Facility Consolidates Regional Justice Services

Construction of the Durham Region Courthouse is complete, improving access to justice for area residents.

The Honourable Gerry Phillips, Ontario's Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and the Honourable Chris Bentley, Attorney General, attended a ceremony at the new courthouse in Oshawa today.   The ministers were joined by Joe Dickson, MPP for Ajax-Pickering, Rick Johnson, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, and His Worship John Gray, Mayor of Oshawa, to unveil a plaque signifying the end of construction.

The new courthouse, built on time and on budget, consolidates justice services currently provided in eight different locations across the region.  It features: 

  • 33 courtrooms 
  • three motions rooms 
  • three conference/settlement rooms  
  • related justice services 
  • up-to-date technology and security systems.   

As part of the government's commitment to creating and promoting energy conservation in Ontario, the new facility was built to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification, which includes rigorous requirements for energy management and conservation.  

“The Durham Region Courthouse is the first courthouse project to be completed under our government's Alternative Financing and Procurement program,” said Phillips.  “This new modern, efficient and integrated courthouse will bring together court services operating in eight locations across the region under one roof - a practical move that will help improve access and delivery of justice.” 

“This courthouse is a state-of-the-art facility that will increase access to justice and improve services for the people of Durham region,” said Bentley.   

“The Durham Region Courthouse will provide our community with modern courthouse facilities to meet the growing needs of Durham Region,” said Joe Dickson, MPP for Ajax-Pickering.

“The Durham Consolidated Courthouse will add a facet in our city's core that will be truly unique to anywhere else in the region.” said His Worship John Gray, Mayor of Oshawa. “As a result of this significant investment by the province of Ontario, the momentum of our downtown revitalization will be kicked into high-gear.  New businesses, such as law firms, will be locating in Downtown Oshawa, creating jobs and opportunity.  Thousands of people will be converging into Downtown Oshawa every day, frequenting restaurants and shopping more than ever before.  The revitalization of Downtown Oshawa has truly reached a new milestone.” 

In March 2007, Access Justice Durham was selected as the team to design, build, finance and maintain the new courthouse.  Construction of the new facility began in May 2007.  At the peak of construction, there were more than 400 construction workers on site daily.

Over the next two months, staff will transition into the new courthouse from the existing facilities across Durham Region.  The Durham Region Courthouse is expected to be fully operational by March 2010.

Infrastructure Ontario worked with the Ministry of the Attorney General to develop the Durham Region Courthouse. Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are built on time and on budget.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information about this project. 

Contacts:

Amy Tang 
Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure 
Minister's Office 
416-327-6747 

Erin Moroz 
Ministry of the Attorney General 
Minister's Office 
416-326-1785 

Jennifer Sclisizzi 
Infrastructure Ontario 
416-325-7409 

Brendan Crawley 
Ministry of the Attorney General 
Communications Branch 
416-326-2210 

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