Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan Final Report on Waiver of Legal Fees for the Needy

The Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan published its final report on Access to Justice – Needy Person Certificates and Waiver of Fees:

"As the costs of litigation and other legal services rise, concern about financial barriers to access to justice is increasing. Under The Queen’s Bench Rules , a potential litigant may, in some circumstances, obtain a waiver of court fees by obtaining a Needy Person Certificate. Needy Person Certificates are useful, but challenges exist respecting their scope and availability under the QB Rules . A further challenge is that Certificates are only available to litigants in the Court of Queen’s Bench and Court of Appeal. Individual rights are also adjudicated in the Small Claims Court and by boards and tribunals, which have varying policies regarding fee waivers. Responses to the Consultation Paper generally affirm that Needy Person Certificates and fee waivers in Saskatchewan need to be updated and expanded. This Final Report sets out the Commission’s proposals on improving access to justice for the less advantage d members of our community through fee waivers."

The report looked at fee waivers in Ontario and British Columbia.