Published plans and annual reports 2019-2020: Ministry of the Attorney General

Ministry overview

Mandate

The Ministry of the Attorney General administers the justice system to protect the public and ensure legality in government. To accomplish this, we are prioritizing changes to the justice sector to simplify a complex and antiquated justice system. This will make it easier, faster and more efficient for the people of Ontario to access justice.

Ministry programs and activities

By modernizing outdated practices and making strategic investments, the ministry can reduce regulatory burdens and improve the reliability and responsiveness of the justice system. To that end, the ministry will move ahead with a number of initiatives that reflect its goals and help it deliver on its commitments.

Some of the key initiatives planned or in progress in 2019-20 include:

Modernization projects

The government is modernizing and streamlining services in the justice sector — from policing to courts to corrections. The ministry is working to make the criminal justice system faster and more efficient. This includes digitizing the charging document or information laid by police. The ministry will also prioritize increased use of video conferencing for many types of in-custody court appearances.

Proposed amendments to the Juries Act, if passed would allow Ontario to use the OHIP database as the sole comprehensive source for creating jury lists. This would streamline the existing process, eliminate many manual, time-consuming administrative tasks and provide a more representative list of potential jurors.

Improving court operations will speed up the resolution of civil and other cases and use court resources more effectively. If passed, these proposed legislative changes would streamline processes and increase efficiencies in the court system by:

• Ensuring that resources are not wasted in provincial offence matters where a judge is transferred to another court while he or she has a case is in progress
• Streamlining publication of Justice of the Peace Review Council and Ontario Judicial Council annual reports, ensuring the most efficient use of legislative time, and
• Eliminating the availability of civil jury trials in simplified procedure cases, shortening trial lengths and saving valuable court resources.

Legal Aid transformation

We want to ensure that legal aid services and supports are responsive and easy to navigate for people. To that end we will be undertaking a comprehensive review of Legal Aid Ontario.

This review is an opportunity to modernize legal aid service delivery to make it easier to access and will serve low income Ontarians better.

As recommended by the Auditor General, the review will also look at the legislation and service delivery model for community legal clinics and identify areas for improvement. For example, allowing clinics to better share resources and expertise so that they can focus on front line client service delivery for those who need it most.

Our government will continue the scheduled six per cent increase to the financial eligibility threshold for legal aid services.

Justice Centres

As part of the second phase of Ontario’s Guns and Gangs Strategy, we will establish Justice Centres in several locations across the province to address the root causes of crime, break the cycle of offending, and tackle gun and gang violence.

Delivering justice in a community setting, Justice Centres will integrate justice facilities with prevention and intervention supports to hold individuals accountable while connecting them with services to reduce the risk of re-offending.

Justice Centres can also house intervention initiatives that provide exit strategies for youth and young adults already involved in gang activity and support at-risk youth with alternatives to entering gangs.

Working together with local communities, the province will begin with establishing Justice Centres in Toronto's downtown East and Northwest neighbourhoods, Kenora, and London.

Unified Family Courts

Our government is enhancing access to justice for Ontario’s children and families by unifying more superior and provincial family courts, which will simplify processes and increase consistency, saving litigants time and money.

The Unified Family Court model will be expanded to eight locations in Ontario (Belleville, Picton, Pembroke, Kitchener, Welland, Simcoe, Cayuga and St. Thomas) with the appointment of 12 new judges. All of these judges have been appointed by the federal government.

Supporting victims of crime and vulnerable clients

The ministry is looking at ways to modernize and improve the delivery of services for victims of crime.

Proposed amendments to victim compensation, if passed, would replace the current adjudicative model with an administrative model to ensure victims receive financial assistance faster and more efficiently with less administrative burden.

The Ministry of the Attorney General will conduct a comprehensive review across government to ensure victims of crime and their families can access the help they need when and where they need it most.

The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (OPGT) protects the financial and legal interests of Ontario’s mentally incapable adults. The OPGT is undertaking a multi-year modernization initiative to transform its business processes and tools that will make it simpler and faster for clients to access services and improve the effectiveness of service delivery.

