Parties in civil litigation are subject to certain mandatory fees payable to the registry of the court in which the action is commenced. Each jurisdiction within Canada has enacted legislation or regulations which authorize such fees. These fees are usually payable upon filing documents such as statements of claim, statements of defence or counterclaims, or upon bringing interlocutory applications or setting matters down for trial. Additionally, some jurisdictions charge parties for courtroom use.
The following table provides a brief overview of some of the fees associated with civil actions in the superior trial courts of each Canadian province or territory. Each jurisdiction has numerous other fees that may be payable depending on the nature of the action and the relief sought; this table merely provides an overview of the basic fees: