The Court Services Division (CSD) leadership team extends its sincere appreciation for the contributions made by all in 2025-2026.

The section below offers reflections, acknowledgements and recognition from CSD’s senior leaders.

Acknowledgement - Courts Digital Transformation (CDT) project

From: Operational Support Branch (OSB) - Vaia Pappas, Toronto region - Rosanna Giancristiano, Ontario Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) - Corie Langdon, Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) - Kathleen Murphy

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all CSD, SCJ, OCJ, and Courts Technology and Transformation Division staff who contributed to the successful launch of the CDT project in October 2025.

CDT is a significant modernization initiative. The launch of Phase 1 required extensive collaboration, dedication and problem-solving across multiple teams and business areas. The successful rollout is a testament to the commitment and professionalism demonstrated by everyone involved.

A special thank you to our frontline staff, whose willingness to embrace change, provide valuable feedback and support implementation efforts was critical to the success of the launch. Your adaptability and focus on delivering service excellence helped ensure a smooth transition and positive outcomes for both clients and justice stakeholders.

We would also like to recognize the project team members across OSB, SCJ and OCJ who worked tirelessly to configure the system, test solutions, address issues and optimize processes. Your expertise, persistence and solutions-focused approach were instrumental in delivering a system that supports our modernization goals and positions us for continued success.

The launch of CDT reflects what can be achieved when teams come together with a shared purpose, a commitment to innovation and a focus on finding solutions. Thank you for your outstanding teamwork, partnership and dedication throughout this important journey.

We should all be proud of what we accomplished together.

Acknowledgement - Program Management Branch (PMB)

From: Jacquie Williamson

PMB had an exceptional year, demonstrating innovation, collaboration and a strong commitment to improving access to justice.

The branch advanced important modernization efforts through early service design work with Cabinet Office’s Policy Innovation Hub. Staff engaged extensively with justice and IT partners, management and frontline employees across all 7 CSD regions to better understand the counter service experience and help shape future service delivery strategies.

The juries team made significant progress toward a digital-first jury process through regulatory changes to the jury questionnaire and continued work with partners to modernize the jury experience and improve consistency across the province.

The Provincial Offences Act (POA) team successfully completed Phase 1 of the strategic policy review, laying the groundwork for recommendations and a roadmap toward a sustainable and modernized POA system. The team also advanced early resolution proposals through the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, supporting greater efficiency and judicial capacity.

The court reporting team achieved several notable successes, including the near elimination of CDs, implementation of digital record certification and promising pilots involving dual-role functions and AI-assisted transcript generation, positioning the program for future innovation.

Despite significant staffing turnover, the court interpretation team maintained strong program oversight, responded to audit requirements and complaints and increased interpreter candidate testing by more than 280 per cent.

The family mediation and information services team streamlined service delivery by reducing contracts from 45 to 11, increasing flexibility and oversight while securing more than $2.5 million in additional funding to support critical family mediation and information services across the province.

Our judicial library services and forms team, working with the SCJ, overhauled the French-language library resources page and re-cataloged French language materials, a significant step toward strengthening access to French language information for judges. They also delivered online resource training to new judges as well as created 108 new court forms and updated over 980 existing forms across multiple business lines.

The writs administration team was in a period of transition but processed almost 30,000 writ-related submissions from enforcement offices across the province and, as part of their commitment to continuous improvement, engaged enforcement officers to help streamline workflows and enhance service delivery.

I am incredibly proud of the dedication, expertise and collaborative spirit demonstrated across the branch this year. Together, the team has delivered meaningful results, advanced key modernization initiatives and continued to support the division's priorities while improving access to justice for Ontarians.

Acknowledgement - Corporate Support Branch (CSB)

From: Angela McGonigal

CSB fulfilled its mandate to provide critical business support across the division, including business planning, expenditure and revenue management, financial oversight, procurement and centralized frontline business services.

Supporting a workforce of more than 4,000 employees, CSB advanced workforce planning, performance management, employee engagement and leadership development initiatives that helped ensure a skilled, engaged and high-performing workforce. The learning and development team delivered more than 66,000 hours of training, providing onboarding and operational learning opportunities to 2,391 learners from across the province. In addition, the infrastructure and facilities planning team collaborated with ministry partners to coordinate facility and information technology enhancements for 827 courtrooms across Ontario's 146 courthouses.

