Court Suspensions and Restrictions

With regards to the new government measures regarding COVID-19, the Provinical Court and Court of Queen’s Bench have released new notices.

Notice – COVID -19 – Suspension and Restriction of Hearings (November 10, 2020) – “The Provincial Court of Manitoba is once again reducing court operations while continuing to ensure meaningful access to those with urgent matters. Effective Thursday, November 12, 2020, all remaining circuit court sittings throughout Manitoba are cancelled until and including December 11, 2020 or until further notice.” See the notice for more details on in custody, out of custody, child protection, and other court matters.


Notice – Adjustments to Current Scheduling Protocols – November 16 to December 11, 2020 – “With the exception of those judge-alone criminal trials involving accused persons who are in custody, all currently scheduled trials set to proceed between Monday, November 16, 2020 and Friday, December 11, 2020, will be adjourned to administrative lists for rescheduling.”

  • For Family Division matters, those adjourned trials will be appearing on administrative lists set down for Thursday, December 10, 2020.
  • For General Division matters, those adjourned trials will be appearing on administrative lists set down for Friday, December 11, 2020

“All other judicial services currently being offered by the Court of Queen’s Bench by video or audio conference in the areas of criminal, civil, family, and child protection will continue as before, unchanged.”

Masters’ Court – COVID-19 Update (November 12, 2020) – “Due to the entire Province of Manitoba being moved to the critical level (red), effective Thursday, November 12, 2020, the Maintenance Enforcement dockets in Brandon, Dauphin, Portage la Prairie, Morden, The Pas and Thompson will be suspended effective Friday, November 13, 2020, until further notice.”


For a list of all notices and practice directions related to COVID-19 visit manitobacourts.mb.ca/covid-19/.

New Court Notices in response to Winnipeg’s new Code Red Designation

All three levels of court have released notices regarding new measures due to the new spread of cases in Winnipeg.

Notice – All Hearings of the Court of Appeal will be conducted remotely until further Notice (November 2, 2020) – starting on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 all appeals will be heard remotely by videoconferencing; and all motions or applications will be heard remotely by teleconferencing. Instructions for accessing teleconference and videoconference are included.

Additionally, “precautions will be put in place by Sheriff Services, which includes enhanced COVID screening questions and temperature screening for all members of the public and court stakeholders, including counsel,upon entry to the Law Courts Building.”

Notice – Additional Measures in respect of attendance at the Law Courts Complex (November 2, 2020) – Details and clarifies the measures that the Queen’s Bench has been taking to reduce transmission of COVID. Also explains the additional measures by Sheriff Services upon entering the Law Courts Buildings.

Notice – COVID-19 – Update (November 2, 2020) – Explains new precautions by Sheriff Services. “will continue to hear both in custody and out of custody matters in all of the major court centres and the circuits which remain open. All existing protocols remain in force.” It will also be reassessing protocols on a weekly basis.


For a list of all notices and practice directions related to COVID-19 visit manitobacourts.mb.ca/covid-19/.

New Practice Directives and Notices

Court of Queens Bench Notice

Filing Fee (August 25, 2020)

Amendments to the Law Fees and Probate Charge Regulation (322/87 R) have updated the filing fees for documents in the Court of Queen’s Bench Family Division.

Effective immediately, a Notice of Opposition to Variation has a filing fee of $35.00.

The amended regulation also clarifies the fee for filing a Request for Triage Conference as $35.00.

All Notices and Practice Directives for the Queen’s Bench can be found here.

ALL COURTS NOTICE

On August 19, 2020, health orders were issued which rated the Prairie Mountain Health Region a Code Orange – or a restricted designation which indicates community transmission of COVID19 is occurring. Given this, the Manitoba Courts are issuing this Notice, now requiring all persons who enter any court facility where a Code Orange is in place to wear a mask. This currently includes only the Prairie Mountain Health Region. Masks may be non-medical masks and will be available as required at all affected court facilities as of Monday August 31, 2020.

Full notice available here.