Ontario’s government announced new legislation Monday aimed at accelerating judicial appointments, adding more judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, and establishing specialized prosecution teams to tackle cybercrime and cryptocurrency-related offenses.
Attorney General Doug Downey said the upcoming legislation will create a new pool-based recommendation process to streamline judicial appointments. The selection committee will now be required to consider criteria set by the attorney general, a move the Progressive Conservative government says will make the process more efficient and help clear the growing backlog of complex and criminal cases.
Seventeen new judges will be appointed to the lower courts to address the increasing caseload, Downey confirmed at a press conference in Toronto. “These changes will support our goal of providing swift access to justice for victims of crime and help them avoid the grief and anxiety that come with delays,” he said.
The announcement follows criticism Premier Doug Ford faced last year when his government appointed two former staffers to the judicial appointments committee. At the time, Ford defended the decision by arguing that Ontario needs “tougher judges” to keep offenders behind bars, stating, “You voted a party in,” and emphasizing that electing like-minded individuals is part of democracy.
Under Ontario’s appointment process, a 13-member committee composed of judges, lawyers, and members of the public reviews applications and submits a ranked list of candidates to the attorney general, who then makes the final appointment. The proposed reforms would give the government more influence over the qualifications and selection of judicial candidates.
Downey emphasized that the changes are part of the province’s broader strategy to “get tough on crime,” criticizing what he described as “revolving door bail policies” from Ottawa. Speaking on the day of Canada’s federal election, Downey urged the incoming federal government to prioritize tough-on-crime measures.
“If you commit a crime in Ontario, we will do everything in our power to find you, prosecute you, and put you behind bars,” Downey said, highlighting the province’s renewed focus on supporting victims and strengthening public safety.
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