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Town supports letter asking province to improve court system

January 21, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

Orangeville Council joined Mono Mayor John Creelman and Caledon Mayor Allan Thompson, in asking the Ford government to address issues relating to provincial offences court system in Dufferin and Caledon.

Council voted 7-0 last Monday (Jan. 10) to support a letter written by both mayors, asking the Province to implement solutions to the current system.

“Municipal resources are being exhausted and pushed beyond capacity and the implications are profound,” reads the letter.

The letter notes that the two critical challenges are last minute cancellations due to a lack of judicial resources and a reduction of judicial availability for administrative functions. These include swearing of information, issuing of summons, and review of applications.

Coun. Joe Andrews, who sits on the Town of Orangeville’s Provincial Offences Administration (POA) committee, noted the key issues is a lack of judicial resources.

“One of the challenges that is highlighted in that particular document from the two mayors is in fact our JP or judicial shortage,” he said. “There is a backlog, primarily due to the fact that some of the hearings to particular cases – and depending on what is being discussed – have had to be canceled because of the JP shortage.”

Coun. Andrews noted that the existing structure is problematic and he appreciates the mayors from Mono and Caledon brining this forward.

The motion to support the mayors’ letter was approved by Orangeville Council unanimously on Jan. 10.

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