Court Challenges Program (CCP)

• Annual program investment of $5 million, with a minimum of $1.5 million reserved for the clarification of official language rights; the remainder allocated to other eligible rights cases.
• Maximum hourly billable rate for professional fees eligible for reimbursement is $250 per hour (before tax).
• Applicants may receive up to $150,000 per funding category (Official Languages branch) or up to $200,000 per funding category (Human Rights branch); additional funding up to these maximums is possible upon approved application.
• Extraordinary funding may be granted beyond the maximums in exceptional circumstances, subject to approval and detailed justification.
• Accessibility funding does not have a holdback and is available as needed to ensure equitable participation.

• The applicant must be an individual or group in Canada seeking to bring forward a case of national significance related to certain constitutional and quasi-constitutional official language rights or human rights.
• The case must pertain to rights covered by the Court Challenges Program, including specific provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Official Languages Act.
• The project must involve a test case that aims to clarify or advance the specified rights before the courts.

Who is eligible?

• Individuals in Canada
• Groups in Canada

Eligible expenses

• Legal research and drafting costs directly related to the case.
• Community consultation expenses connected to case preparation.
• Evidence development expenses necessary for advancing the case.
• Legal fees (capped at a maximum hourly rate of $250 before tax).
• Court costs and related disbursements for proceedings at each judicial level.
• Accessibility-related expenses where additional funding is granted.
• Travel expenses for in-person court hearings, in accordance with program guidelines (excluding travel time billed by legal professionals).

Eligible geographic areas

• All regions within Canada

• Requests are evaluated by independent expert committees according to specific criteria for each component (official languages rights or human rights).
• The national importance of the issue submitted (focused on the clarification or advancement of constitutional or quasi-constitutional rights).
• The relevance of the application in connection with the fields of competence of the program (eligible constitutional rights).
• The potential impact of the issue on the advancement and clarification of the rights covered by the program.

• The program is administered independently by the University of Ottawa through expert panels, ensuring decision-making is separate from government influence.
• Accessibility funding is available to support equitable participation in CCP-funded activities.
• The maximum hourly billable rate for professional fees eligible for reimbursement under CCP is $250 per hour (before tax).
• Recipients may apply for additional or extraordinary funding if justified by the project circumstances, up to established program limits.