The small claims limit went up from $8,000 to $16,000 after input from the judiciary, the legal community, the Law Society of P.E.I., the P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women, the P.E.I. Access to Justice Committee and the Community Legal Information Association (CLIA).
“Doubling the small claims limit means that more people can take a civil action to court for judgment without the very significant expense of a full court case," said David Daughton of CLIA. “P.E.I. had the lowest limit in the country, and this first increase in nearly 20 years will benefit everyone."
CLIA offers free information about laws and the Island’s justice system at cliapei.ca.
“By increasing the number of claims that can be handled through the civil claim process, resources can be used more efficiently and the courts can focus on complicated or sensitive cases,” said Premier Wade MacLauchlan, who is also the minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General.
“Changes to the limit for small claims will improve access to justice and help Islanders resolve disputes in a timely and more affordable manner.”
