THE PROVINCIAL COURT
OF BRIT ISH COLUMBIA
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Effective Dates: September 18, 2023 for Northern, Interior, Island and Vancouver Regions
November 16, 2023 for Fraser Region
CRIM 05
PRACTICE DIRECTION
HEARING OF BAIL APPLICATIONS
Background
Since the Spring of 2021, the Court implemented the Northern Bail Pilot Project, a virtual bail
initiative comprised of a technology stream (video and telephone enabled appearances) and a
process stream (use of a Microsoft Teams channel and dedicated JCMs and sheriffs to canvass
the hearing list and facilitate an accused person’s access to legal counsel). The goal was to find
ways to ensure that the bail system operated as effectively and efficiently as possible to enable
timely bail hearings before judges/justices where all accused were represented by legal
counsel, if they chose. The Pilot expanded to the Interior Region (in April 2022) and the Island
Region (in January 2023) as reflected in the CRIM 14 Practice Direction: Northern, Interior and
Island Bail Pilot Project. Under the Pilot, bail hearings during court sitting hours in these Regions
are conducted by judges attending remotely in virtual courtrooms using the Microsoft Teams
(“Teams”) videoconference platform. Counsel and the accused also attend remotely by Teams.
Evaluations have demonstrated benefits of centralized virtual bail hearings, including: allowing
trials in smaller locations to proceed without being interrupted by bail hearings, reducing trial
continuations, reducing displacement of accused people from their own communities and
community supports, and increasing access to duty counsel. As such, the directions previously
set out in the CRIM 14 Practice Direction will continue.
In examining the goals associated with virtual bail in the Northern, Island and Interior Regions,
community displacement in the Lower Mainland is not as significant a concern, as correctional
centres are located in the proximity of courthouses and communities and public transportation
is available. Duty counsel has always been assigned to most court locations in the Fraser and
Vancouver Regions so the need for timely access to duty counsel for all accused is already
available. There are also daily bail/mixed remand courts in Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey,
Abbotsford, and Port Coquitlam. Therefore, while the bail courtrooms in the Fraser and
Vancouver Regions will incorporate many of the virtual bail processes from the Northern, Island
and Interior Regions, they will remain hybrid bail courtrooms. This allows for remote and in-
person appearances by counsel and the judge, while the accused appears remotely by video in
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those bail hearings, with the ability for JCMs to schedule in-custody and out-of-custody
dispositions into available court time.
Accordingly, the Court is setting out its directions relating to the hearing of all bail applications in
the Province in this single consolidated Practice Direction.
Purpose
The purpose of this practice direction is: (1) to provide directions for the processing and hearing
of bail applications throughout the Province; and (2) to rescind and replace CRIM 14 Northern,
Interior, and Island Bail Pilot Project (effective September 18, 2023) and NP 26 Chilliwack
Provincial Court Bail Pilot Project (effective November 16, 2023).
Application
This practice direction applies to bail hearings for all adult and youth criminal files in the
Northern, Interior, Island and Vancouver Regions starting September 18, 2023 and in the Fraser
Region starting November 16, 2023.
Directions
I. Weekday Bail Hearings During Regular Court Sitting Hours
Bail hearings will continue to be heard in virtual bail courtrooms in the Northern, Interior, and
Island Regions and in hybrid bail courtrooms in the Vancouver and Fraser Regions. These
hearings are assigned to be heard by judges.
In this Practice Direction, Part A applies to the Northern, Interior, and Island Regions; Part B
applies to the Vancouver and Fraser Regions; and Part C applies to all Regions, unless otherwise
noted.
A. Northern, Interior, and Island Regions (Virtual Bail Courtrooms)
1. Weekday bail hearings during regular court sitting hours regarding adult and youth
criminal matters in the Northern, Interior, and Island Regions will be conducted by
judges attending remotely by Teams videoconference in virtual courtrooms (“virtual bail
hearings”). The accused will also attend remotely by Teams videoconference or
audioconference at the virtual bail hearings. Duty or defence counsel and Crown
counsel must appear by Teams videoconference or apply to the Court to appear by
audioconference only (see NP 21).
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2. The virtual bail hearings are heard in two virtual courtrooms in each of the three
Regions:
VR1 and VR2 for the Northern Region;
VR3 and VR4 for the Interior Region; and
VR8 and VR9 for the Island Region.
See Appendix “A” for the virtual courtroom catchments. Please note the virtual
courtrooms and the assigned catchments are subject to change.
