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Inventory of Reforms

Saskatchewan Small Claims Court

Year:
1997

Description:
Overview of the Saskatchewan Small Claims Court.

Status:
Permanent Implementation

Jurisdiction:
Saskatchewan

Court:
Saskatchewan Provincial Court (Civil Division) – Small Claims Court

Timeline:
1997: New Small Claims Act came into force
2003: Review of the Small Claims Court System initiated
January 2006: Provincial Court (Civil Division) established
January 2006: Case management conferences introduced province-wide
January 2006: Monetary jurisdiction of the Court increased from $5,000 to $10,000
January 2007: Monetary jurisdiction of the Court increased from $10,000 to $15,000
November 2007: Monetary jurisdiction of the Court increased from $15,000 to $20,000

Publications:
Saskatchewan Justice and Attorney General, Changes Introduced to Improve Access to Small Claims CourtExternal Link (Government of Saskatchewan, March 18, 1997). [1997 News Release]
Saskatchewan Justice and Attorney General, Small Claims Court Changes Effective January 1stExternal Link (Government of Saskatchewan, December 22, 2005). [2005 News Release]
Saskatchewan Justice and Attorney General, Further Enhancements To Small Claims CourtExternal Link (Government of Saskatchewan, December 6, 2006).
Saskatchewan Justice and Attorney General, Further Enhancements To Small Claims CourtExternal Link (Government of Saskatchewan, October 10, 2007).
Small Claims CourtExternal Link (website) (Courts of Saskatchewan, March 2008).
Flowchart for how a case goes to small claims court
Overview of small claims court

Development:
Small Claims Court is within the Civil Division of the Saskatchewan Provincial Court established by s.2 of the Small Claims Act.

Purpose:
Ensuring efficient and effective resolution of civil disputes in Saskatchewan.

Description of Reforms:
1997 Initiatives
The previously existing legislation governing small claims was replaced by the Small Claims Act which was written « to ensure the language is clear and understandable, enhancing its usefulness for people without a legal background ». The changes introduced included:

2006 Initiatives
A review of the small claims court system in the province was conducted in 2003-2004. The review examined « three areas: how the small claims court system works; a comparative analysis of small claims court systems in other Canadian jurisdictions, and recommendations for changes to better ensure that the small claims court system is accessible, effective and affordable » (2003-2004 Annual Report at 33).

Based on the recommendations arising out of the review process, several changes were implemented:

Further Increases to Monetary Jurisdiction of the Court

Revision History:
This summary was last reviewed in Aug 16, 2012