Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

� Aging infrastructure is deteriorating; 117 courthouses and facilities need renewal
or replacement;
� The federal government’s omnibus crime bill provides for tougher sentences and
mandatory jail time. This will cost Ontario at least $22 million per year, probably
much more; and
� The public expects more of the justice system than it previously did. Investigations into
organized crime, gangs and Internet crime are increasingly complex and require significant
resources. The family court workload has also become heavier as a result of increased
child protection initiatives. Moreover, catastrophic events such as the 9–11 terrorist attacks
in 2001 have generated greater public focus on emergency management.
The justice sector will need to transform its service delivery and find efficiencies while ensuring
public confidence. Our recommendations are designed to help.
Evidence-based decision-making is a persistent theme of the <strong>Commission</strong>. The justice sector
should improve its collection of data to evaluate whether policies and programs are meeting
their intended objectives, and how efficiently. The Justice on Target (JOT) program is an
example of how to use data to achieve better outcomes. Our full report identifies a number
of areas in which better data collection would assist the evaluation and analysis of policy.
Custody remand in Ontario is increasing and so are the costs. The two ministries should work
to reverse this trend. The JOT program, which has begun to reduce the time needed to
complete a criminal case, can also reduce the number of inmates on remand.
Family breakdown often results in multiple civil legal problems for low-income people; this puts
greater demands on both the justice system and social welfare services such as housing, legal
aid, social assistance, and physical and mental health programs. The MAG should use JOT
principles to develop an early intervention program that would divert less contentious family
disputes to non-court alternatives such as mediation. The government should also expand
diversion programs for low-risk, non-violent offenders with mental illness rather than send
them to jail.
Policing is one of the fastest-growing areas of public expenditures in Canada. After reviewing
and defining the core responsibilities for policing, which would include an examination of
alternative models of service delivery, the government should eliminate the use of police
officers for non-core policing duties, replacing them with special constables or private security
services. Similar measures could reduce costs in correctional facilities. Examples of non-core
services include inmate transportation and community escorts; inmate health care, food
services and laundry services.
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