Thunder Bay Courthouse Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
This 200,000 ft2, state-of-the-art facility will bring two existing courthouses – the Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Justice – into one building in downtown Thunder Bay and will include space for a number of services, including the Victim/Witness Assistance Program and Legal Aid Ontario. The design of the facility is also sensitive to the cultural aspects of the region and houses the Province's first Aboriginal Settlement Conference Suite, specifically designed to respond to the needs of the region's Aboriginal population.
The Thunder Bay Consolidated Courthouse will serve the entire region, including the communities of Armstrong, Geraldton, Longlac, Manitouwadge, Marathon, Nipigon, Schreiber, Fort Hope, Ogoki Post and Lansdowne House. Bringing justice services together under one roof, in a modern accessible facility will help reduce delays in the court system and increase access to justice.
The facility is a six-storey building, with one level of parking below grade and an enclosed mechanical penthouse on the seventh level. It will accommodate an estimated 250 personnel in 15 courtrooms and 4 conference/settlement rooms. The courthouse will accommodate a maximum of 72 persons in custody at a time in a day-use holding area, increase the total number of courtrooms available, and provide better public access and security.