B. Vancouver and Fraser Regions (Hybrid Bail Courtrooms)
3. Except for Robson Square, Downtown Community Court, Surrey Intimate Partner
Violence Court, and Surrey Youth Court that will continue to operate in the manner they
have to date, the bail courtrooms in the Vancouver and Fraser Regions will remain
hybrid bail courtrooms. In hybrid bail courtrooms, the judge and counsel may attend
the bail hearing either remotely or in person (except the 9:00AM and 1:15PM triage
sessions which counsel must attend remotely by video), and the new in custody accused
attends remotely by video as follows:
Hybrid Bail
Courtroom
Catchments Served by
Hybrid Bail Courtroom
Location Where New In Custody Accused
Attends Applicable Hybrid Bail Courtroom
Remotely By Video
VANCOUVER REGION
222 Main Street
(Courtroom 101)
Vancouver
Main Street Courthouse Sheriff Cells
Burnaby
North Vancouver
(Courtroom 001)
North Vancouver
North Vancouver Courthouse Sheriff Cells
West Vancouver
Sechelt
Sechelt Courthouse Sheriff Cells
Pemberton
Pemberton Police Cells
Squamish
Squamish Police Cells
Whistler
Whistler Police Cells
Richmond
(Courtroom 107)
Richmond, including UBC
Richmond Courthouse Sheriff Cells
FRASER REGION
Abbotsford
(Courtroom 204)
Abbotsford
Abbotsford Courthouse Sheriff Cells
Chilliwack
Chilliwack Courthouse Sheriff Cells
Port Coquitlam
(Courtroom 001)
Port Coquitlam
Port Coquitlam Courthouse Sheriff Cells
New Westminster
New Westminster Courthouse Sheriff Cells
Surrey
(Courtroom 108)
Surrey
Surrey Courthouse Sheriff Cells
Delta
Langley
White Rock
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C. All Regions
4. The daily bail hearing schedule will be:
Virtual Bail Judicial Case Managers (“Bail JCM(s)”) attend by Teams
videoconference in VR1 for the Northern Region, VR4 for the Interior Region,
VR8 for the Island Region, and via the Teams triage meeting links for the
Vancouver and Fraser Regions to triage matters to finalize the morning
remand hearing list.
All counsel having files on the morning remand list must attend by Teams
videoconference at 9:00AM unless they have connected with the Bail JCM, or
filed a Consent Remand Form or Consent Requisition Form with the Bail JCM,
prior to that time.
Duty counsel are required to attend by Teams videoconference at the 9:00AM
triage to see if their assistance is required on any of the files on the morning
remand hearing list.
Counsel on matters stood down by the Bail JCM at the 9:00AM triage are to
keep the Bail JCM informed of what is happening on their matter and must do
so by no later than 10:30AM.
The Bail JCM may schedule other matters besides bail hearings in the
mornings provided the parties consent to appearing remotely and the matters
can be concluded in the morning without impacting the operation of bail
hearings scheduled for that morning. The Bail JCM may also schedule bail
hearings to other available courts where necessary and counsel are available.
Hearings for accused persons remanded in custody to Correctional Centres in
the Province or in custody at police stations and courthouses.
The Crown will submit to the applicable court registry a bail package for each
new in custody accused person by 12:30 PM, unless on the rare occasions
Crown has confirmed otherwise with the applicable court registry in advance.
Upon receipt, the court registry will process the bail package, including signing
tele-informations and adding required files. Once a bail package is processed,
the court registry will schedule the new in-custody file into JUSTIN, which will
update the Court Digital Display System (“CDDS”). The court registry will
initially schedule all files for 5:00PM as a holding position.
1. At 1:15PM, the following individuals must meet by Teams videoconference in
each virtual/hybrid bail courtroom to as best as possible finalize the order the
afternoon files are to be called in that court (the afternoon list):
A. All Crown with conduct of any of the afternoon files;
B. Duty counsel with conduct of the afternoon files;
C. Any defence counsel who intend to speak to an afternoon file;
D. A Registry Quarterback (may appear in more than one virtual courtroom);
and
E. A Sheriff Quarterback (may appear in more than one virtual courtroom).
1
All times referenced in this Practice Direction refer to PST or PDT as applicable.
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2. The Crown will lead the afternoon triage with equal participation from
duty/defence counsel to schedule as much of the afternoon list as they are
able prior to the start of court. The Registry Quarterback will record from the
Crown and duty/defence counsel the afternoon list and they will ensure the
Crown and duty/defence counsel are aware of all files on the afternoon list at
that time.
3. The following principles guide how the afternoon list is set:
A. All the parties should inform themselves of the time of arrests, to ensure
compliance with Criminal Code, sections 493 and 503.
B. Counsel must be reasonably accurate in their estimation of the length of
time required for contested bail hearings. Failure to complete contested
bail hearings in the estimated time may result in the hearing being stood
down until the completion of the afternoon list or adjourned to another
day.
