Earlier this month, the provincial government announced plans to close the registrar’s and sheriff’s office at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Weyburn, Sask.
The plan is to consolidate those services in the Estevan, Sask., office. This doesn’t sit well with Weyburn’s recently-elected mayor, Marcel Roy.
“It’s one of those services that is essential for business, it’s essential for family life,” he said.
Queen’s Bench in Weyburn only saw two trials last year. This is part of the reason why Justice Minister Gordon Wyant said moving registrar services to Estevan makes sense.
However, Roy makes the case that it serves more community functions like settling business and financial matters.
He said it’s a big concern, as oil shows signs of recovering.
“With our oil economy, we’re in partnership with the government. So we’re asking them to reconsider all the things that are going on with the court, so they can provide these services to the companies that are coming it,” Roy said.
Queen’s Bench is also where family and civil matters are handled.
Michael Weger, an attorney with the NSWB Law Firm, said he often sees people represent themselves in these situations. He pointed to the registrar’s office as a place where these individuals receive help filing necessary legal paperwork.
Weger worries about people having to travel to Estevan or Regina to receive certain court services. It’s an added expense on top of legal fees.
“Isn’t this going to cause delays? How can Estevan handle all of the work that Weyburn has been doing? And that’s our concern as well,” Weger said.
Jeff Deagle of the Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association shares these concerns around access to services.
The Regina-based lawyer said setting up court dates for civil cases is already a lengthy process.
“Setting a family law trial or pre-trial in Estevan, you’re already at a month of delay, and that’s before the change of services,” Deagle explained.
“If you add in what’s being done in Weyburn, and move it to Estevan or move it to Regina, you run into the risk of further delays and you could be waiting six months.”
All three parties said they weren’t consulted by Ministry of Justice officials before the announcement was made.
Justice Minister Gordon Wyant said he consulted with the province’s chief justice, and they felt the registrar services would better serve southeast Saskatchewan by consolidating services in Estevan.
Wyant added that a conversation was had with the local Bar Association in Weyburn in 2015 on finding court efficiencies. He wasn’t a part of that discussion but said it helped form the basis for this decision.
Wyant will be going to Weyburn to meet with attorneys and Roy in an effort to address concerns around the decision.
“We want to make sure that services the local bar is used to getting in terms of chambers, dates, and those kind of things, will continue and we’ll have that dialogue,” Wyant said.
The justice ministry is expected to save $108,000 save annually if the two offices are closed.
Services and functions of provincial court in Weyburn are not affected by this closure.
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