Organizational chart

• Hon. Caroline Mulroney - Attorney General
  • Paul Boniferro - Deputy Attorney General
    • Genevieve Chiu - Legal Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General
    • Ryan Freeston - Legal Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General
    • Stephanie Henderson - Legal Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General
    • Jane Mallen - Executive Assistant & Chief Legal Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General
    • Judy Phillips - Director, Communications
    • Denise Cole - Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Strategic Initiatives
    • Renu Kulendran - Executive Lead, Legalization of Cannabis Secretariat
    • Robin Thompson - Justice Cluster, Chief Information Officer & Assistant Deputy Minister Justice Technology Services
      • Catherine Emile - Head, Solutions Branch
    • Sheila Bristo - Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Court Services Division
      • Babi Banerjee - Director, Corporate Support Branch
      • Directors: Court Operations
        Beverly Leonard (Tor)
        Sarina Kashak (CE)
        Danielle Manton (E)
        Debbie Dunn (CW)
        Samantha Poisson (W)
        Cathy Kulos (NE)
        Jo Dee Kamm (NW)
      • Vaia Pappas - Director, Operational Support
      • Lori Newton - Executive Legal Officer, Ontario Court of Justice
      • Falguni Debnath - Senior Legal Officer, Court of Appeal
      • Mohan Sharma - Executive Legal Officer, Superior Court of Justice
      • Jill Hughes - Director, Program Management Branch
    • Susan Kyle - Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Criminal Law Division
      • Tammy Browes-Bugden - Director, Strategic Operations & Management Centre
      • Milan Rupic - (A) Director, Crown Law Office, Criminal
      • Fred Braley - Director, Guns & Gangs
      • Mark Saltmarsh - Director, Crown Strategic Initiatives
      • James M. Stewart - Director, Major Cases
      • Directors: Crown Operations
        Andrew Locke (Tor)
        John Sotirakos (CE)
        Curt Flanagan (E)
        Tony MacKinnon (CW)
        Lowell Hunking (W)
        Susan Stothart (N)
    • Lynn Norris - Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Modernization Division
      • Christopher Johns - (A) Executive Director, Innovation
        • Shaleena Kitchlu - (A) Director, Strategic Business
        • Maura Dales - Director, Project Management Office
      • Dominic Fernandes - Director, Analytics Branch
      • Michael Waby - (A) Director, Criminal Justice Modernization
    • Michel Hélie - Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Civil Law Division
      • Sean Kearney - Director, Crown Law Office, Civil
      • Sarah Wright - (A) Director, Constitutional Law
      • Kate Johnstone - Director, Strategic & Business Management Branch
      • Jane Price - Director, Education Development Branch
      • Portfolio Director (Economics, Infrastructure and Government) - David Costen
        Directors: Legal Services
        Samir Khalil (FSCO)
        Fateh Salim (MCI/MIT/MGCS)
        Len Hatzis (TBS)
        Michael Waterston (MOF)
        Sona Advani (CRIA)
        Amyn Hadibhai (MOL)
        Mary Gersht (MTO)
      • Portfolio Director (Community, Health and Social Services) - Dianne Carter
        Directors: Legal Services
        Brian Loewen (MCSCS)
        Peter Spencer (MTCS)
        Jeff Simser (Agencies - CCB, COIC, OCPC, LHINs)
        Janice Crawford (MOHLTC)
        Diane Zimnica (MCSS/MCYS)
        Kikee Malik (FRO)
        Shannon Chace (MEDU/MAESD)
      • Portfolio Director (Indigenous, Lands and Resources) - Leith Hunter
        Directors: Legal Services
        Halyna Perun (MECP)
        Joanne Davies (MMA/MOH)
        Catherine Stewart (IAO)
        Donald Bennett (MNDM)
        Maud Murray (ENERGY/MEDJCT)
        Jeff Schelling (OMAFRA)
        Alison MacKenzie (MNRF)
    • Mark Spakowski - Chief Legislative Counsel
    • Juanita Dobson - Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Victims & Vulnerable Persons Division
      • Vivienne Lipman - Director, Divisional Corporate Support Branch
      • Tamara Gilbert - Director, Ontario Victim Services
      • Marian Jacko - Children's Lawyer
      • Ken Goodman - Public Guardian & Trustee
    • Dante Pontone - Assistant Deputy Attorney General & Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Services Management Division
      • Jatinder Singh - Director, Business & Fiscal Planning
      • Deen Ajasa - Director, HR Strategic Business Unit
      • Susan Patterson - Director, Facilities Management Branch
      • Frank Skubic - Director, Justice Sector Security and Emergency Management Branch
      • Sabine Derbier - Coordinator, French Language Services
      • Enza Ragone - Coordinator, Freedom of Information
      • Brad Obee - Director, Audit Services
    • Kimberly Murray - Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Indigenous Justice Division
      • Jennifer Abbott - (A) Director, Indigenous Services
    • Irwin Glasberg - Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Policy Division
      • Juliet Robin - Director, Justice Policy Development
      • Mariela Orellana - (A) Director, Agency & Tribunal Relations
      • Ana Kapralos - (A) Director, Planning & Transformation
      • Holly Moran - Executive Director, Tribunal Clusters
      • Michael Mamo - Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Independent Police Review Director
      • William Curtis - Executive Officer, Special Investigations Unit
      • Raj Dhir - (A) Executive Director and Chief Legal Counsel, Ontario Human Rights Commission
      • Ashif Damji - Director, Strategic Business Services Tribunal Clusters
      • Director Of Operations
        (A) Tom McDermott (SJTO)
        Lori Coleman (SLASTO)
        Mira Gamsa (ELTO)