C. Except in cases where compliance with section 503 (24-hour time limit)
requires an immediate appearance, the parties must make reasonable
efforts to ensure when a matter is called that the appearance will be
meaningful and not simply spoken to and stood down. Files that are not
ready to be spoken to will remain scheduled at 5:00PM and not called
until counsel are ready for something meaningful to happen with them.
Once ready for the files to be called, counsel must immediately advise the
Sheriff Quarterback on the separate private MS Teams channel (not the
live courtroom chat)
D. Files approaching the 24-hour time limit will be given scheduling priority
provided, after consultation with the judge, they can be completed during
the afternoon court sitting bearing in mind all the other files scheduled for
court that afternoon. These files may also be called briefly to meet the 24-
hour time limit and then stood down until later in the afternoon if time
permits, or adjourned to another courtroom where applicable, or to
another day.
E. Subject to the above, youth files (and women on the Island only) have the
highest priority in the afternoon list followed by consent releases. Files
simply being adjourned to another day have the third highest priority and
thereafter, files should be set in the afternoon list based on time
estimates, shortest to longest, but also factoring in any known time or
resource issues with police stations. Files adjourned from the morning
remand hearing list, files from later time zones, and files with sheriff
transportation issues like ferry schedules should also be given some
priority in the afternoon list, as should files involving cash bail which must
be posted by 4:00PM and files involving counsel who have scheduled
matters in other courts at 2:00PM. Files not able to be heard that day will
preferably be adjourned to the Bail JCM to be scheduled on another date
or adjourned by the judge to a morning court list on another date. Bail
hearings with longer time estimates should be adjourned to the Bail JCM
Fix Date List to be scheduled.
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F. Files that are scheduled onto a virtual/hybrid bail courtroom list are not to
be adjourned to the Justice Centre but must be adjourned to the JCM Fix
Date List or to the 9:30AM list on another virtual/hybrid bail court date.
G. If counsel are unable to agree on the afternoon list, direction can be
sought from the presiding judge when court starts.
4. All efforts will be made to have the afternoon list finalized prior to 1:30PM.
Immediately following the afternoon list triage, the Registry Quarterback will
email the triaged list to the Sheriff Quarterback, Crown Quarterback or Crown
office group proxy, court clerks and Bail JCM, and the Registry Quarterback
will ensure JUSTIN is updated, which will update CDDS and PCSS.
5. The Sheriff Quarterback will immediately communicate with the police
stations and courthouses to let them know when the accused are expected to
be contacted for their bail hearing.
6. If there are any concerns about being able to complete the list, those
concerns should be communicated to the Bail JCM as soon as possible so that
they can determine whether another judge is available to hear any of the
matters.
As close as possible, court will start at 1:30PM and proceed through the
afternoon list. Where necessary, adjustments to the afternoon list may be
made with the input of counsel and the judge. Adjustments should be
communicated to the Sheriff Quarterback as soon as possible. When court
commences, Crown counsel should be in a position to let the judge know
what the afternoon list is and if the parties foresee any problems completing
it. If they do, and the judge agrees, these concerns should be communicated
to the Bail JCM through the clerk as soon as possible to determine whether
alternative arrangements can be made.
Hearing of the afternoon list, as well as any files adjourned by the judge or Bail
JCM from the morning court list.
5. The Court does not endorse any cut-off times for the processing of files as part of the
bail process. However, the Court recognizes that stakeholders may establish cut-off
times as part of their bail processes, but the stakeholders accept that in doing so there is
a need for flexibility with enforcing cut-off times. The guiding principle is that bail
hearings, including consent releases on new arrest files, are to be conducted at the
earliest reasonable opportunity.
6. Consistent with that principle, bail hearings for new arrests are to be heard on the day
they are scheduled into Court unless, pursuant to section 516 of the Criminal Code, the
accused consents to having the matter heard on another day, or it is adjourned by the
court. Bail hearings for new arrests are not to be adjourned simply because the
estimated time to complete it is beyond a certain time length. The presiding judge or
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the Bail JCM will decide if a bail hearing needs to be adjourned due to a lack of court
time to complete it. The Bail JCM may also schedule bail hearings to other available
courts where necessary and counsel are available.
7. Unless released, new in custodies remanded to another day will continue to appear
remotely into the virtual/hybrid bail courtroom from which they were remanded, but
from a Correctional Centre, unless a judge orders otherwise. Remanded accused are to
be adjourned to either the Bail JCM Fix Date List or to a morning court list.
8. Files do not return to their home court location until: (a) the bail hearing is completed,
(b) a judge or JCM has directed the bail hearing be scheduled in another court location,
(c) trial dates are scheduled, or (d) a judge or JCM directs otherwise.
