PROVINCE SAYS NEW COURTHOUSE WILL HELP MODERNIZE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Lawyers, city councillors, unions and community advocates aren't giving up their years-long fight to persuade Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General consolidating suburban courts downtown is wrong.

"It's not too late," says Betty Vavougios, president of the Ontario Crown Attorneys' Association.

"All the buildings are still standing."

In interviews, Vavougios and other critics of the province's plan said space in the new 17-storey courthouse at 10 Armoury St. is already largely reserved — so much so that many Crown attorneys will be in rented offices elsewhere.

"There's no room to grow at this point," she said, blaming space shortages on planning that began a decade ago under a previous Liberal government Vavougios said didn't want to close suburban courthouses.

"It actually makes no sense to have everyone down there right now."

York Centre Coun. James Pasternak, who plans to bring a motion to council's March 29 meeting, said staff at 2201 have already moved downtown but the province might still be persuaded about 1000 Finch W. and 1911 Eglinton E.

"The shift looks good on paper, but it's really impractical," said Pasternak, who also said quasi-judicial bodies such as land tribunals can use space in suburban courthouses.

Gary Crawford, whose

Scarborough Southwest ward includes the Scarborough courthouse, said he supports its landlord's desire to maintain the courthouse during a proposed rebuild.

The ministry says the new courthouse, Ontario Court of Justice — Toronto, will help "modernize and improve access to the justice system," and offers "effective and efficient scheduling" of courts and court services.

In a recent release, the new building was described as the most accessible courthouse in Ontario and one with improved safety features, better video capabilities, and low environmental impacts.

Asked to comment on Crown attorney offices and whether the new courthouse has space to incorporate everyone from suburban courthouses, Maher Abdurahman, a ministry spokesperson, responded by email only that "appropriate office space" will be provided for Crown lawyers working at 10 Armoury.

Dev Jebodh, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Local 551, said the court staff, parole workers and probation officers he represents understand the government believes they are saving costs and making Toronto's courts more efficient, but he argued moving suburban courts downtown comes with other costs.

Making everyone go to court downtown will be "tough on the people who can least afford it" and will mean people miss court appearances, even if some of these can be done virtually, he said.

"You can't just look at the bottom line."

Employees living near Scarborough and North York courts will have to travel farther, a hardship especially for those with young children, said Jebodh.

The union isn't confident it can save 1000 Finch West, scheduled to close this month, Jebodh suggested, but optimistic it can delay closure of 1911 Eglinton East, whose last scheduled operating day is May 5.

Instead of having "all your eggs in one basket," keeping the Scarborough courthouse as a satellite location is wise for now and would be useful if there's an emergency at 10 Armoury, he added.

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Reporter Mike Adler wanted to find out how the opening of the new downtown mega courthouse will impact the fight to save suburban courthouses serving Scarborough, North York and Etobicoke.