This is a chronological list of notable cases decided by the Supreme Court of Canada from the formation of the Court in 1875 to the retirement of Gérald Fauteux in 1973.
Note that the Privy Council heard appeals for criminal cases until 1933 and for civil cases until 1949. Also between 1888 and 1926, no criminal appeals were allowed to the Privy Council.
| width=34 %% | Case name ! | width=16 %% | Citation ! | font=small width=16 %% | Date ! | width=33 %% | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8, 1875Act of Parliament creates the Supreme Court of Canada | |||||||
| Kelly v Sulivan | (1876) | First case heard by Supreme Court of Canada | |||||
| width=34 %% | Case name ! | width=16 %% | Citation ! | font=small width=16 %% | Date ! | width=33 %% | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quong Wing v R | (1914), 49 SCR 44 | Constitutionality of provincial statute regulating "Chinamen" | |||||
| Bedard v Dawson | [1923] SCR 681 | June 15, 1923 | Federalism and criminal law | ||||
| R v Eastern Terminal Elevator Co | [1925] | Trade and Commerce power. | |||||
| Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District v Maunsell | [1926] SCR 603 | Appellant held responsible for flood damage due to underground seepage into non-adjacent property | |||||
| Edwards v Canada (AG) | [1928] SCR 276 | "Persons Case" | |||||
| 1933 – Statute of Westminster, no more criminal appeals to Privy Council | |||||||
| Reference Re Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act | [1934] SCR 659 | ||||||
| Reference Re Alberta Statutes | [1938] SCR 100 | ||||||
| Reference Re Eskimos | [1939] SCR 104 | Constitutional status of Inuit | |||||
| Christie v York | (1939), [1940] SCR 139 | racial discrimination | |||||
| Home Oil Distributors Ltd v British Columbia (AG) | [1940] SCR 444 | ||||||
| Provincial Secretary of Prince Edward Island v Egan | [1941] SCR 396 | division of powers | |||||
| Reference Re Persons of Japanese Race | [1946] SCR 248 | constitutionality of Japanese deportation order | |||||
| Margarine Reference | [1949] SCR 1 | Defining criminal law under the constitution | |||||
| 1949 – no more civil appeals to the Privy Council | |||||||
| width=34 %% | Case name ! | width=16 %% | Citation ! | font=small width=16 %% | Date ! | width=33 %% | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frey v Fedoruk | [1950] SCR 517 | Breach of the peace, peeping toms | |||||
| Noble v Alley | [1951] SCR 64 | December 18, 1950 | |||||
| R v Boucher | [1951] SCR 265 | Seditious libel | |||||
| Johannesson v West St Paul (Rural Municipality of) | [1952] 1 SCR 292 | ||||||
| Azoulay v R | [1952] 2 SCR 495 | Abortion | |||||
| Saumur v Quebec (City of) | [1953] 2 SCR 299 | ||||||
| Henry Birks & Sons (Montreal) Ltd v Montreal (City of) | [1955] SCR 799 | ||||||
| Reference Re Farm Products Marketing Act (Ontario) | [1957] SCR 198 | ||||||
| Switzman v Elbling | [1957] SCR 285 | constitutional division of powers | |||||
| Beaver v R | [1957] SCR 531 | June 26, 1957 | subjective mens rea required for possession | ||||
| Priestman v Colangelo | [1959] SCR 615 | Duty of Care in public service conduct. | |||||
| Roncarelli v Duplessis | [1959] SCR 121 | constitution, arbitrary action by government. |
| width=34 %% | Case name ! | width=16 %% | Citation ! | font=small width=16 %% | Date ! | width=33 %% | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 10, 1960 – Canadian Bill of Rights was enacted. | |||||||
| O'Grady v Sparling | [1960] SCR 804 | ||||||
| R v George | [1960] SCR 871 | intoxication defence | |||||
| McKay v R | [1965] SCR 798 | Election law | |||||
| Munro v National Capital Commission | [1966] SCR 663 | powers of the NCC to expropriate and use land | |||||
| Peso Silver Mines Ltd v Cropper | [1966] SCR 673 | June 20, 1966 | director fiduciary duties | ||||
| Carnation Co v Quebec (Agricultural Marketing Board) | [1968] SCR 238 | overlap of provincial law with federal commerce laws | |||||
| R v Whitfield | (1969), [1970] SCR 46 | Definition of arrest | |||||
| Walter v Alberta (AG) | [1969] SCR 383 | division of powers; law excluding hutterites. | |||||
| width=34 %% | Case name ! | width=16 %% | Citation ! | font=small width=16 %% | Date ! | width=33 %% | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R v Drybones | [1970] SCR 282 | November 20, 1969 | Canadian Bill of Rights | ||||
| Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Co v Ford Motor Co of Canada Ltd | [1970] SCR 833 | April 28, 1970 | Patents | ||||
| R v Wray | [1971] SCR 272 | June 26, 1970 | pre-Charter right to silence | ||||
| Caloil Inc v Canada (AG) | [1971] SCR 543 | November 24, 1970 | Trade and Commerce power, Constitution Act, 1867 | ||||
| Manitoba (AG) v Manitoba Egg and Poultry Association | [1971] SCR 689 | June 28, 1971 | Trade and Commerce power, Constitution Act, 1867 | ||||
| Horsley v MacLaren (The Ogopogo) | [1972] SCR 441 | October 5, 1971 | civil duty to rescue | ||||
| Duke v R | [1972] SCR 917 | June 29, 1972 | fundamental justice | ||||
| Tennessee Eastman Co v Canada (Commissioner of Patents) | [1974] SCR 111 | December 22, 1972 | Patents | ||||
| Calder v British Columbia (AG) | [1973] SCR 313 | January 31, 1973 | Aboriginal land title | ||||
| Canadian Aero Service Ltd v O'Malley | [1974] SCR 592 | June 29, 1973 | Fiduciary duty owed by corporate officers |