On June 19, CBABC delivered its 23rd submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services as part of the government’s Budget 2027 consultations.
CBABC President Patricia Blair called on the government to fund a comprehensive data system for the BC Supreme Court to track and reduce delays.
Introduction
I am very pleased to join you on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
My name is Patricia Blair, and I use the pronouns she and her. I am the President of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch. We represent over 8,200 lawyers and law students across the province. Our members provide legal services in communities of all sizes. I am a family law lawyer and mediator in the Cowichan Valley and with me today is our Chief Executive Officer, Kerry Simmons, KC.
This committee’s task is to recommend how to protect core public services that people rely on every day, while keeping costs affordable for British Columbians.
The Problem and its Impact
Our members have many recommendations in our Agenda for Justice 2025.
Today, I will focus on our top funding recommendation – one that would increase access to justice and strengthen public confidence in our system.
Here is the problem.
Families, businesses and individuals are increasingly frustrated by delays in our courts. People cannot get before a judge in a reasonable period time. Pre-trial disputes are delayed, slowing overall resolution. These delays increase legal and employment costs and stress – especially in a time of a rising cost of living.
For businesses, delays affect cash flow and economic stability.
For families, delays prolong conflict between parents—conflict that is scientifically shown to negatively affect children well into adulthood, and can increase costs to government over time
As noted by the Supreme Court of BC in its 2025 Annual Report:
Chronic underfunding has left the justice system struggling with delays, limited resources, and barriers to access, undermining both efficiency and fairness.
Court filings continue to rise, by 4% last year. Nearly 17% of cases scheduled for trial or resolution were delayed because a judge wasn’t available.
The Solution
One key solution is for the federal government to increase the number of judges in British Columbia.
But there is also a critical role for the provincial government: investing in the systems that allow the courts to operate more efficiently.
The Supreme Court has already taken important steps. It has:
- Introduced an online booking system for trials and long hearings
- Expanded virtual short chambers across the province
- Implemented e-filing for application records
And these are meaningful improvements.
However, the Court still lacks a comprehensive data system to identify where delays occur and how to fix them.
Without reliable data:
- Delays cannot be precisely tracked
- Reforms cannot be properly targeted
- Outcomes cannot be measured
This limits the Court’s ability to respond effectively to rising demand.
A Proven Model
We do not need to guess what works. We can look to the Provincial Court.
The government has invested in the Provincial Court data infrastructure that allows it to:
- Measure timelines at each stage of a case
- Analyze performance by region and case type
- Set benchmarks and track progress over time
This enables continuous improvement.
By contrast, the Supreme Court does not yet have this capability. It wants it—and it needs it.
Without this foundational infrastructure, the Court will remain limited in its ability to reduce delays, improve service, and to lower costs to British Columbians.
The Cost and the Risk
This request aligns directly with the Attorney General’s mandate for efficient, accountable public services supported by modern information systems.
The Ministry is best positioned to estimate the financial cost, based on similar investments already made.
But there is another cost we must consider: the cost to public confidence.
When people cannot access timely justice, frustration grows. Over time, that frustration risks undermining trust in the rule of law—the very foundation of our democratic society.
Conclusion
Investing in court data and technology systems would enable:
- Better tracking of cases and identification of delays
- More effective coordination across the justice system
- Improved transparency and accountability for the public
On behalf of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, I urge the Committee to recommend this funding in the 2027 Budget.
Thank you. I welcome your questions.