The new court building will eventually take on all criminal matters from six existing courthouses scattered across the city — a move critics say raises access-to-justice concerns for people living outside the city centre.
Calling it a “modern and accessible space,” Attorney General Doug Downey officially opened the new Toronto courthouse on TuesdayThe $956-million, 17-storey courthouse features 73 hearing rooms, including standard courtrooms and specialized courts for mental health, drug treatment, and Indigenous accused persons, among others.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in the building’s atrium, Downey batted away criticism that the courthouse has already become too small before it even starts hearing cases. The association representing Crown attorneys has said the government has had to find office space for prosecutors in the surrounding area because there isn’t enough room in the new building for all of them.
Described as the largest courthouse in Ontario and the second largest in Canada, Downey opened the new building alongside outgoing Ontario Court Chief Justice Lise Maisonneuve and other dignitaries. “We have collectively risen to the challenges of modernizing Ontario’s courts, breaking down barriers and speeding up access to Ontario’s legal system,” Downey said.
The building also includes an Indigenous learning centre, the first of its kind in an Ontario courthouse, which will feature interactive exhibits on injustice, truth and reconciliation, and Indigenous legal traditions.
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