All criminal trials in four B.C. courts to be rescheduled during FIFA World Cup
Chief Justice Ron Skolrood says in a notice posted Monday that the tournament is expected to have 'very significant impacts' on court operations at the affected Supreme Court locations.
The notice says neither jury nor judge-only criminal trials will take place at the four locations from June 12 to July 8, 2026, and that no civil jury trials will take place either.
It says the number of non-jury civil trials may also have to be reduced in the lead up to the tournament. The notice cites the draw on police resources around the Lower Mainland, heavy traffic that will make it difficult for sheriffs to transport suspects, and a potential lack of hotel rooms for jurors and out-of-town witnesses.
B.C. top court judge hears arguments in constitutional challenge of province's Mental Health Act
Skolrood says the court is committed to having enough capacity for 'urgent matters,' but the service reductions during the tournament are 'unavoidable.'
'The full extent of the impacts is uncertain and will remain so for some time,' the notice says.
'We do know that the effects on the police and sheriff resources required to participate in or support the court's operations will be substantial, particularly in respect of criminal trials and jury trials.'
In a statement, B.C. Conservatives Attorney General Critic Steve Kooner says the disruptions are due to 'poor planning involving policing shortages' and he calls for a review of all the cases impacted by the FIFA World Cup games.
'The public deserve to know how many criminals will walk free because the Premier (David Eby) failed to plan for the world's largest sporting event,' Kooner says in the statement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
41 minutes ago
- CTV News
Tyrone Jones to be inducted into the Blue Bombers Ring of Honour
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers all-time leading sack getter will be added to the Ring of Honour later this year. The team announced Wednesday that Tyrone Jones will become the 17th member of the Ring during the Banjo Bowl on Sept. 6. Jones suited up for the Blue and Gold on two different occasions—from 1983 to 1987 and from 1989 to 1991. He helped the Bombers secure two Grey Cups in 1984 and 1990 and led the team in sacks for six seasons. He has 98 career sacks with the Bombers, which is the most in franchise history. He was also a four-time all-star, named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in the 1984 Grey Cup and the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 1985. 'He was an integral part of the Blue Bombers success in the 1980s/early 1990s as an exceptional defender and vocal leader,' said Wade Miller, the president and CEO of the Bombers. 'The Winnipeg Football Club is thrilled to add his name to its Ring of Honour.' Jones last played in the CFL in 1993. He was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer in 2005 and passed away in 2008. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2012. 'The Blue Bombers, that's all I used to hear from my dad. I still tell people to this day that my father is in the hall of fame in Canada for football, so to be added to the Blue Bombers Ring of Honour makes me even more proud of him,' said Tyler Livingston, one of Jones' sons.
CTV News
42 minutes ago
- CTV News
Cyclist charged following collision with motorist in Vaughan
Police are on the scene of a collision in Vaughan on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Chopper 24) A 17-year-old cyclist is facing charges after colliding with a vehicle in Vaughan on Tuesday. York Regional Police say at around 3 p.m. they were called to the intersection of Dufferin Street and Beverley Glen Road, north of Centre Street, for reports of a collision. Investigators say officers at the scene saw a white vehicle in the right-turn lane of northbound Dufferin and a damaged bicycle nearby. Paramedics treated the cyclist at the scene for minor injuries, they said. The driver of the vehicle was not injured. '(We) learned the cyclist had been riding southbound in the northbound lanes and was not wearing a helmet when the impact occurred,' police said in a news release. The cyclist has since been charged with careless driving and operating a bicycle with no helmet. York Regional Police are reminding cyclists to follow the rules of the road, adding that they are subject to the same rules and responsibilities as motorists under the Highway Traffic Act. They must ride in the same direction as traffic and obey all traffic signals and signs, always wear a helmet, especially those under 18 who are legally required to do so, use proper hand signals when turning or stopping, equip bicycles with a working bell or horn, and use lights and reflectors at night, and stay visible and predictable to other road users. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact York Regional Police's Regional #4 District at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7400, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
CTV News
42 minutes ago
- CTV News
Court dismisses Ontario's bid to appeal bike lane injunction
A cyclist rides in a bike lane on University Avenue in Toronto on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Laura Proctor TORONTO — An Ontario court has dismissed the province's attempt to appeal a court order that temporarily stopped it from ripping up three major Toronto bike lanes. Cycling advocates say the court's decision is a victory, and means Ontario can't remove the bike lanes until a judge has had the chance to rule on a Charter challenge. A spokesperson for Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria suggested that some work, however, will go on. "We will continue with the design work necessary to begin removals of bike lanes and get some of our busiest roads moving, as soon as possible," Dakota Brasier wrote in a statement. "While we respect the court's decision, our government was elected with a clear mandate to get people out of traffic by restoring driving lanes." Cycle Toronto, the group leading the challenge, argues the law that enables the government to remove the bike lanes is arbitrary and puts lives at risk. Superior Court Justice Paul Schabas ordered the government this spring to keep its hands off the Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue bike lanes until he decides whether the law is unconstitutional. His injunction ruling cited the public interest in protecting cyclist safety and a lack of evidence backing the government's claim that removing the lanes would reduce congestion. The government asked the court for permission to appeal that injunction decision, but a three-judge Divisional Court panel dismissed the motion for leave to appeal in a ruling dated Tuesday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025. Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
