This release was issued under a previous government.

Under Alberta’s Judicature Act, a commission must review the salaries of Provincial Court Judges and Court of Queen’s Bench Masters in Chambers to determine compensation rates.

As part of that process, the commission will review all relevant written and oral submissions made to it by government, the Alberta Provincial Judges’ Association, individual Judges and Masters in Chambers, and the public.

The Supreme Court of Canada imposed a constitutional obligation on government to set compensation for judicial officers through an independent, objective and effective commission process.

The commission will conduct an inquiry into:

  • the appropriate level of salary for the Judges and Masters;
  • the appropriate design and level of pension benefits;
  • the appropriate level and kinds of benefits and allowances; and
  • any other issues relevant to the financial security of the Judges and Masters, which the commission agrees to resolve.

The commission has scheduled a hearing from October 7 to 10, 2014, at the Edmonton Law Courts Building, starting at 9 a.m.