Download printer-friendly organization chart (JPG).

Ministry of the Attorney General legislation

Administration of justice

• Administration of Justice Act
• Apology Act, 2009
• Arbitration Act, 1991
• Assessment Review Board Act
• Bail Act
• Blind Persons' Rights Act
• Child and Family Services Act (sections pertaining to Child and Family Services Review Board, Custody Review Board)
• Class Proceedings Act, 1992
• Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act
• Compensation for Victims of Crime Act
• Courts of Justice Act
• Crown Witnesses Act
• Dog Owners' Liability Act
• Education Act (sections pertaining to Special Education Tribunal- English & French)
• Environmental Review Tribunal Act, 2000
• Evidence Act
• Execution Act
• Fines and Forfeitures Act
• Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 (sections pertaining to the Fire Safety Commission)
• Habeas Corpus Act
• Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Inquiries Act
• Human Rights Code
• Judicial Review Procedure Act
• Juries Act
• Justices of the Peace Act
• Legal Aid Services Act, 1998
• Legislation Act, 2006
• Licence Appeal Tribunal Act, 1999
• Limitations Act, 2002
• Ministry of Correctional Services Act, 1990 (sections pertaining to the Ontario Parole Board)
• Negligence Act
• Notaries Act
• Ontario Heritage Act, Part III
• Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, R.S.O. 1990 (sections pertaining to the Animal Care Review Board)
• Ontario Works Act, 1997 (section pertaining to Social Benefits Tribunal)
• Police Services Act (sections pertaining to Office of the Independent Police Review Director and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission and the Special Investigations Unit)
• Parental Responsibility Act, 2000
• Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017
• Provincial Offences Act
• Public Inquiries Act, 2009
• Real Property Limitations Act
• Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (sections pertaining to the Landlord and Tenant Board)
• Safe Streets Act, 1999
• Statutory Powers Procedure Act
• Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act, 2009
• Victims’ Bill of Rights, 1995

Family law

• Children's Law Reform Act
• Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (sections pertaining to Child and Family Services Review Board, Custody Review Board)
• Family Law Act
• Safe Access to Abortion Services Act, 2017

