List of county courthouses in Ontario

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.

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)

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District County County Town Built Architect Notes Photo
Colborne Peterborough Peterborough 1838 Joseph Scobell
Eastern Stormont Cornwall 1826 Archibald Fraser  
Johnstown Leeds Brockville 1842 John George Howard  
Kent Kent Chatham 1848 William Thomas
London Middlesex London 1827 John Ewart  
Niagara Lincoln Niagara-on-the-Lake 1846 William Thomas County seat moved to St. Catharines in 1862. The building is now known as the Court House Theatre and is used for the Shaw Festival.  
Ottawa Prescott L'Orignal 1825 unknown  
Prince Edward Prince Edward Picton 1832
Victoria Hastings Belleville 1838 Thomas Rogers Demolished in 1972.  
Wellington Wellington Guelph 1842 Thomas Young

County courthouses (post-1849)

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County Seat Built Architect Notes Photo
Brant Brantford 1852 John Turner  
Bruce Walkerton 1863 David Murray
Carleton Ottawa 1870 Robert Surtees Now used as the Ottawa Arts Court Theatre. The courthouse for the region is now the Ottawa Courthouse.  
Dufferin Orangeville 1880 Cornelius John Soule  
Elgin St. Thomas 1852, 1899 John Turner, Neil Darrach (reconstruction) Burned down in 1898. Rebuilt using parts of original.  
Essex Sandwich 1855 Albert Henry Jordan Built by future Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie. Now known as Mackenzie Hall.  
Frontenac Kingston 1855 Edward Horsey, John Power In 1875 a fire destroyed the interior and the dome. The reconstructed interior and dome were designed by John Power and his son Joseph.  
Grey Owen Sound 1852 Bruce George No longer used.
Haldimand Cayuga 1850 Cumberland and Ridout Burned down in 1922.
1923 Frank Barber
Halton Milton 1854 Clark and Murray No longer in use.  
Huron Goderich 1854 Mellish Morrell and Russell Based on the design of Waterloo County. Burned down in 1954.  
1956 Leonard Gordon Bridgman  
Lambton Sarnia 1852 Alexander Mackenzie Demolished in 1960.
Lanark Perth 1862 Henry Hodge Horsey  
Lennox and Addington Napanee 1864 John Power, Thomas Fuller  
Lincoln St. Catharines 1848, 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.  
Norfolk Simcoe 1863 John Turner No longer in use.  
Northumberland Cobourg 1856 Kivas Tully Now Victoria Hall. A new courthouse for Northumberland County has been constructed.  
Ontario Whitby 1853 Cumberland and Storm Now known as the Centennial Building.  
Oxford Woodstock 1889 Robert Brookes, Cuthbertson and Fowler  
Peel Brampton 1865 William Kauffmann Now houses the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives.  
Perth Stratford 1885 George F. Durand  
Renfrew Pembroke 1862 Henry Hodge Horsey  
Simcoe Barrie 1877 George H. Brown Demolished in 1976.  
Victoria Lindsay 1862 Frederic William Cumberland  
Waterloo Kitchener 1852 Mellish and Russell Demolished in 1965.  
Welland Welland 1854 Kivas Tully  
Wentworth Hamilton 1878 Charles Willer Mulligan Demolished in 1956.
York Adelaide Street Courthouse 1852 Cumberland and Ridout Served as courthouse until 1900.  
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.  
Newmarket 1883 Mallory & Sons Became 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.  

References

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  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.