The Supreme Court of British Columbia is warning that B.C. Supreme Court warns accused could be released from custody during trials due to staffing, space shortages in Peace Regio
Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes says some cases could be delayed, moved to other locations, or result in accused individuals being released from custody, if they are being held too far from the courthouse where their trial is taking place and daily transport is not manageable.
Many of the accused are held in the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre while on trial in Dawson Creek or Fort St. John.
In the past, local RCMP detachments and other police agencies sometimes held accused individuals in custody at local facilities during trials.
According to the notice, that practice changed last year when police agencies could no longer provide the staffing and space required to keep people in custody during court proceedings.
Some smaller courthouses also lack secure facilities to house accused individuals during trials.
The court says sheriffs have been managing the issue as best they can, in some cases arranging for accused individuals to be transported by chartered airplane each day from a pretrial facility to the courthouse where their trial is being held.
Holmes notes that the provincial government and police services are working to address the problem, but says it remains unclear when a long‑term solution will be found and put in place.
As a result, the court warns that criminal trials in affected communities may need to be moved or rescheduled, or accused individuals released from custody, if arrangements cannot be made for trials to proceed as planned.
Communities impacted include Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Cranbrook, Nelson, Powell River, Prince Rupert, Revelstoke, Rossland, Smithers, Terrace, and Williams Lake.
With files from The Canadian Press