It is my pleasure to present the Courts Administration Service (CAS) Annual Report highlighting the organization's achievements for the 2019–20 fiscal year in providing administrative services to the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA), the Federal Court (FC), the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada (CMAC) and the Tax Court of Canada (TCC) — the Courts.

This past year was undoubtedly memorable as it presented its opportunities and challenges. Perhaps most noteworthy, CAS successfully obtained funding to procure, implement and maintain a new Courts and Registry Management System (CRMS). This was a very significant accomplishment as this has been a longstanding priority for the Courts and CAS. The implementation of this new system will be the cornerstone of efforts employed towards a digital environment to facilitate access to justice, allow the electronic management of court business, and deliver the electronic services Canadians expect.

To facilitate meeting the future needs of the Courts in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment, several important planning initiatives were concluded in 2019–20. For instance, the latest iteration of the National Accommodation Strategic Plan was completed. The plan provides a strategic vision to meet the special purpose accommodation required by the Courts and CAS and to support their long-term needs over the next ten years. A new HR strategic plan was also developed to ensure CAS has an innovative, agile workforce to meet the Courts’ evolving requirements. In addition, a national threat and risk assessment of the federal courts system was conducted to identify emerging threats and potential risks to the Courts and CAS.

The end of the fiscal year was marked by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. This once-in-a-century event brought with it unprecedented challenges and uncertainties. I want to take this opportunity to thank all CAS employees who rose to the occasion in these difficult times. I was thoroughly impressed with the innovation, adaptability, professionalism and commitment shown by staff as we adjusted to working remotely as part of the new normal. I am reassured that our collective efforts helped reduce the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the curve. While it is unknown how long the pandemic will last, we must remember that we are all in this together.

This Annual Report is a little bittersweet for me as it is my last after serving ten years as CAS's Chief Administrator. It has been an honour to lead the organization. Our employees across Canada have an extraordinary passion for delivering exceptional service to support an independent and effective judiciary while enabling Canadians’ access to justice. My time at CAS would not have been a success without them. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Chief Justices of the Courts for their support during my time as the Chief Administrator.

I am proud of what we were able to accomplish together over the past ten years, and I feel privileged to have finished my career with CAS. I wish the Courts and CAS all the best for the future.

Daniel Gosselin, FCPA, FCA
Chief Administrator