A move to reduce the number of court regions in the province will help improve court management so that judicial time is better used.
“Overall it’s a general reform and consolidation,” said Powell River crown counsel Ian Tully-Barr. “It’s a positive change.”
The current 12 regions in the province will be reduced to five, which aligns with those used by other government agencies.
The government confirmed the change proposed by the Office of the Chief Judge by order-in-council.
Chief Judge Thomas Crabtree is proposing the five regions be administered by a regional administrative judge, and until the position is legislatively created, an associate chief judge has been designated for each region.
The new geographic regions are Vancouver Island presided over by Judge Adrian Brooks, Fraser presided over by Judge Peder Gulbransen, Interior region presided over by Judge Robin Smith, Northern region presided over by Judge Michael Brecknell and the Vancouver region presided over by Judge Raymond Low. Powell River is part of the Vancouver Island region.
Administrative judges who were not designated for one of the new regions have returned to regular sitting duties.
Tully-Barr added that though the changes are a step in the right direction, they will not necessarily be noticeable to the general public.
Since about 2003, Powell River has had its court administered by the chief justice’s office and has had judges from Vancouver Island and Vancouver brought in to hear cases. Tully-Barr said he thought that the changes would not alter the way the Powell River provincial court operates.
The changes were part of recommendations made in a government white paper by Geoffrey Cowper QC. The provincial government has committed to making legislative changes which would lead to greater transparency, managerial authority and overall accountability with the justice system.
