Ontario Court of Justice - North East Region

The OCJ has issued a Message re COVID-19 regarding COVID-19 that includes encouraging judicial officials, parties and counsel to actively explore whether all, or any portion, of trials or other hearings that would otherwise be in person can be conducted using remote technology, and to be accommodating of such requests from opposing counsel or parties.

The OCJ has issued a new Notice to the Profession and the Public regarding criminal case management appearances. Previous OCJ Notices stipulating that criminal case management appearances will be adjourned for five weeks (with a discretionary bench warrant if the accused person does not appear) will end on November 27, 2020. As of November 30, 2020, all accused persons will be required to attend their scheduled appearances in criminal case management court.

The OCJ has issued a new Notice regarding the resumption of in-person family law proceedings in the Northeast and Northwest regions. Beginning on November 30, 2020:

The OCJ has amended its October 22nd Notice regarding virtual criminal case management courts. New dates and locations have been added for the implementation of virtual criminal cases management appearances.

The OCJ has announced that in-person criminal trials and preliminary inquiries in the Ontario Court of Justice will resume on November 30, 2020 at the following locations: Alexandria, Bradford, Elliot Lake, Kirkland Lake, Picton, Red Lake, and Sioux Lookout. This is a part of MAG’s return to operations plan, where the Ministry is implementing health and safety measures in each courthouse before permitting in-person matters to resume.

The OCJ has amended its Notice regarding court locations that will be commencing virtual criminal case management appearances in October and November, 2020. Additional courthouse-specific scheduling and connection information has been added at the bottom of Notice for select OCJ locations. For more information, please see here.

The OCJ announced that virtual criminal case management courts will launch in additional locations in the coming weeks:

The OCJ will begin implementing virtual criminal case management courts on the following dates in various locations.  For more information, please see the OCJ update.

This week MAG provided an update on the phase 3 of the reopening of courtrooms to in-person proceedings, including target readiness dates for phase 3 locations. This phase of work includes the preparation of additional courtrooms in locations which have already resumed in-person appearances and select new satellite court locations.

The OCJ has amended OCJ Expansion of Virtual Criminal Case Management Courts October 22nd Notice regarding the further expansion of virtual criminal case management courts. These case management courts will launch in select locations on the following dates