Inter-jurisdictional

• Enforcement of Judgments Conventions Act, 1999
• Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act, 2002
• International Choice of Court Agreements Convention Act, 2017
• International Electronic Communications Convention Act, 2017
• International Recognition of Trusts Act, 2017
• International Interests in Mobile Equipment Act (Aircraft Equipment), 2002
• Interprovincial Summonses Act
• Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments Act
• Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments (UK) Act
• Settlement of International Investment Disputes Act, 1999
• Transboundary Pollution Reciprocal Access Act

Property statutes

• Accumulations Act
• Aliens' Real Property Act
• Conveyancing and Law of Property Act
• Disorderly Houses Act
• Escheats Act
• Expropriations Act
• Fraudulent Conveyances Act
• Local Planning Appeal Support Centre Act, 2017
• Local Planning Appeal Tribunal Act, 2017
• Mortgages Act
• Occupiers' Liability Act
• Partition Act
• Property and Civil Rights Act
• Religious Organizations' Lands Act
• Short Forms of Leases Act
• Trespass to Property Act

Business regulation

• Absconding Debtors Act
• Alcohol, Cannabis and Gaming Regulation and Public Protection Act, 1996 (sections related to Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario)
• Business Records Protection Act
• Charities Accounting Act
• Commercial Mediation Act, 2010
• Construction Act,
• Costs of Distress Act
• Creditors' Relief Act, 2010
• Electronic Commerce Act, 2000
• Employers and Employees Act
• Frustrated Contracts Act
• Gaming Control Act, 1992
• Horse Racing Licence Act, 2015
• International Commercial Arbitration Act, 2017
• International Sales Conventions Act, R.S.O. 1990
• Liquor Licence Act
• Mercantile Law Amendment Act
• Pawnbrokers Act
• Sale of Goods Act
• Statute of Frauds
• Unconscionable Transactions Relief Act
• Vendors and Purchasers Act
• Wages Act
• Warehouse Receipts Act

Professional regulation

• Architects Act
• Barristers Act
• Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario Act, 2017
• Law Society Act
• Professional Engineers Act
• Public Accounting Act, 2004
• Solicitors Act

Crown duties/immunity

• Crown Agency Act
• Crown Attorneys Act
• Ministry of the Attorney General Act
• Ombudsman Act
• Proceedings Against the Crown Act
• Public Authorities Protection Act
• Public Officers Act

Estates

• Absentees Act
• Crown Administration of Estates Act
• Declarations of Death Act, 2002
• Estates Act
• Estates Administration Act
• Perpetuities Act
• Powers of Attorney Act
• Public Guardian and Trustee Act
• Settled Estates Act
• Substitute Decisions Act, 1992
• Succession Law Reform Act
• Trustee Act
• Variation of Trusts Act

Other

• Age of Majority and Accountability Act
• Cannabis Control Act, 2017
• Cannabis Licence Act, 2018
• Civil Remedies Act, 2001
• Donation of Food Act, 1994
• Executive Council Act
• Good Samaritan Act, 2001
• Human Trafficking Awareness Day Act, 2017
• Libel and Slander Act
• Lieutenant Governor Act
• Members’ Integrity Act, 1994
• Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians Act, 2000
• Prohibiting Profiting from Recounting Crimes Act, 2002
• Revised Statutes Confirmation and Corrections Act, 1993
• Religious Freedom Act
• Time Act

Democracy statutes

• Election Act
• Election Finances Act
• Electoral System Referendum Act, 2007
• Legislative Assembly Act
• Representation Act, 2015

Agencies, Boards and Commissions reporting to the ministry

Interim Actuals reflect the numbers presented in the Ontario Budget.

Ministry financial information

* Estimates for the previous fiscal year are re-stated to reflect any changes in ministry organization and/or program structure. Interim actuals for Operating and Capital Expense reflect the numbers presented in the 2019 Ontario Budget.

Appendix: 2018-19 annual report

2018-19 achievements

In 2018-19, the Ministry of the Attorney General made significant progress towards its goal to simplify a complex and antiquated justice system by modernizing outdated practices and making strategic investments to reduce regulatory burdens and improve the reliability and responsiveness of the justice system.

