Summary of Civil Justice Reform Report

In November the McGuinty government released the Civil Justice Reform Project: Summary of Findings and Recommendations, is a commissioned report from the Honourable Coulter Osborne, on ways to improve the civil justice system. The summary of the report is available on the ministry's website in both French and English at www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca.

In June 2006, the government asked Mr. Osborne, a former Associate Chief Justice of Ontario, to propose options for reforming the civil justice system to make it more accessible and affordable.

Mr. Osborne carried out province-wide consultations, researched civil justice studies and reforms in other jurisdictions, and reviewed over 60 written submissions from legal associations, lawyers, members of the judiciary and the public. He also established three advisory committees.

The summary report contains 81 recommendations touching on 18 areas of procedural and substantive law, including unrepresented litigants, small claims, trial management, appeals, technology, courtroom civility and proportionality. Mr. Osborne is expected to deliver his full report shortly.

Government Hires More Prosecutors

In December the McGuinty government announced it is hiring 40 new full-time Crown attorneys and 15 new full-time support staff across the province.

Nine of the 40 additional Crown attorneys will be assigned to Brampton in response to the Peel Region's growing population, bringing their total number of Crowns to 55. The addition of these new resources will help ensure Ontario's court system continues to operate smoothly in response to more charges, more complex cases and demographic shifts. The new prosecutors are expected to be in place early in 2008.

In a backgrounder released with this announcement the government summarized its actions since 2003:

Specialized Crowns

Adding more than 150 Crown prosecutors to the system, including specialized Crowns with expertise in certain areas of criminal law. Specialized Crowns include:

• GTA Guns and Gangs Task Force - The McGuinty government has expanded the task force three times since October 2005 for a total of 72 specialized guns and gangs Crown prosecutors and their support staff. The task force is made up of police officers, Crown prosecutors and staff from the Victim/Witness Assistance Program who work together from the first day of an investigation.
• Anti-Gun Smuggling Crowns - Six new anti-gun smuggling Crowns announced by the Premier on July 27, 2007 will focus on tracking the movement of restricted or prohibited firearms into and across Ontario. These specialized Crowns will be available province-wide to work with police for better coordination and collaboration in investigating and prosecuting gun runners, smugglers and thieves.
• High Risk Offender Crowns - Eight new Crowns announced by the Premier on August 16, 2007 will work in every region of the province with victim service workers, case presentation specialists and support staff to advise police during investigations and streamline the complex high-risk offender designation process. This will cut down on the time it takes to start a dangerous or long-term offender hearing.

Added Court Resources

Increasing Ontario's court system capacity to handle the increasing volume and complexity of cases.

• appointed 69 judges
• appointed 113 justices of the peace
• designated 29 per-diem retired justices of the peace to hear cases in municipal Provincial Offences Act courts.
  
  
• Modern, secure and accessible courts:
  • building major crime courtrooms at 361 University Avenue and 2201 Finch Avenue West in Toronto as part of a $51 million anti-guns and gangs strategy
  • committing more than $1 billion over five years to build new courthouses and improve existing infrastructure.