The Ontario Court of Justice is continuing to implement virtual criminal case management courts, in which criminal case management appearances will be conducted by videoconference or audioconference.
Virtual criminal case management courts will be implemented in the following locations on the identified dates:
| Date | Location |
| October 26 2020 | Exeter, Leamington, Walpole Island First Nation (West Region) |
| November 2, 2020 | Huntsville, Minden (Central East Region) Blind River, Elliot Lake, Hearst, Hornepayne, Kapuskasing, Kirkland Lake, Smooth Rock Falls (Northeast Region) |
| November 9, 2020 | Bradford (Central East Region) Sioux Lookout, Red Lake (Northwest Region) |
| November 16, 2020 | Collingwood (Central East Region) Atikokan, Bearskin Lake, Big Trout Lake, Cat Lake, Deer Lake, Fort Severn, Ignace, Kasabonika Lake, Keewaywin, Kingfisher, Lac Seul, Mishkeegogamang, Muskrat Dam, North Spirit Lake, Pikangikum, Poplar Hill, Rainy River, Sachigo Lake, Sandy Lake, Wapekeka, Weagamow, Wunnumin Lake (Northwest Region) |
| November 23, 2020 | Midland (Central East Region) Alexandria, Morrisburg, Picton (East Region) Attiwapiskat, Chapleau, Fort Albany, Gogama, Kashechewn, Moosonee, Peawanuck, Sundridge, Wikwemikong (Northeast Region) |
| November 30, 2020 | Armstrong, Fort Hope (Eabametoong), Geraldton, Landsdowne House (Neskantaga), Longlac, Manitouwadge, Marathon, Nipigon, Ogoki Post, Schreiber, Summer Beaver (Nibinamik), Webequie (Northwest Region) |
| December 7, 2020 | Bancroft, Killaloe (East Region) Wawa (Northeast Region) |
| December 14, 2020 | Espanola (Northeast Region) |
| January 4, 2021 | Mattawa, Sturgeon Falls (Northeast Region) |
Details about virtual criminal case management court appearances are available in the Notice, Scheduling and Conducting of Virtual Criminal Case Management Appearances.
Further information about criminal proceedings in the Ontario Court of Justice, including the definition of “case management appearances”, is available in the COVID-19: Notice to Counsel and the Public re: Criminal Matters in the Ontario Court of Justice.
Please continue to check the Ontario Court of Justice website for updates.
Note: The automatic adjournment of criminal case management appearances due to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in large dockets. In addition, it will likely take all participants some time to adapt to the new procedures and technology involved in conducting these appearances using remote technology. The Court encourages and appreciates the cooperation and patience of all participants, particularly at the beginning of this initiative. The Court will revise and refine the procedures for these virtual case management courts, as appropriate, based on feedback and as court operations continue to evolve in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendance at Case Management Court
The number of people who may be present in the courthouse and in the courtroom remains restricted in order to comply with health and safety precautions and maintain safe physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For this reason, in-person attendances for criminal court case management appearances can not currently be accommodated at all court locations.
If you have a case management criminal court appearance in any of the court locations listed above, do not attend court in person.
Scheduling and Connection Information
Each case management court has its own unique video link and its own unique telephone number / passcode combination that is needed to connect to the court. This information is set out in courthouse-specific schedules available on the Ontario Court of Justice website.
To facilitate more orderly proceedings and to limit the number of people waiting on the line to have their matters addressed, case management court lists have been subdivided into tiers. Counsel and accused persons are encouraged to connect to the case management courtroom at the time specified for their tier. However, the Court recognizes that, as a result of the automatic adjournment of matters and other scheduling changes, counsel may have conflicting court obligations which will prevent counsel from being able to attend during the allotted time.
The scheduling and connection information for criminal case management courts may change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and as court operations continue to expand. Please continue to check the Ontario Court of Justice website for updates.
Criminal Case Management Court Appearances in Other Satellite Court Locations
The Ontario Court of Justice has implemented virtual criminal case management courts in all base court locations across Ontario and in a number of satellite court locations. Implementation of virtual criminal case management courts in additional satellite court locations will continue over the next several weeks.
In the meantime, the automatic adjournment of criminal court appearances for accused persons who are not in custody will continue at satellite court locations until the virtual criminal case management court is implemented at that particular location.
If you have a case management criminal court appearance in the Ontario Court of Justice on or before November 30, 2020 in a satellite court location other than those listed below, do not attend court. The court will adjourn your matter for approximately five weeks without you being present, using a court order called a “bench warrant with discretion”, which will require you to attend court on the new date. To find out what date your matter is being adjourned to, see the list of adjournment dates.
Courthouse-specific Scheduling and Connection Information
The chart below includes all Virtual Criminal Case Management Court locations implemented on or before December 14, 2020. Additional locations will be added before their Virtual Criminal Case Management Courts are implemented.