$11M for Thompson courthouse improvements after complaints of long delays, limited court time

The Manitoba government is spending upwards of $11 million to fix a courthouse in Thompson plagued by systemic issues that justice officials say is impeding access to justice in the province's north.

The renovations will add courtrooms, holding cells, waiting areas and security features for the Thompson provincial court centre, the province announced on Tuesday.

"The project will increase accessibility at the Thompson Court Office and make court proceedings more timely and efficient," the province said in a news release.

Documents obtained by CBC News last year revealed issues in Thompson, the main justice hub for most of northern Manitoba, which provincial Chief Judge Margaret Wiebe described as "significant and complicated challenges." 

The complaints included RCMP criticizing the use of their detachment as a "de facto provincial remand centre" because of a lack of cells, with close to 6,000 people a year being held in the Thompson RCMP cells.

RCMP also complained of lengthy delays — up to two weeks at times — in receiving court disposition documents from the court office in order to update their police database.

That would mean, for example, it could take up to two weeks for police to learn when no-contact orders are imposed.

Cafeteria as a courtroom

The documents, which consist of detailed meeting minutes, revealed that defence lawyers are frustrated they cannot get in touch with their clients easily and that inmates often don't arrive at the courthouse on time.

There were also complaints of a lack of basic technological amenities like reliable Wi-Fi signals, and that the cafeteria was used as a courtroom.

The meeting minutes also revealed a cycle in which people are transported long distances from the remand centre to attend court and find their matter can't be dealt with because of inefficient use of resources — leading to the accused being shipped back to the remand centre to await their next court date.

A task force was struck in 2018 to try to address the issues. 

To improve the justice system in northern Manitoba, the province said Tuesday that design work is underway to renovate the Thompson Provincial Office Building and Court Offices. 

The improvements will include an additional courtroom, a child-friendly courtroom, an additional judge's chamber, a separate small courtroom for judicial justices of the peace, and more holding cells.

They will also include a safe and separate waiting and interview area for victims, including child witnesses.

Existing courtrooms will be renovated, and space will be added in the administration area to improve the processing of cases.

Security cameras, X-ray machines and metal detectors will be added to enhance security, the province said in its Tuesday news release.

Copies of internal Thompson Working Group documents

(Redactions to the document made by CBC News in consultation with Manitoba Justice officials due to security concerns.)