A stay of proceedings is a court order or Crown decision that suspends the prosecution of a criminal charge. No trial takes place, and the charge effectively ends — although the Crown has the right to recommence the prosecution within one year of a judicial stay.
Stays can arise in two ways. A Crown stay (also called a Crown withdrawal) is a discretionary decision by the Crown attorney not to proceed with the charge. A judicial stay is ordered by the court, most commonly for unreasonable delay under section 11(b) of the Charter (the Supreme Court of Canada established a presumptive ceiling of 18 months for provincial court cases in R v. Jordan), for abuse of process, or for a violation of the accused's Charter rights that is so serious that proceeding with the prosecution would bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
A stay of proceedings is a significant outcome for the accused. No conviction results, and no criminal record is created. However, the accused should be aware that a Crown stay can technically be recommenced within one year, and a judicial stay under section 579 of the Criminal Code is subject to the same one-year recommencement provision. In practice, charges that are stayed are rarely recommenced.