CSB also demonstrated its commitment to accessible and inclusive public service through the design and implementation of the Accessibility Coordinator Community of Practice. Bringing together more than 230 accessibility coordinators and alternates from courthouses across the province, this initiative strengthens knowledge sharing, builds capacity and promotes consistent accessibility practices. Through expert-led learning sessions and collaborative problem-solving, the community of practice helps ensure that court users with diverse needs receive informed, responsive and equitable service.

These accomplishments are a testament to the professionalism, expertise and dedication of CSB staff, whose efforts continue to strengthen our organization and enhance the delivery of high-quality court services for all Ontarians.

Acknowledgement - East region (ER)

From: Ann Gendron

The ER’s success in advancing innovation, modernization and service excellence is a direct reflection of the dedication, expertise and collaboration of its staff, project and leadership teams.

Over the past year, employees across the region have played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of some significant pilot initiatives, including the Estates Consolidation Pilot led by the Belleville and Kingston teams, the One Computer Strategy led by the Cornwall team and Justice Maisonneuve's Judicial Pre-Trial initiative (launched on April 27), led by the Ottawa team, in addition to the planning and development work being done on several other exciting projects to watch for in the upcoming fiscal year.

These initiatives continue to strengthen service delivery, enhance operational efficiency, improve access to justice and build organizational capacity to meet evolving demands.

I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone in the East whose commitment, professionalism and willingness to embrace new approaches have been instrumental to the success of these initiatives. I also want to highlight the invaluable support and active participation of the ER leadership cadre, whose vision, guidance and collaborative leadership have helped drive these projects forward.

Together, staff and leaders have demonstrated a shared commitment to continuous improvement, positioning the ER as a leader in testing innovative solutions that improve court operations, enhance client service and support better outcomes for the public, justice partners and the communities we serve. I am immensely proud of what has been accomplished through these collective efforts and remain confident that the innovation, dedication and teamwork demonstrated across the region will continue to drive excellence and shape the future of court services in Ontario.

Acknowledgement - Central East region (CER)

From: Mena Zaffino

There are several key initiatives that the CER has been proud to be a part of this year. The Estates Pilot Project, for instance, is a centralized approach to administering estate files across the region. Launched in August 2025, the pilot brings together a dedicated team supporting Newmarket, Tri-County and Barrie.

Today, the team works collaboratively to manage workload and maintain timelines across multiple locations. In addition to processing files, team members support in-court operations, respond to urgent priorities and track performance metrics to ensure service standards are met. Work is also underway to review and streamline processes, with a focus on improving efficiency, reducing duplication and creating greater consistency across all sites.

As well, in January 2026, CER successfully implemented the Weekend and Statutory Holiday (WASH) Court Pilot, which was the result of a collaborative effort between management and frontline staff across the region. Throughout the planning and rollout phases, staff actively participated in discussions, identified operational considerations, volunteered for testing opportunities and provided valuable feedback to refine processes. Management supported the initiative through regular communication, stakeholder engagement, training planning, technology testing and the development of shared tools and resources to support consistency across sites. The implementation aims to improve access to justice by accused persons receiving timely bail hearings, reduce pre-trial detention, improves operational efficiency, strengthens stakeholder collaboration and increases public confidence.

Lastly, CER is eagerly anticipating the launch of the Digital Information and Repository (DIR) in our region in October 2026.

A big thanks to everyone in the CER for your hard work to make this year a tremendous success!

Acknowledgement - West region (WR)

From: James Dobie

This year, staff and managers from across the WR demonstrated remarkable collaboration, innovation and adaptability while supporting court operations, modernization initiatives and service delivery improvements.

In Waterloo, criminal court staff partnered through a criminal working group to improve processes and develop a comprehensive training guide that will strengthen onboarding and support consistent learning for new employees, while staff involved in the Updating Unit Modernization Initiative helped identify redundancies, streamline workflows and improve operational efficiencies.

