Nunavut Circuit Court and Remote Hearings for Small Claims

Nunavut covers nearly 2 million square kilometres with no road connections between its 24 communities. The Nunavut Court of Justice operates out of Iqaluit and reaches the rest of the territory through circuit court sittings — judges fly into communities on scheduled dates throughout the year. If your small claims dispute proceeds to a hearing, where and how it happens depends on the circuit schedule and your location.

How the Circuit System Works

The NUCJ sits regularly in Iqaluit and travels to communities across the three regions — Qikiqtani, Kivalliq, and Kitikmeot — on a published schedule. Civil matters, including small claims, are typically added to a circuit sitting's docket when parties are located in that community.

If your hearing is scheduled for a circuit sitting in your community, you appear in person when the court arrives. If no circuit is scheduled near your hearing date, or if the matter is urgent, the court may schedule it in Iqaluit or allow remote participation.

You can apply to transfer your hearing to a different community circuit location based on the balance of convenience — where the witnesses are, where the parties live, and which location makes the process most practical. The court considers these factors when deciding transfer applications.

The Travel Cost Problem

For respondents in remote communities, traveling to Iqaluit for a hearing can cost more than the entire claim. In Scholz v. Qairrulik Outfitting Ltd., a respondent in Arviat estimated that air travel and accommodation for a hearing in Iqaluit would cost approximately $13,000 — for a dispute worth $1,400. This disproportion is not unusual in Nunavut, where a return flight from a remote community to Iqaluit can exceed $2,000.

The court is aware of these realities. If traveling to the hearing location creates severe financial hardship relative to the amount in dispute, raising this in an application for a venue transfer or remote hearing carries weight.

Remote Participation Options

The NUCJ allows remote participation via WebEx teleconference or videoconference upon advance application. This was expanded during COVID-related court modifications and remains available, particularly for circuit court sittings and cases involving parties in remote communities.

To request a remote hearing, contact the Civil Registry in advance and explain why in-person attendance is impractical. The judge decides whether remote participation is appropriate based on the complexity of the case, the need for in-person evidence presentation, and the fairness to both parties.

If your hearing is by phone or video, prepare as though you were appearing in person. Have all your documents organized and numbered, keep your evidence binder ready to reference specific pages, and test your connection before the scheduled time. The court's business hours and filing cutoffs operate on Eastern Time (Iqaluit).

Practical Preparation

Whether you appear in person or remotely, the hearing follows the same structure: the claimant presents their case first, you cross-examine their witnesses, then you present your defence and evidence, and the claimant cross-examines you. The judge issues a decision at the end or reserves it for a written ruling.

If you need language interpretation — Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, French, or English — notify the registry in advance so the court can arrange interpreters.

Our Nunavut Small Claims Response Guide includes a hearing preparation checklist and an evidence organizer designed for both in-person and remote appearances.

See more Nunavut guides →