PMPRB NEWSLetter – Special Edition – New Proposed Practice Directions for Hearings

New proposed Hearing Practice Directions for consultation

The proposed PMPRB Practice Directions are now available for review. The PMPRB has launched a 60-day consultation period where stakeholders and interested Canadians are invited to read the proposed PMPRB Practice Directions and provide feedback by Monday, May 4, 2026 .

The Practice Directions are intended to modernize and improve the efficiency, consistency, and fairness of PMPRB hearings. They are meant to be followed alongside the existing PMPRB Rules of Practice and Procedure.

The PMPRB is proposing seven Practice Directions for hearings:

1. Mode of Hearings
2. Facilitating Document Exchange
3. Standardizing Motions
4. Electronic Filing and Page Limits
5. Expediting Failure to File Proceedings
6. Use of Artificial Intelligence in Proceedings
7. Virtual Proceedings         

For more information and to submit your feedback, please visit the PMPRB website.

Message from the Chairperson

On behalf of my fellow Board Members, I’m pleased to present for consultation the new proposed PMPRB Practice Directions for hearings. In our 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, we committed to conducting efficient hearings and to providing organized, effective administrative services. As part of that commitment, we undertook a review to streamline and modernize our hearing processes.

We believe that these proposed directions will help us achieve that goal by:

• Promoting paper based and electronic processes as the default
• Reducing unnecessary procedural complexity and delay
• Encouraging early cooperation between parties
• Aligning PMPRB processes with modern tribunal best practices
• Ensuring procedural fairness while improving efficiency and predictability

In order to make the proposed changes clear, we are also pleased to share a companion Simplified Overview. We look forward to receiving your feedback by Monday, May 4, 2026.

Thank you,