List of county courthouses in Ontario

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The territorial distribution of judicial authority in Ontario dates to the early years of British rule following the Conquest of New France. In 1788 the government of the Province of Quebec divided the western portion of the colony into four "districts": Hesse, Nassau, Mecklenburg, and Lunenburg. Following the Constitutional Act 1791, these districts became the basis of the newly created Upper Canada. In 1792 the districts were renamed Western, Home, Midland, and Eastern. At this time the government began subdividing districts into counties, and counties into townships.

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In October 1792, the Parliament of Upper Canada passed An act for building a gaol and court house in every district within this province. [1] This law handed judicial power to districts and mandated the construction of a courthouse in each district town.

During the first half of the 19th century, the borders of districts, counties, and townships changed frequently from realignments, mergers, and newly created areas. In 1849 the government abolished the district system and transferred all judicial and administrative responsibilities to individual counties. Each county created a county seat, which served as its capital and was home to its courthouse. Following the 1849 abolition of districts, counties that did not possess a former district courthouse had to build a new edifice.

In the 20th century many of Ontario's historic counties were replaced by regional or metropolitan areas. The majority the province's 19th century courthouses still exist and have legal protection on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. Ontario's historic courthouses represent a diverse array of architectural styles, including Italianate, Romanesque, Greek Revival, Second Empire, and Art Deco.

District courthouses (pre-1849)

DistrictCountyCounty TownBuiltArchitectNotesPhoto
ColbornePeterboroughPeterborough1838Joseph Scobell
EasternStormontCornwall1826Archibald Fraser Cornwall Jail.jpg
JohnstownLeedsBrockville1842John George Howard Brockville - ON - Court House.jpg
KentKentChatham1848William Thomas
London Middlesex London1827John Ewart Middlesex County Court House, London, Ontario (21204062303).jpg
NiagaraLincolnNiagara-on-the-Lake1846William ThomasCounty seat moved to St. Catharines in 1862. The building is now known as the Court House Theatre and is used for the Shaw Festival. Niagara-on-the-Lake 02.jpg
OttawaPrescottL'Orignal1825unknown L'ORIGNAL COURT AND OLD JAIL MG 4922.JPG
Prince Edward Prince Edward Picton1832
VictoriaHastingsBelleville1838Thomas RogersDemolished in 1972. Hastings County Archives HC02817 (21678082636).jpg
WellingtonWellingtonGuelph1842Thomas Young

County courthouses (post-1849)

CountySeatBuiltArchitectNotesPhoto
BrantBrantford1852John Turner Brant Courthouse 2011 2.jpg
BruceWalkerton1863David Murray
Carleton Ottawa1870Robert SurteesNow used as the Ottawa Arts Court Theatre. The courthouse for the region is now the Ottawa Courthouse. Carleton County Courthouse, Ottawa.jpg
DufferinOrangeville1880Cornelius John Soule Dufferin County Court House -County of Dufferin sign looking west.JPG
ElginSt. Thomas1852, 1899John Turner, Neil Darrach (reconstruction)Burned down in 1898. Rebuilt using parts of original. Elgin County Court.JPG
EssexSandwich1855Albert Henry JordanBuilt by future Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie. Now known as Mackenzie Hall. Mackenzie Hall, Historic Sandwich Towne, Windsor, Ontario (21150175624).jpg
Frontenac Kingston1855Edward Horsey, John PowerIn 1875 a fire destroyed the interior and the dome. The reconstructed interior and dome were designed by John Power and his son Joseph. Frontenac County Court House (2010-Apr-12).jpg
GreyOwen Sound1852Bruce GeorgeNo longer used.
HaldimandCayuga1850Cumberland and RidoutBurned down in 1922.
1923Frank Barber
HaltonMilton1854Clark and MurrayNo longer in use. Milton Courthouse 20130921 181001.jpg
HuronGoderich1854Mellish Morrell and RussellBased on the design of Waterloo County. Burned down in 1954. Goderich Courthouse - taken from Sallows' 2nd floor studio AEAX00010021.jpg
1956Leonard Gordon Bridgman Goderich Court House 2012.jpg
LambtonSarnia1852 Alexander Mackenzie Demolished in 1960.
LanarkPerth1862Henry Hodge Horsey Lanark County Court House (324303639).jpg
Lennox and AddingtonNapanee1864John Power, Thomas Fuller Napanee ON 3.JPG
LincolnSt. Catharines1848, 1864 Kivas Tully (town hall), John Latshaw (courts)Built in 1848 as the St. Catharines town hall. When the county seat moved in 1864, an addition was made to house the courts. Old Courthouse St Catharines Ontario.JPG
NorfolkSimcoe1863John TurnerNo longer in use. Governor Simcoe Square Simcoe Ontario.jpg
NorthumberlandCobourg1856 Kivas Tully Now Victoria Hall. A new courthouse for Northumberland County has been constructed. Victoria hall Cobourg.jpg
OntarioWhitby1853Cumberland and StormNow known as the Centennial Building. OntarioCountyCourtHouse,ON-1.JPG
OxfordWoodstock1889Robert Brookes, Cuthbertson and Fowler Oxford County Court House Woodstock Ontario 4.JPG
Peel Brampton1865William KauffmannNow houses the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives. Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives Building (PAMA).jpg
PerthStratford1885George F. Durand Perth County Courthouse, Stratford, Ontario 2706.jpg
Renfrew Pembroke1862Henry Hodge Horsey Pembroke courthouse.jpg
SimcoeBarrie1877George H. BrownDemolished in 1976. Court House, Barrie, Ontario, Canada (1910) (5435921625).jpg
VictoriaLindsay1862 Frederic William Cumberland Kawartha Lakes city hall.JPG
WaterlooKitchener1852Mellish and RussellDemolished in 1965. Court House (4416769507).jpg
WellandWelland1854 Kivas Tully Welland Courthouse 2014.jpg
WentworthHamilton1878Charles Willer MulliganDemolished in 1956.
York Adelaide Street Courthouse 1852 Cumberland and RidoutServed as courthouse until 1900. Adelaide Street Courthouse June 2009.jpg
Old City Hall, Toronto 1900 Edward James Lennox York County functions transferred to Newmarket in 1953. Remained as principal courthouse for City of Toronto until 2023 when court services moved to 10 Armoury Street. Old Toronto City Hall and York County Court House, Toronto, Ontario.jpg
Newmarket 1883Mallory & SonsBecame seat of York County in 1953 as a result of the creation of Metropolitan Toronto. After dissolution of York County in 1971 remained a town hall until 1975 and a courthouse until 1980 when court services moved to 50 Eagle Street. Now a cultural and social venue. NewmarketOTH.jpg

