Supreme Court Justice Sheilah Martin Announces Early Retirement, Giving New PM Carney First High Court Appointment

OTTAWA — Supreme Court of Canada Justice Sheilah Martin announced Tuesday she will retire from the nation's highest court on May 30, 2026, creating the first judicial vacancy for Prime Minister Mark Carney's new government.

Martin, who will step down one day before her 70th birthday, is retiring five years before the mandatory retirement age of 75 for Supreme Court justices. Her departure marks the end of an eight-year tenure on the bench following her appointment by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2017.

"I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served Canadians on our nation's apex court," Martin said in an official statement. "It has been an honour and a highlight of my professional life."

The Montreal-born justice built her legal career around Indigenous issues, education law, and equality rights. Before joining the Supreme Court, she served on Alberta's Court of Queen's Bench and later the provincial Court of Appeal, bringing extensive experience in both civil and common law to Canada's highest judicial body.

Chief Justice Richard Wagner praised Martin's contributions, highlighting "the depth of her legal scholarship, her commitment to fairness, and her principled approach to justice." Wagner noted that Martin was the first Supreme Court judge he swore in as Chief Justice, emphasizing her dedication to promoting transparency and public engagement with the court system.

Martin's retirement presents Prime Minister Carney with his first opportunity to shape the Supreme Court's composition. Under the appointment process established by Trudeau in 2016, an independent advisory board identifies candidates who are "of the highest calibre, functionally bilingual, and representative of the diversity of our country."

The timing of Martin's departure ensures continuity in the court's work, as retiring justices can participate in judgments for cases they heard for up to six months after their retirement date. This provision allows for a smooth transition while the government conducts its selection process for her replacement.

Federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser thanked Martin for her years of service, writing on social media: "Your commitment to fairness, justice, and the rule of law has strengthened Canada's legal system."

Martin's retirement maintains the court's current gender balance, with the remaining eight justices including four women and four men, pending the appointment of her successor.