Judicial administration has been indelibly marked by the pandemic and there is a tremendous opportunity for us to significantly and thoughtfully improve and transform our services to the Courts and Canadians. We are privileged and honoured to work closely with the Courts as we define the advancement of access to and the delivery of justice. CAS has an important opportunity to be a part of this development and ensure that Canadians will benefit from “…. a fully integrated online and physical court service, well-suited to the twenty-first century”. [1]

Our continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic will significantly shape efforts in the immediate term. As the country recovers, we will work closely with the Courts to develop plans and strategies for the full resumption of court operations.

We will continue to deliver digital solutions, including implementing a new CRMS to enable the Courts to deliver electronic services and conduct court business digitally. Investments will also be made to expand e-filing, digitizing court documents and equipping additional courtrooms to hold virtual hearings and electronic proceedings.

We will continue to implement our National Accommodation Strategic Plan, delivering on the Courts' requirements for modern and equipped court facilities and courtrooms that ensure a national presence, and the level of service required by Canadians across the country.

Providing consistent, efficient, quality and timely client-centric services will remain our primary focus. We will enhance our culture of quality client service, modernize our procedures and processes and integrate new business and technological solutions to better serve the Courts and Canadians. By investing in the development and well-being of our employees, we will ensure our workforce is engaged, equipped and ready to meet the current and future needs of the Courts and Canadians. We will build the intellectual capital and capacity required to leverage evolving technology and support digital service delivery. In addition, we are committed to management excellence and ensuring sound financial stewardship.

The pandemic brought about momentous changes that have reshaped how we deliver our services, perform our work, and interact with Canadians. These lessons learned over the last year provide valuable insights moving forward to help us meet anticipated opportunities for enhanced access to justice created by the new realities of our post-pandemic world.

[1] Susskind, Richard. Online Courts and the Future of Justice. Oxford University Press, 2019 at page 64.