Free Tool for Canadian Lawyers
Court Filing Deadline Calculator for Canadian Lawyers
Calculate exact filing deadlines under Ontario, BC, and Federal Court rules. Enter the trigger date and document type — get your deadline adjusted for weekends and holidays.
Calculate my court deadlineWhat this tool does
- ✓Calculates deadlines under Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure, BC Supreme Court Civil Rules, and Federal Courts Rules
- ✓Automatically adjusts for weekends and provincial statutory holidays
- ✓Supports statements of defence, motion records, factums, and appeals
- ✓Handles calendar-day and court-day counting rules correctly by jurisdiction
How to use this tool
- 1
Select the jurisdiction and court
Choose the province and court level — e.g. Ontario Superior Court, Ontario Small Claims Court, BC Supreme Court, Federal Court, or Tax Court of Canada.
- 2
Select the document type
Choose what you are filing: statement of defence, defence to counterclaim, motion record, factum, notice of appeal, affidavit of service, or another document type.
- 3
Enter the trigger date
Enter the event that starts the clock — typically the date of service of the originating document or the date of the order being appealed.
- 4
Read your deadline
The calculator returns the exact deadline adjusted for weekends, statutory holidays, and any court-specific day-counting rules (calendar days vs. court days).
Key deadlines by court
Common filing deadlines across Canadian courts. All deadlines adjust for weekends and statutory holidays.
Ontario Superior Court (Rules of Civil Procedure)
- ·Statement of defence: 20 days after service (in Ontario)
- ·Motion record: 4 days before the hearing
- ·Factum on motion: 2 days before the hearing
- ·Notice of appeal: 30 days after order
BC Supreme Court (BC Supreme Court Civil Rules)
- ·Response to civil claim: 21 days after service (in BC)
- ·Third party notice response: 21 days after service
- ·Notice of appeal: 30 days after order
Federal Court (Federal Courts Rules)
- ·Statement of defence: 30 days after service (in Canada)
- ·Motion record: 10 days before the hearing
- ·Memorandum of fact and law: 30 days before hearing
* Reference only. Always verify against the current rules in force and any applicable practice directions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline to file a statement of defence in Ontario?
Under the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure (r. 18.01), a defendant served in Ontario must deliver a statement of defence within 20 days after service of the statement of claim. A defendant served outside Ontario has 40 days. A defendant served outside Canada has 60 days.
How are court deadlines counted in Ontario?
Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure r. 3.01 governs computation of time. Days are counted in calendar days unless the rule says "court days." If the deadline falls on a holiday, it extends to the next day that is not a holiday. For periods of fewer than 7 days, holidays are excluded from the count.
What is the deadline to respond to a civil claim in BC?
Under BC Supreme Court Civil Rules (Rule 3-3), a defendant must file a response to civil claim within 21 days after service if served in BC, 35 days if served elsewhere in Canada, and 49 days if served outside Canada.
What is the deadline to file a statement of defence in Federal Court?
Under Federal Courts Rules (r. 204), a defendant has 30 days to serve and file a statement of defence after being served with a statement of claim, if served in Canada. The period is 60 days for defendants served outside Canada.
What happens if a court deadline falls on a holiday?
In virtually all Canadian jurisdictions, if a deadline falls on a holiday (including weekends), the deadline is automatically extended to the next day that is not a holiday. This is codified in each province's rules of civil procedure.
Can court deadlines be extended by consent in Ontario?
Yes. Under Ontario Rules r. 3.02, a party can extend a deadline by serving written consent on the other party before the deadline expires. Longer extensions or extensions after the deadline has passed require a court order.
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