Ontario. Crown Attorneys (1968-)

• Crown Attorneys

In 1968, the Government of Ontario, through the Department of the Attorney General, became responsible for all aspects of the administration of justice in the province. As a result, the Crown Attorneys of the province, who prior to 1968 were local county officials, became officials of the Department of the Attorney General.

Crown Attorneys existed for each of the counties/districts of the province (see below for a listing of all of the counties/districts).

In 1972, during a government-wide reorganisation, the Department of Justice was replaced with the Ministry of the Attorney General, and the Crown Attorneys of the province became part of this new Ministry.

Supervision and coordination of the Crown Attorneys was the responsibility of the Director of Public Prosecutions until 1973, when a separate Director of Crown Attorneys was established.

In 1990, the position of Director of Crown Attorneys was abolished and responsibility for managing the Crown Attorneys system was divided among eight regional directors. By 1997, the number of regions was reduced to six, with a separate Director of Crown Operations given responsibility over the Crown Attorneys for each individual region.

The following is an alphabetical listing of the counties/districts/judicial districts that have existed within the Province since 1968 (with Dt.= District, Co.=County, and J.D.=Judicial District), along with the dates for which they existed: Algoma Dt. (1859- ); Brant Co. (1853- ); Bruce Co. (1867- ); Carleton Co. ( 1850-1969); Cochrane Dt. (1922- ); Dufferin Co. (1881- ); Durham J.D. (1974- ); Elgin Co. (1853- ); Essex Co. (1853- ); Frontenac Co. (1865- ); Grey Co. (1853- ); Haldimand Co. (1851-1974); Haldimand J.D. (1974- ); Haliburton Co. (1874- ); Halton Co. (1855-1973); Halton J.D. (1974- ); Hamilton-Wentworth J.D. (1974- ); Hastings Co. (1850- ); Huron Co. (1867- ); Kenora Dt. (1898- ); Kent Co. (1851- ); Lambton Co. (1853- ); Lanark Co. (1866- ); Leeds and Grenville United Cos. (1850- ); Lennox and Addington United Co. (1865- ); Manitoulin Dt. (1899- ); Middlesex Co. (1850-1851; 1853- ); Muskoka Dt. (1898- ); Niagara North J.D. (1970- ); Niagara South J.D. (1970- ); Nipissing Dt. (1858- ); Norfolk Co. (1850-1974); Norfolk J.D. (1974- ); Northumberland and Durham United Cos. (1850-1973); Northumberland Co. (1974- ); Ontario Co. (1853-1973); Ottawa-Carleton J.D. (1969- ); Oxford Co. (1850- ); Parry Sound Dt. (1898- ); Peel Co. (1866-1973); Peel J.D. (1974- ); Perth Co. (1853- ); Peterborough Co. (1850-1851; 1863- ); Prescott and Russell United Cos. (1850- ); Prince Edward Co. (1850- ); Rainy River Dt. (1909- ); Renfrew Co. (1866- ); Simcoe Co. (1850- ); Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Cos. (1850- ); Sudbury Dt. (1907- ); Temiskaming Dt. (1913- ); Thunder Bay Dt. (1884- ); Victoria Co. (1863- ); WaterlooWaterloo J.D. (1974- ); Wellington Co. (1853- ); Welland Co. (1856- 1970); Wentworth Co. (1855-1973); York Co. (1850- 1851; 1866-1970); York J.D. (1971- ); and York Region J.D. (1980- ).

Crown Attorneys are responsible for conducting prosecutions of offences in their respective regions of Ontario under the Criminal Code of Canada and other federal statutes such as the Young Offenders Act, as well as under some provincial statutes such as the Highway Traffic Act and the Liquor Licence Act. In doing so, Crown Attorneys choose the appropriate charge on which to proceed, consider the release of prisoners pending trial and conduct trials at all levels of court. In addition, Crown Attorneys also act as counsel to the coroner during inquests, and advise police, lawyers and the public on general matters relating to the administration of justice.

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Ministry of the Attorney General Annual Reports, 1974-1990

KWIC Indexes, 1975-1997

Government of Ontario Telephone Directories, 1971- 1996

Agency not found in Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996- 12-24

Archivist(s):
R. Anger