An opposition MLA is renewing his calls for a new Fredericton courthouse in the face of ongoing repair issues.
Fredericton North MLA Stephen Horsman says the state of the current building is “unacceptable.”
“We all know that we need a new courthouse,” he said. “I always think there’s niceties and necessities; this is a necessity. We do need a courthouse,”
Earlier this week, a broken elevator spurred Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Judy Clendening to postpone her jury trials until the problem is fixed. Staff have expressed concerns over safety in the past, pointing to the fact that the courthouse was not originally built for such a purpose.
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Horsman is quite familiar with the limitations of the courthouse, having served as a Fredericton police officer for 25 years. He said the courthouse lacks the proper facilities to keep people safe, pointing to the need for sheriffs to bring accused that are in custody through the public part of the building.
“This is an old school house that was turned into a courthouse,” Horsman said.
“It’s a dangerous situation. If you look at the new courthouses they have that all taken care of. They have security, they have places where sheriffs will bring the clients in through safe and secured areas … it’s so important and it all comes back to the safety of the people of this province.”
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Fredericton was supposed to get a new courthouse as part of the Centennial Building refurbishment, but that project was axed in December 2018. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Bill Oliver said at the time that the province had already spent $13 million on the project but would save $60 million through the cancellation.
Horsman called the decision short-sighted and said the need for a new courthouse isn’t going anywhere.
Minister of Public Safety Carl Urqhart, who also served on the Fredericton Police Force for almost three decades, said he would love to see a new courthouse built, but is sensitive to the financial situation of the province.
“I want the best that we can possibly have, but I also realize that the cost is prohibitive. I want to make sure that the buildings that we do have are safe and the best,” he said.
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Minister of Justice Andrea Anderson-Mason was not available for an interview.
A spokesperson for the department said in a statement that the province is doing its best to alleviate the short-term convenience of the elevator and is evaluating the long-term future of the courthouse.
“We understand the concerns that have been raised by the judiciary in terms of the Fredericton Justice Building and we want to work with them to ensure they have a fully functional justice building. At this time we continue to investigate options to mitigate impacts to court proceedings,” wrote spokesperson Paul Bradley in an email.
“DTI have been working with an elevator supplier to expedite a complete refurbishment/replacement of the drive and controls for the building’s elevator. While work to the current justice building is being addressed, discussions are ongoing to find a solution to Fredericton’s court needs. In terms of costs, our goal is always to be responsible with taxpayer dollars and to ensure we are spending within our means. Those factors will continue to be considered as we look for a solution to this issue.”
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