Since 1984, section 4 of the Judgment Interest Act has set pre-judgment interest on non-pecuniary (general) damages at 4% per year from the date of the cause of action until the date of case resolution, and has set PJI on pecuniary (special) damages at a rate that changes annually as set out in the regulation to said Act. Bill 41, passed December 9, 2020, amended the substantive law so that for motor vehicle accident injury claims, PJI on both generals (such as pain and suffering compensation) and specials (like compensation for income loss and out-of-pocket expenses) is at the rates set out in the regulation. As a matter of Alberta law, "pre-judgment interest is a statutory and substantive right," although the Courts retain discretion to vary (up or down) PJI awards, for example if resolution of the claim is unreasonably delayed by a plaintiff's lack of diligence in moving the case along (see Gosche v. Boucher 2009 ABQB 277).