Ontario’s Attorney General Doug Downey was at the courthouse in North Bay, Ont., on Friday afternoon speaking about the provincial government’s role in strengthening courthouse security in northern Ontario. A $5.3 million security upgrade at the North Bay Courthouse was recently completed, creating a single entry and exit point with a public screening area, baggage scanner and magnetometer to detect concealed metal weapons as North Bay Police Service special constables scan people and their belongings. “Last time I was here, I came in through the back door,” Downey said. “Now there’s one entry and there are many reasons for that.” Police chief welcomes improvements Police chief Daryl Longworth is glad to see the improvements, which keep 22 special constables under the direction of a supervisor sergeant safe while working. “These are enhancements that the policing world, those who provide court security have been asking for a long period of time,” he said. Longworth had a chance to pull Downey aside to speak about the current funding model for police services who have courthouses in their jurisdiction to make sure its keeping pace with growing capacity. “We have to evolve and grow with those as well and of course that always costs money. And we would look for two cost recovery for that government funding that we do get for court security,” Longworth told reporters. Security investments extend across northern Ontario North Bay’s courthouse is not the only facility in northern Ontario that underwent security improvements. $1 million was used to upgrade the police monitoring area and duress system at the Gore Bay courthouse and nearly $20 million was used to build a new expanded video surveillance system and single points of entry at the courthouses in Greater Sudbury. “As security concerns have risen, we’ve made the investments to make sure that we have all of the tools in place,” Downey said. Downey said work is currently underway for a $4.3 million security enhancement at the courthouse in Sault Ste. Marie to upgrade holding cells, the duress system and a new surveillance system, with the project expected to be completed in spring 2027. Province touts record of courthouse security spending “A safe courthouse is not separate from access to justice,” Downey added. “It is one of the foundations that makes access to justice possible.” According to the province, since 2018 more than 2,100 court security projects have been completed, representing nearly $89 million in completed work. Downey also said that since the Ford government has been in power more than $250 million has been invested to strengthen courthouse security measures across the province, improving safety for judges, staff, litigants and the public.