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hastings County</span> County in Ontario, Canada

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lennox and Addington County</span> County in Ontario, Canada

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Durham County is an historic county in Ontario, Canada. It was named for the English County Durham and city of Durham. It was created in 1792 but was later merged Northumberland County to form the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham. In 1974, the two counties were split and reorganized, with the former portions of Durham County reorganized into the Regional Municipality of Durham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home District</span> Former District in Upper Canada

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western District, Upper Canada</span> Former District in Upper Canada

Western District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District which were later detached in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada. Known as Hesse District until 1792, it was abolished in 1849.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midland District, Upper Canada</span>

Midland District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District and partitioned in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada.

Dundas was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River east of Lake Ontario. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada.

Durham was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West, on the north shore of Lake Ontario. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Durham was represented by one member in the Legislative Assembly. It was abolished in 1867, upon the creation of Canada and the province of Ontario.

Essex was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West, at the south-western tip of the Ontario Peninsula. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Essex was represented by one member in the Legislative Assembly. It was abolished in 1867, upon the creation of Canada and the province of Ontario.

Glengarry was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, bordering on Canada East. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Glengarry was represented by one member in the Legislative Assembly. It was abolished in 1867, upon the creation of Canada and the province of Ontario.

Lennox and Addington was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West. Based on the combined counties of Lennox and Addington, it was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada.

Lincoln North was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Lincoln North was represented by one member in the Legislative Assembly. It was abolished in 1867, upon the creation of Canada and the province of Ontario.

Northumberland North was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Northumberland North was represented by one member in the Legislative Assembly. It was abolished in 1867, upon the creation of Canada and the province of Ontario.

Northumberland South was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Northumberland South was represented by one member in the Legislative Assembly. It was abolished in 1867, upon the creation of Canada and the province of Ontario.

Prince Edward was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Prince Edward was represented by one member in the Legislative Assembly. It was abolished in 1867, upon the creation of Canada and the province of Ontario.

Stormont was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of the Province of Canada, in Canada West. It was created in 1841, upon the establishment of the Province of Canada by the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Stormont was represented by one member in the Legislative Assembly. It was abolished in 1867, upon the creation of Canada and the province of Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courts of Ontario</span> System of courts in Ontario, Canada

Accounts of the Indigenous law governing dispute resolution in the area now called Ontario, Canada, date from the early to mid-17th century. French civil law courts were created in Canada, the colony of New France, in the 17th century, and common law courts were first established in 1764. The territory was then known as the province of Quebec.

References

  1. Ontario (1831). The Statutes of the Province of Upper Canada [1792-1831]: Together with Such British Statutes, Ordinances of Quebec, and Proclamations as Related to the Said Province ; Rev. and Printed For, and Published by Hugh C. Thomson and James MacFarlane ; Rev. by James Nickalls, Junior.