $371,400;

• (b) the seven Judges of Appeal, $338,800 each;

• (c) the Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, $371,400 each; and

• (d) the 33 other judges of the Court of Queen’s Bench, $338,800 each.

Marginal note:Court of Appeal and Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta

20 The yearly salaries of the judges of the Court of Appeal of Alberta and of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta are as follows:

• (a) the Chief Justice of Alberta, $371,400;

• (b) the 10 Justices of Appeal, $338,800 each;

• (c) the Chief Justice and the two Associate Chief Justices of the Court of Queen’s Bench, $371,400 each; and

• (d) the 70 other Justices of the Court of Queen’s Bench, $338,800 each.

Marginal note:Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador

21 The yearly salaries of the judges of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador are as follows:

• (a) the Chief Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador, $371,400;

• (b) the five Judges of Appeal, $338,800 each;

• (c) the Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice of the Trial Division, $371,400 each; and

• (d) the 18 other judges of the Trial Division, $338,800 each.

Marginal note:Supreme Court of Yukon

• 22 (1) The yearly salaries of the judges of the Supreme Court of Yukon are as follows:

  • (a) the Chief Justice, $371,400; and

  • (b) the two other judges, $338,800 each.

• Marginal note:Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories

  (2) The yearly salaries of the judges of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories are as follows:

  • (a) the Chief Justice, $371,400; and

  • (b) the two other judges, $338,800 each.

• Marginal note:Nunavut Court of Justice

  (2.1) The yearly salaries of the judges of the Nunavut Court of Justice are as follows:

  • (a) the Chief Justice, $371,400; and

  • (b) the five other judges, $338,800 each.

• (3) [Repealed, 2017, c. 33, s. 232]

Marginal note:Rounding of amounts

23 A salary referred to in any of sections 9 to 22 that is not a multiple of one hundred dollars shall be rounded down to the next lowest multiple of one hundred dollars.

Marginal note:Additional judges

• 24 (1) Notwithstanding sections 12 to 22 but subject to subsections (3) and (4), where the number of judges of a superior court in a province has been increased by or pursuant to an Act of the legislature of the province beyond the number of judges of that court whose salaries are provided for by sections 12 to 22, a salary is payable pursuant to this section to each additional judge, appointed to that court in accordance with that Act and in the manner provided by law, from the time that judge’s appointment becomes effective and in the same manner and subject to the same terms and conditions as if the salary were payable under sections 12 to 22.

• Marginal note:Salaries fixed

  (2) The salary of a judge appointed in the circumstances described in subsection (1) is the salary annexed, pursuant to sections 12 to 22, to the office of judge to which the appointment is made.

• Marginal note:Limit

  (3) Subject to subsection (4), the number of salaries that may be paid pursuant to this section at any one time shall not be greater than

  • (a) 16, in the case of judges appointed to appeal courts in the provinces; and

  • (b) 79, in the case of judges appointed to superior courts in the provinces other than appeal courts.

  • (c) [Repealed, 1992, c. 51, s. 7]

• Marginal note:Unified family courts

  (4) For the purposes of assisting the establishment of unified family courts in the provinces, a further number of salaries not greater than 58 at any one time may be paid in the case of judges appointed to courts described in paragraph (3)(b)

  • (a) where the court has the jurisdiction of a unified family court; or

  • (b) where a request has been made by a provincial attorney general for the appointment to the court of judges to exercise the jurisdiction of a unified family court.

• Marginal note:Salary deemed payable under sections 12 to 22

  (5) A salary payable to a judge under this section is deemed, for all purposes of the provisions of this Act, other than this section, and of any other Act of Parliament, to be a salary payable under sections 12 to 22.

• Marginal note:Definition of appeal court

  (6) In this section, appeal court means, in relation to each of the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador, the Court of Appeal of the Province.

Periodic Adjustment and Revision of Salaries

Marginal note:Annual adjustment of salary

• 25 (1) The yearly salaries referred to in sections 9 to 22 apply in respect of the twelve-month period beginning on April 1, 2020.

• Marginal note:Annual adjustment of salary

  (2) The salary annexed to an office of judge referred to in sections 9, 10, 10.2, 11 and 12 to 22 for the twelve-month period beginning on April 1, 2021, and for each subsequent twelve-month period, shall be the amount obtained by multiplying

  • (a) the salary annexed to that office for the twelve month period immediately preceding the twelve month period in respect of which the salary is to be determined

    by

  • (b) the percentage that the Industrial Aggregate for the first adjustment year is of the Industrial Aggregate for the second adjustment year, or one hundred and seven per cent, whichever is less.

• Marginal note:Meaning of certain expressions

  (3) For the purposes of this section,

  • (a) in relation to any twelve month period in respect of which the salary is to be determined, the first adjustment year is the most recent twelve month period for which the Industrial Aggregate is available on the first day of the period in respect of which the salary is to be determined, and the second adjustment year is the twelve month period immediately preceding the first adjustment year; and

  • (b) the Industrial Aggregate for an adjustment year is the average weekly wages and salaries of the Industrial Aggregate in Canada for that year as published by Statistics Canada under the authority of the Statistics Act.

Marginal note:Commission

• 26 (1) The Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission is hereby established to inquire into the adequacy of the salaries and other amounts payable under this Act and into the adequacy of judges’ benefits generally.

• Marginal note:Factors to be considered

  (1.1) In conducting its inquiry, the Commission shall consider

  • (a) the prevailing economic conditions in Canada, including the cost of living, and the overall economic and current financial position of the federal government;

  • (b) the role of financial security of the judiciary in ensuring judicial independence;

  • (c) the need to attract outstanding candidates to the judiciary; and

  • (d) any other objective criteria that the Commission considers relevant.

• Marginal note:Quadrennial inquiry

  (2) The Commission shall commence an inquiry on June 1, 2020, and on June 1 of every fourth year after 2020, and shall submit a report containing its recommendations to the Minister within nine months after the date of commencement.

• Marginal note:Postponement

  (3) The Commission may, with the consent of the Minister and the judiciary, postpone the date of commencement of a quadrennial inquiry.

• Marginal note:Other reports

  (4) In addition to its quadrennial inquiry, the Minister may at any time refer to the Commission for its inquiry a matter mentioned in subsection (1). The Commission shall submit to that Minister a report containing its recommendations within a period fixed by the Minister after consultation with the Commission.

• Marginal note:Extension of time

  (5) The Governor in Council may, on the request of the Commission, extend the time for submission of a report under subsection (2) or (4).

• Marginal note:Report of Commission

  (6) The Minister shall table a copy of the report in each House of Parliament on any of the first ten days on which that House is sitting after the Minister receives the report.

• Marginal note:Referral to Committee

  (6.1) A report that is tabled in each House of Parliament under subsection (6) shall, on the day it is tabled or, if the House is not sitting on that day, on the day that House next sits, be referred by that House to a committee of that House that is designated or established by that House for the purpose of considering matters relating to justice.

• Marginal note:Report by Committee

  (6.2) A committee referred to in subsection (6.1) may conduct inquiries or public hearings in respect of a report referred to it under that subsection, and if it does so, the committee shall, not later than ninety sitting days after the report is referred to it, report its findings to the House that designated or established the committee.

• Marginal note:Definition of sitting day

  (6.3) For the purpose of subsection (6.2), sitting day means a day on which the House of Commons or the Senate, as the case may be, sits.

• Marginal note:Response to report

  (7) The Minister shall respond to a report of the Commission within four months after receiving it. Following that response, if applicable, he or she shall, within a reasonable period, cause to be prepared and introduced a bill to implement the response.