Hryniak Comes to Manitoba: The Evolution of Manitoba Civil Procedure in the 2010s

Abstract

This article investigates whether the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2014 decision Hryniak v Mauldin has led to changes in Manitoba procedural law, largely in the summary judgment context. After introducing Hryniak and civil procedure reform’s place in the context of Canada’s access to justice crisis, the author turns to Manitoba. In addition to exploring the regulatory history of explicit changes to Manitoba’s Court of Queen’s Bench Rules, the author delves into Manitoba case law to determine their jurisprudential consequences and whether they have had effects in terms of the frequency that particular rules are used. Ultimately, it is concluded that, despite some potential to be bolder, by and large, Manitoba has prudently charted its own path in this important area of facilitating access to justice.