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Ontario Launches New Digital Portal to Streamline Court Access

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Starting next week, residents of Toronto, along with litigants and legal professionals, will gain increased access to the court system through the launch of the Ontario Courts Public Portal. This initial phase of the platform is designed to facilitate online interactions with the judicial system, allowing users to file documents, pay fees, and access virtual court hearing links.

Details of the New System

The Ontario Courts Public Portal is set to go live on October 10, 2025. Initially, it will be limited to civil, family, small claims, bankruptcy, and enforcement cases within the Superior Court, as well as family cases in provincial court. Notably, criminal cases will not be included in this phase but are expected to be integrated by 2027 in the second phase.

Doug Downey, Ontario’s Attorney General, highlighted that the complete rollout of this $166-million system is anticipated for 2030. He expressed optimism about the portal’s potential to enhance transparency and accessibility for the public, stating, “It’s going to create a significantly more accessible and robust system that will help the public access their own court cases.”

Although the new system prioritizes digital interactions, Downey emphasized that the traditional paper-based approach will still be available, adopting a “digital-first, not digital-only” strategy. This ensures that those who prefer conventional methods will not be left behind.

Historical Context and Future Prospects

The push towards a digital court system accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced courts to adapt quickly to new technologies. Downey noted that he had been advocating for modernization prior to the pandemic. Reflecting on his experience as a court clerk, he remarked on the outdated nature of the system, specifically the inability to pay court fees via credit card, a basic service that was still lacking when he took office in 2019.

Geoffrey Morawetz, Chief Justice of the Superior Court, underscored the significance of this project during a recent speech. He described the new portal as a historic transformation, stating, “Long overdue, this new digital system will replace our currently disconnected technologies with one integrated, seamless platform across all areas of law.”

The government awarded the contract for the new platform to Thomson Reuters in 2023. Downey explained that opting for an existing solution rather than developing a new system from scratch allowed for a quicker implementation. “Let’s apply our expertise to what we need from it to customize it,” he said, emphasizing the importance of efficiency in modernizing the court system.

In contrast, previous attempts by the former Liberal government to implement a similar court information management system faced challenges and were ultimately abandoned in 2013 after incurring costs of $10.3 million.

As Ontario prepares to launch this innovative portal, it marks a significant step towards modernizing the judicial experience for all stakeholders involved, paving the way for a more efficient and user-friendly court system in the years to come.

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