The Ottawa Courthouse () is a

courthouse A courthouse or court house is a structure which houses judicial functions for a governmental entity such as a state, region, province, county, prefecture, regency, or similar governmental unit. A courthouse is home to one or more courtrooms, ...

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. It is the main provincial court for the Ottawa area, and as such handles most of the region's legal affairs. The building is home to the civil,

small claims Small-claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civil cases between private litigants. Courts authorized to try small claims may also have other judicial functions, and go by different names in different jurisdictions. For example, it ma ...

, family, criminal, and district branches of the

Ontario Superior Court of Justice The Superior Court of Justice (French: ''Cour supérieure de justice'') is a superior court in Ontario. The Court sits in 52 locations across the province, including 17 Family Court locations, and consists of over 300 federally appointed judges. ...

. It is also home to the local

land registry Land registration is any of various systems by which matters concerning ownership, possession, or other rights in land are formally recorded (usually with a government agency or department) to provide evidence of title, facilitate transactions, ...

office. Some 1,000 people use the nine story building each day.

History

The courthouse on Elgin Street building opened in 1986. The courthouse is located at the corner of Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue. Previously the site had been home to Cartier Square, and for many decades was covered by temporary buildings erected during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The courthouse is next door to the current Ottawa City Hall, formerly the Ottawa Regional Headquarters building, which was built only a few years later. Previously the courts had been spread throughout the city. The first courthouse and jail, which was built on Daly Avenue in 1842 had burned beyond repair c. 1869. The former Carleton County Courthouse designed by architect Robert Surtees, was built in the Italianate style on Daly Avenue in 1870. In 1988, this limestone building was transferred to the City of Ottawa; Arts Court now houses more than 25 arts and heritage organizations. The building's Italianate features include window surrounds, rusticated quoins and tall chimneystacks. The cornerstone includes gold, silver and copper coins and bank tokens of the period.

Structure

At the base of the building is a parking garage and the temporary holding cells for prisoners. The central levels are composed of the court rooms and a large atrium. The top levels contain offices for judges. The largest room in the courthouse was transported from the old location. It is an identical replication, that used the same materials, doors, seats, etc.

References

*"Powerful and somewhat aloof, courthouse still a success." Rhys Phillips. ''The Ottawa Citizen.'' Ottawa, Ont.: Dec 27, 1986. pg. F.2 {{Portal, Ontario Buildings and structures in Ottawa Courthouses in Canada Government buildings completed in 1986