Across Grey-Bruce-Huron, courthouse teams fostered positive workplace cultures through staff-led engagement and wellness initiatives, earned recognition from justice partners and the judiciary for their professionalism and service excellence, supported educational outreach opportunities that enhanced public understanding of the justice system and readily assisted other locations during periods of transition and operational need.

In Windsor, staff advanced initiatives focused on employee wellness, inclusion, training, mentorship, and technology adoption, creating opportunities for staff to learn, connect and support one another while strengthening operational effectiveness.

WR staff also played a significant role in supporting divisional and corporate priorities, contributing their expertise, flexibility and operational knowledge to major transformation initiatives, including the implementation of CDT projects and other modernization efforts. Their willingness to pilot new approaches, support change management activities, provide frontline feedback and champion new ways of working has been instrumental in helping the division advance its modernization agenda while continuing to deliver exceptional service to court users and justice partners.

Most importantly, I want to thank every member of the WR for the dedication, professionalism and compassion you bring to your work each day. Court operations can be demanding, requiring staff to balance complex workloads, evolving priorities and the needs of the public, justice partners and the judiciary. Despite these challenges, WR staff consistently rise to the occasion with resilience, teamwork and an unwavering commitment to service excellence.

I continue to be inspired by your willingness to support one another, embrace change and look for opportunities to improve how we serve Ontarians. The accomplishments highlighted throughout this report are a direct reflection of your hard work, expertise and commitment to public service. It is a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated group of professionals, and I am sincerely grateful for everything you do to support access to justice in our communities every day.

Acknowledgement - Central West region (CWR)

From: Ryan Easson

I want to thank the CWR staff for their exceptional efforts in reducing Justice Services Online backlog throughout the region. The progress achieved is a direct result of their dedication, teamwork and commitment to delivering timely and effective service. The willingness to collaborate, adapt to evolving pressures and go above and beyond has made a meaningful difference and demonstrates the strength of our collective efforts in CWR.

Special thanks to the CWR staff who participated in the WASH Court Interpreter Scheduling Pilot. Their collaboration, flexibility and innovative approach have been key to the pilot’s success. Through their engagement and commitment to testing new processes, valuable insights have been gained that will help inform future improvements. The achievements realized through this initiative are a testament to their hard work, dedication and shared commitment to service excellence, and their contributions are sincerely appreciated.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all CWR management and staff for their continued dedication, professionalism and commitment to public service. The hard work, perseverance and unwavering focus on supporting clients, colleagues and stakeholders are truly valued and do not go unnoticed.

The successes we celebrate today are a reflection of their collective efforts, positive attitude and willingness to rise to every challenge with excellence and integrity. Thank you for all that you do each day to contribute to our shared goals and for exemplifying the very best of teamwork, service and leadership.

Acknowledgement - Northwest region (NWR)

From: Jennifer Purves

I’m so proud of all the incredible work happening in the NWR – thank you to the NWR management and staff for your hard work and dedication to delivering justice services every day, across a sizable geography!

Of note, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the management and staff in my region involved in testing the One Computer Strategy in 2025-2026. The lessons learned from our team, and feedback that our staff provided, has helped to inform the provincewide rollout that will happen in 2026.

I also want to thank the court and client representatives and management team for their support in rolling out portable internet solutions to support DIR and other court functions, in the satellite and fly-in communities. In addition to portable internet solutions, the staff working in Pikangikum also operate the JVN hybrid court technology. This supports remote testimony, interpretation and virtual attendance.

Acknowledgement - Northeast region (NER)

From: Nicole Forget

The successful rollout of DIR within an ambitious three-month timeframe is a testament to the exceptional hard work, dedication and commitment of the management team and staff across the NER.

In addition to implementing this significant change, the team successfully established portable internet units for fly-in and satellite courts, ensuring continued access to justice across diverse locations.

Staff and management consistently demonstrated flexibility, professionalism and resilience while balancing competing priorities and maintaining the high standard of service delivery expected of court operations. Their collaborative approach, willingness to go above and beyond and unwavering focus on meeting operational needs reflect the core values of the Ontario Public Service and exemplify a strong commitment to public service excellence.