Ontario. Sheriffs (1968-1989)

• Sheriffs

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 Sheriffs of the province, who prior to 1968 were local county officials, became officials of the Department of the Attorney General.

Sheriffs 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 Sheriffs of the province became part of this new Ministry.

In 1989, legislation was passed which repealed the Sheriffs Act. Following this, the duties and responsibilities formerly carried out by the Sheriffs seem to have been continued by the Enforcement Offices in each judicial region in the province.

The following is an alphabetical listing of the counties/districts/judicial districts that existed within the Province between 1968 and 1989 (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- );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- ).

Sheriffs executed all processes issuing from the Courts of Justice in Ontario. Sheriffs also registered and executed writs of execution and served documents on behalf of members of the legal profession and the public; summoned jurors for jury duty; made arrests; kept jails; attended Quarter Sessions; and maintained general order in the county court house.

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

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Armstrong, Frederick. Handbook of Upper Canadian Chronology (1985)

KWIC Indexes, 1981-1995

Caldwell, A.C. Sheriffs' Handbook (1949)

Agency not found in Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12-25

Archivist(s):
R. Anger