This includes ensuring the safety and security of the people of Ontario through the implementation of a legislative and regulatory framework for cannabis retail licensing and enforcement tools to address the illegal cannabis market, strengthening police services and oversight, justice sector modernization, and police oversight.

Highlights of the past year’s progress include:

Leading Ontario’s approach to the legalization of cannabis

In response to the federal legalization of cannabis, the Ontario legislature passed the Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018, which amended the Cannabis Control Act, 2017, and enacted the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018.

Protecting the health and well-being of all Ontarians, especially children, youth and young adults, is of the utmost importance. In the fall of 2018 the government launched a comprehensive public awareness campaign to educate and communicate with Ontarians regarding applicable rules, regulations and health and safety measures.

The ministry also introduced a tightly regulated private retail system overseen by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario as the provincial regulator.

As well, the government took the advice of experts – including the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – and largely aligned the rules for cannabis consumption (both recreational and medical) with tobacco under the Smoke Free Ontario Act, 2017.

Strengthening police services

The Ontario legislature passed the Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act, 2019.

Upon proclamation into force, the Act will provide for effective and independent police oversight, while respecting the integrity and professionalism of our province’s frontline police officers.

It will focus and clarify the mandate of the SIU to better ensure more timely, efficient, reasonable and transparent investigations.

The Act will also continue the Office of the Independent Police Review Director as the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA) with a mandate to receive public complaints about police conduct and a new ability to initiate an investigation in the absence of a public complaint if it is in the public interest to do so. These changes will ensure that police oversight is reasonable, fair, and effective for our communities, our frontline officers, and policing partners.

Guns & gangs

In 2018, the Ontario government announced it would be launching a comprehensive, multi-phased, multi-ministry strategy to help combat gun and gang violence across the province and keep our communities safe.

As part of phase one, the ministry began the investment of more than $7.6 million over four years to create an Intensive Firearms Bail Support Team in Toronto. The team is a specialized group of Crowns and case managers that work with local police to develop expertise and compile information to present the strongest available evidence to the court at the bail stage.

As part of phase two, announced in spring 2019, the ministry will be establishing a Provincial Gun and Gang Support Unit – an interdisciplinary unit that will include expert prosecutors, working with provincial and municipal police forces, to conduct multi-jurisdictional gun and gang investigations and prosecutions in areas with the greatest need across Ontario. The ministry will also be establishing Justice Centres in various locations across the province, which will integrate justice, health, education, housing and social services sectors to collectively address the complex intersection of risk factors that drive gun and gang-related violence in Ontario. Further, the ministry will be combatting the recruitment of Indigenous women and youth into gangs and the trafficking and exploitation of Indigenous women and youth through violence prevention and gang intervention initiatives.

Modernizing the Proceedings Against the Crown Act (PACA)

The proposed Crown Liability and Proceedings Act, 2019, would, if passed:

• Eliminate the requirement to obtain formal permission from the government in order to sue the government for claims before 1963
• require courts to review the merits of certain claims against the government before they can move forward
• clarify the extent of the government’s liability in negligence for enacting legislation, and making good faith regulatory and policy decisions
• clarify the extent of the government’s liability for the actions of Crown agencies, Crown corporations, transfer payment recipients and independent contractors, and
• clarify the procedural rules for lawsuits involving the government.

These changes would allow the government to spend fewer taxpayer dollars on legal costs so it can better support programs and services for the people of Ontario.

Halton and Toronto courthouses

The new Halton Region Consolidated Courthouse will bring together, under one roof, operations of the Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Justice, which are now located in Milton and Burlington.

The ministry is also moving ahead with a new courthouse for Toronto. The new courthouse will include specialty courts, such as drug treatment, Indigenous persons, youth and mental health courts, as well as supports for victims. Construction began in fall 2018. The courthouse is scheduled to be substantially complete in spring 2022, with phased courthouse moves taking place shortly thereafter.

Ministry expenditures 2018-19

Interim Outlook 2018-19, The Ministry of the Attorney General (excludes consolidations) (Restated)
*  Human Resources - MAG