To address concerns regarding the dates available for conferences, the Toronto Region of the Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) introduced a pilot project in June 2023. The pilot project made earlier conference dates available to litigants by using the last full week of every month for conferences only. No regular motions were heard on Tuesday or Thursday of that week, unless they were deemed urgent.
The pilot project was successful in shortening the wait times for conferences and the Court was able to reach all of the motions scheduled in other weeks. We will therefore be changing the practice in Toronto, in that motions can be brought on any Tuesday or Thursday, except for the last full week of each month.
Commencing September 1, 2023, no regular motions will be heard during the last full week of every month. That week will be dedicated to family conferences, which will be scheduled on Monday through Friday. Trials and long motions will continue to be scheduled during that week. Any motion deemed urgent by a judge or at TBST Court will still be heard during the dedicated family conferencing week.
Effective September 1, 2023
Justice Stephen E. Firestone
Regional Senior Judge
Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Toronto Region