Ontario Making Criminal Justice System Faster and Fairer in Southwestern Ontario
Press Release
Province Expanding Bail Programs and Hiring More Prosecutors and Court Staff
January 19, 2017 9:15 A.M.
Ministry of the Attorney General
Ontario is moving forward with its plan to make the criminal justice system faster and fairer by implementing key programs to help reduce time-to-trial and improve the bail system in southwestern Ontario.
The plan, which was launched Dec. 1, 2016, will enhance public safety by making it possible to resolve criminal cases faster and by making more supports and supervision available to vulnerable, low-risk individuals who come in contact with the law.
In southwestern Ontario:
- To facilitate faster bail decisions and safe resolutions, the London and Kitchener courthouses will each be assigned one new dedicated bail vettor Crown attorney.
- To help expedite the bail process and ensure meaningful decisions are made, the London and Kitchener courthouses will also each be assigned one new duty counsel bail coordinator.
- The Bail Verification Supervision Programs will be expanding to Chatham, Goderich, St. Thomas, Stratford and Woodstock and include a new program in Sarnia that will increase supervision and support to low-risk individuals before their trial.
- The existing Bail Verification Supervision Program in London will be enhanced to include increased eligibility for services, mental health programs and the addition of a new Indigenous bail support service.
- The Weekend and Statutory Holidays court in London will expand to ensure cases are being heard as soon as possible.
In addition to these changes, Ontario is appointing new judges and adding Crown attorneys, duty counsel and court staff to court locations across the province.
Improving Ontario’s criminal justice system is part of the government’s plan to create jobs, keep communities safe and help people in their everyday lives.
Quick Facts
- The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms requires that criminal trials take place within a reasonable amount of time. In cases where this time has been exceeded, the judge may choose to “stay” the charges and the case would not proceed to trial.
- In its decision in R. v. Jordan, the Supreme Court of Canada set time limits for the completion of criminal cases, where there are no exceptional circumstances: 18 months for cases in the Ontario Court of Justice and 30 months for cases in the Superior Court of Justice.
- The decision to grant or deny bail is complex and based on the specifics of each individual case. When considering whether to recommend bail, the key factors considered by the Crown are public safety (especially for victims), attendance in court, the rights of the accused, and public confidence in the administration of justice.
- In 2015, in about 80 per cent of cases, the accused were either released by police or later released on bail.
Additional Resources
Quotes
“Ontario’s criminal justice system must work to protect the interests of all people — victims, the public and the accused — while keeping our communities safe. We are working on all fronts to ensure that cases get to court faster so that we a have fairer criminal justice system. Our investments in community-based agencies in the southwestern region will make it possible for vulnerable, low-risk Ontarians to be safely released in the community with the supervision and support they need.”
“I am pleased our government is supporting resources and program investments in the criminal justice system here in London and the surrounding region. I believe these changes will go a long way to helping keep our community safe while at the same time ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens get the help they need.”
“The expansion of the Bail Program to communities surrounding London will improve access and fairness in the administration of justice for vulnerable and low risk accused persons. Staffing the weekend courts will assist in meeting the goal of a more efficient system. Specialized services including referrals to housing, medical services, treatment and supervision in the community will promote a more successful release on bail for Indigenous people and persons who have a mental illness.”
“The London Police Service welcomes the efforts and plans to reduce time to trial and improve the bail system in Ontario. By providing the necessary support, it will assist in avoiding future conflict with the law for vulnerable individuals and low-risk accused persons.”
Media Contacts
Clare Graham
Minister’s Office
Clare.Graham@ontario.ca
416-326-7071
Media Relations
Communications Branch
MAG-Media@Ontario.ca
416-326-2210
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