Ontario Court of Justice - Toronto
Location: Toronto
Status: In Operation
Value of Partnership: $956.4 million
Type of P3: DBFM
Handback: 2053
Awards: 2024 Award of Merit, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and 2019 Silver Award for Project Development, National Awards for Innovation & Excellence in P3s
Ontario’s first high-rise courthouse and the and the second largest courthouse in Canada amalgamated six Ontario Court of Justice criminal courthouse locations in one new, accessible location in Toronto’s downtown core. Construction on the courthouse started in October 2018 and began operations in March 2023. It achieved LEED Gold certification, surpassing its original goal of silver.
The project is noteworthy for its design considerations, as well as its significant stakeholder consultations to improve access to justice and enhance operational efficiencies as well as commemorating the rich cultural and heritage value of the site.
Along with its 63 courtrooms and 10 conference rooms, the 17-storey facility includes improved security features integrated throughout the design and houses the first Indigenous Learning Centre in an Ontario courthouse.
The unique architecture of the new courthouse was designed by the international architecture firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), in conjunction with local Canadian architects from NORR. The design was based on maximizing exterior public space and strengthening the relationship between the courthouse and Nathan Phillips Square.
The courthouse has a barrier-free environment enabling all visitors and occupants to travel throughout the building with ease. Accessibility features were informed by consultation with an Accessibility Advisory Group, and accessibility consultants Gensler and Human Space.
The facility also has an energy-efficient design aimed at cutting building energy consumption by 40 per cent. Key to these aggressive targets were the unique environmental elements integrated throughout, such as an impressive array of photovoltaic panels covering the roof and directly feeding the building with power. Beyond the panels, an innovative mechanical cooling system was developed that uses ice storage tanks to help supplement the cooling plant during higher demand periods.
Additional environmental highlights include high-efficiency plumbing fixtures that aim to reduce water consumption by 32 per cent, and bird-friendly glass to reduce the potential for bird strikes.
While Infrastructure Ontario (IO) no longer provides Value-for-Money Assessments, based on the provincial agency's previous project experience, a DBFM model typically has delivered a value for money savings in the range of 15 per cent to 22 per cent compared to undertaking the same project using traditional delivery models.
Partners: Infrastructure Ontario (IO), on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, and EllisDon Infrastructure Justice, which consists of EllisDon Capital Inc., EllisDon Design Build Inc., NORR Limited and Renzo Piano Building Workshop (Architectural team joint venture) and EllisDon Facilities Services and SNC Lavalin O&M Inc. (Service Provider joint venture)
