Letter from the Chair

October 2024

Greetings,

As the Chair of the Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee (JPAAC), it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to our website. I appreciate your interest in wanting to learn more about JPAAC and considering whether becoming a justice of the peace is the right fit for you. For those interested in learning more, I encourage you to explore our website in detail, especially the Frequently Asked Questions section, as it contains pertinent and helpful information pertaining to the role of justices of the peace and the committee’s processes.

A justice of the peace in Ontario is a judicial officer appointed pursuant to the Justices of the Peace Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. J.4 (JPA). As the two main areas that justices of the peace exercise jurisdiction over are criminal law and regulatory law (provincial offences), the justice of the peace role is often referred to as “the front door to the Ontario justice system”. Justices of the peace fulfil several important duties and responsibilities, including presiding over criminal law matters, and exercising jurisdiction over the majority of provincial regulatory offences and municipal by-law prosecutions.

Given the varied functions of a justice of the peace, every day is different, and the type of work can depend on the region that the justice of the peace works within. That said, a justice of the peace is always making quick decisions based on law and supported by reasons, while balancing multiple interests. Justices of the peace travel extensively, work primarily, in person, and require the ability to work a flexible schedule. Additional information pertaining to the role of a justice of the peace is available on the JPAAC website.

It is important to note that the justice of the peace bench is a lay bench. This means that there is no requirement for an applicant interested in becoming a justice of the peace to have legal education or experience in the justice system. Justices of the peace have varied educational, business, and community backgrounds. However, a justice of the peace must have paid or volunteer work experience equivalent to at least 10 years of full-time employment. Successful candidates demonstrate a high level of achievement and a proven ability in making sound, practical, and timely decisions, involving complex factors, that impact people’s lives.

The JPAAC recognizes the desirability of reflecting the diversity of Ontario’s society in appointments of justices of the peace and therefore encourages candidates reflecting all communities, identities and intersectionality’s to consider applying when vacancies become available. Importantly, the JPAAC seeks candidates who demonstrate professional excellence, community engagement, leadership, independent decision-making, and high-caliber personal characteristics. If you are a leader in your community and want to make a meaningful impact, please consider this incredible opportunity. For more information on how the JPAAC assesses the qualifications, skills, abilities, and personal characteristics for each candidate, please review the JPAAC website.

The JPAAC is committed to ensuring that the justice of the peace bench represents our diverse province. To increase awareness of the justice of the peace role and application process, JPAAC is strengthening its outreach to many diverse communities across Ontario. These outreach efforts include discussions with relevant Ontario ministries so best practices for effective outreach can be established. JPAAC’s goal is to inform community members throughout all regions of Ontario about this rewarding role.

Importantly, for every justice of the peace recruitment cycle, the JPAAC conducts extensive outreach and advertising to all levels of government, stakeholders, partners, community groups, professional organizations, and associations. Notably, the committee refines its outreach and distribution efforts for each cycle. For the 2024 cycle, JPAAC conducted outreach by sending communications to over 19,000 individuals who registered for vacancy notifications, advertising the vacancies on 16 websites, and sharing several social media posts. Through comprehensive outreach efforts, the JPAAC hopes to reach the province’s most qualified candidates.

In April 2023 and July 2024, JPAAC hosted live webinars to provide potential candidates with additional information about the role and process. I encourage you to watch the video from the most recent webinar to determine whether you may be a good fit for the role of a justice of the peace. As knowledge of the role of a justice of the peace is also important, those interested in this judicial appointment must demonstrate sufficient observation and understanding of the courtrooms where justices of the peace preside in the months before applying.

If you have suggestions regarding how the JPAAC can continue enhancing outreach efforts or have opportunities for me to attend a speaking engagement, please contact me at Nicholas.charitsis@jpaac.ca.

To be informed of future justice of the peace vacancies, please subscribe to our vacancy notification registry.

Thank you for the time that you took reading this.

Warm regards,

Nicholas Charitsis, B.B.A., LL.B
Chair
Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee