Ministry of the Attorney General, court operations
161 Elgin Street: who sets the rules for security in the hall, who holds the video and for how long.
The letter ·
Court security at 161 Elgin Street - rules in the public areas and the court security plan
Hello,
The Ministry's Court Services Division runs the court offices at 161 Elgin Street in Ottawa. Subsection 243 (1) of the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 makes the Ottawa Police Service Board responsible for security in the same building. Section 13 of O. Reg. 399/23 requires the Chief of Police of the Ottawa Police Service to prepare a court security plan. The same section requires procedures on court security that address supervision and training.
Two authorities work in one building. State in writing where the line between them runs. Name the body that sets the rules of conduct for security personnel in the public areas of 161 Elgin Street. If the Ministry holds that the Ottawa Police Service Board sets them, say so. Name the body that holds the recordings from the security cameras in the building. State how long video is kept before it is overwritten.
Send me the following records:
1. Any protocol, memorandum of understanding or service agreement with the Ottawa Police Service or its Board on court security at 161 Elgin Street
2. Every version of the court security plan for 161 Elgin Street and of its procedures that the Ministry holds
3. The Ministry policy on public access to courthouses and conduct inside them
4. Any direction on how court staff and security personnel speak to members of the public
5. Records from 2024 to 2026 in which the Ministry and the police discussed the level of security at 161 Elgin Street
6. Every request in that period by either side to add or remove security postsAnswer by 26 October 2026. For each record the Ministry withholds, state the reason and name the body that holds it. Every record the Ministry does not release goes to a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Every refusal goes to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
Respectfully,
Danilo Dzyuban
Ottawa, Ontario [postal code]
No answer by 26 Oct