“Our position is we have a system that works. We’re going to a more bureaucratic system that is not as friendly to the defendant. Our position was not to support the changes as proposed.”
Staff have conducted a detailed review of the impact the proposed changes will have on administrative processes and resources. The Bill 177 changes to the Early Resolution section of the POA will increase processing steps from the existing 15 administrative processes to over 70 processes. This represents an increase in processes of over 400%. While the court’s administration has digitized and modernized a number of administrative processes to permit the defendant to file their request digitally, the POA court remains required to use and rely on the province’s antiquated adjudicative case management system. Given the lack of a modern adjudicative case management system, the impact of the additional and complex legislative processes under the proposed changes to the Early Resolution section of the POA will require an additional full time court clerks to administer the proposed lengthy varied and complex early resolution process.
Simplifying the POA to provide a more efficient, effective justice system with more convenience and proportionate options to the public for minor offences under Part I of the POA, should not require an increase in processes.
