Supreme Court of British Columbia

Jurisdiction

The British Columbia Supreme Court is a court of record and has original jurisdiction in all cases, civil and criminal, arising in British Columbia. The Court has inherent jurisdiction under the Constitution of Canada, in addition to any jurisdiction granted to it by federal or provincial statute.

The Court has jurisdiction in any civil dispute, including those matters where the dollar amount involved is within the jurisdiction of the Small Claims division of the Provincial Court. Under the Criminal Code, the Court is included as a "superior court of criminal jurisdiction" meaning that it has exclusive jurisdiction for the trial of serious crimes within British Columbia.

The Court also hears some appeals from the Provincial Court and some administrative tribunals. Appeals from its own judgments are heard by the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

The Supreme Court is also responsible for call ceremonies for admitting lawyers and notaries public where the respective oath of office is administered by a justice.

Judges and associate judges

All justices of the Supreme Court (including the position of Chief Justice and Associate Chief Justice) are appointed by the federal cabinet, on recommendation of the Minister of Justice. All justices have full jurisdiction over any matter before the Court.

Associate judges are appointed by the provincial cabinet, on recommendation of the Attorney General in consultation with the Chief Justice. As provincial appointees, associate judges do not have inherent jurisdiction. Their jurisdiction is limited to those matters granted to them by statute and the Rules of Court. Associate judges preside in chambers, where they usually hear interlocutory applications and other pre-trial matters. Associate judges cannot hear civil trials and do not preside in criminal matters.

Associate judges were originally known as masters. Pursuant to a British Columbia Order in Council, the position was renamed from "master" to "associate judge". In court, masters were addressed as "Master," but in a practice direction issued on September 6, 1991, then Chief Justice Esson advised the most appropriate form of address would be "your Honour". Masters also sit and hear matters as registrars, hearing such matters as assessments of solicitors fees and accounts.

Judicial districts

The Supreme Court sits in eight judicial districts called "counties". That is the only usage of "county" in British Columbia, which is a reference only to such court districts and has no similarity to the meaning in other provinces of Canada, the United States or United Kingdom. Prior to 1990, there existed in British Columbia a County Court, an intermediate court between the Provincial Court and the Supreme Court. In 1990, the County Court was merged with the Supreme Court, and its judges became justices of the Supreme Court. The judicial districts of the Supreme Court have the same boundaries of the counties of the former County Court. The judicial districts are: Cariboo; Kootenay; Nanaimo; Prince Rupert; Vancouver Westminster; Victoria; and Yale. Within each county, or judicial district, justices are resident in the following locations:

• Abbotsford
• Chilliwack
• Cranbrook
• Kamloops
• Kelowna
• Nanaimo
• Nelson
• New Westminster
• Prince George
• Prince Rupert
• Victoria
• Vancouver

The Supreme Court also holds sittings in the following court locations for which there is not a resident justice:

• Campbell River
• Courtenay
• Dawson Creek
• Duncan
• Fort Nelson
• Fort St. John
• Golden
• Penticton
• Port Alberni
• Powell River
• Quesnel
• Revelstoke
• Rossland
• Salmon Arm
• Smithers
• Terrace
• Vernon
• Williams Lake

Chief Justices of the Supreme Court

Prior to 1909, when the British Columbia Court of Appeal was established, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was considered the Chief Justice of British Columbia.

Associate Chief Justices of the Supreme Court

References

References

1. [http://www.fja.gc.ca/appointments-nominations/judges-juges-eng.aspx NUMBER OF FEDERALLY APPOINTED JUDGES AS OF JULY 1, 2018, www.fja.gc.ca]
2. "BC Supreme Court "About us"".
3. "The Laws of British Columbia: Consisting of the Acts, Ordinances".
4. [http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/page.cfm?cid=33 Call and Admission to the Bar]
5. [http://www.notaries.bc.ca/resources/Upload/28-06-2011-09-54-36_BecomingANotary-062711_ONLINE%20VERSION.pdf Information on Becoming aBC Notary Public]
6. (September 5, 2025). "Province appoints new associate judge for B.C. Supreme Court". [[Government of British Columbia]].
7. (June 25, 2025). "Associate Judges (formerly Masters)".
8. "Supreme Court - Court Locations and Contacts".
9. {{Cite canlaw. (1996)
10. "Supreme Court - Members of the Supreme Court".