9. If the matter is scheduled for a virtual/hybrid bail courtroom, it cannot be adjourned to
the Justice Centre for evening bail.
10. If the accused is self-represented, the matter cannot be adjourned to initial appearance
court: either the accused must exercise their right to have a bail hearing, or all initial
appearance issues must be addressed before a judge in a virtual/hybrid bail courtroom
or adjourned to a judge court in the home court location to conduct the arraignment
before fixing a date for a trial or sentencing in the home court location, unless the
sentencing can proceed in a virtual/hybrid bail courtroom.
11. Despite the virtual nature of the bail hearings, all the same evidentiary and procedural
rules that apply to in-person proceedings should apply, like marking exhibits.
12. The Court expects counsel will use the Consent Requisition Form and the Consent
Remand Form (“Consent Forms”) whenever possible to cancel a scheduled
virtual/hybrid bail hearing/appearance that will not be proceeding (so the Bail JCM can
remove the matter from the hearing list) as follows:
a. With the exception of the direction regarding Consent Form submission set out
in paras. b and c below, all the other directions and procedures set out in 2013
CPD-1 CCFM Practice Direction and CRIM 08 Criminal Caseflow Management
Rules Forms and Procedure regarding the use of the Consent Requisition Form
and the Consent Remand Form apply.
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b. The Consent Forms are to be emailed by counsel to the applicable Virtual Bail JCM:
Virtual Bail JCM
Email Address
Northern
Northern.VirtualBail@provincialcourt.bc.ca
Interior
Interior.VirtualBail@provincialcourt.bc.ca
Island
Island.VirtualBail@provincialcourt.bc.ca
222 Main Street
Van.Scheduling@provincialcourt.bc.ca
North Vancouver
NVan.Scheduling@provincialcourt.bc.ca
Richmond
Richmond.Scheduling@provincialcourt.bc.ca
Abbotsford
Abbotsford.CriminalScheduling@provincialcourt.bc.ca
Port Coquitlam
PoCo.CriminalScheduling@provincialcourt.bc.ca
Surrey
Surrey.CriminalScheduling@provincialcourt.bc.ca
c. The following summary chart has been included for counsel’s quick reference
only:
Consent Remand Form
Consent Requisition Form
Form use
To adjourn a scheduled bail
hearing/appearance date
by Defence to another date
without the accused or
counsel having to appear in
court (only used for in
custody bail appearances)
To adjourn a scheduled non-
trial out of custody or in
custody appearances
(including bail hearing/
appearance) by Defence to
another date without the
accused or counsel having to
appear in court
Can also change the next
appearance reason (i.e. from
Bail Hearing to Sentencing),
call-ahead a scheduled
appearance date, and add
files by Defence
When to submit the
Consent Form by email
to the applicable
Virtual Bail JCM
1. 12:00PM-4:30PM the
business day before for
processing at 9:00AM
the day of the
scheduled appearance
date; or
2. Any time on the day of
the scheduled
appearance date
Anytime up until noon the
business day before the
scheduled appearance date
Defence counsel as
agent or designated
counsel
Yes
Yes
Page 9 of 15
Consent required
Yes
Yes
Counsel signature
required
No
No
Court appearance
required
No
No
Self-represented
accused
No
No
13. Crown and defence counsel shall submit any documents they wish the Court to consider
for a bail hearing by following the process set out in CRIM 18.
14. For registry arrests that may or may not be added to a bail court list, see NP 31 for the
process to be followed.
15. The following directions aim to reduce the need for frequent court appearances while
ensuring that the Court can effectively exercise its supervisory authority and uphold the
accused's right to a timely bail hearing and trial:
a. If the accused has retained defence counsel but cannot proceed with a bail
hearing, the accused should be remanded to a fix date on the Bail JCM Fix Date
List.
b. If defence counsel is reasonably certain of being ready on the next appearance,
the accused can be remanded to a morning court list for a bail hearing.
c. If the accused has not retained defence counsel, they must be remanded to a
morning court list and not adjourned to the Bail JCM Fix Date List.
d. A day before the scheduled appearance, defence/duty counsel and the Crown
should communicate about files on the Bail JCM Fix Date List and morning court
list, and inform the Bail JCM which files will remain on the Bail JCM Fix Date List
or be transferred to the morning court list for a bail hearing. Defence/duty
counsel are encouraged whenever possible to contact accused in remand
facilities on a date prior to the scheduled remand appearance. Due to call
volume at those remand facilities, Corrections/Sheriffs may not be able to
accommodate calls to remanded accused in the morning before court.
e. On the fix date, the Bail JCM may move a file from the Bail JCM Fix Date List to
the morning court list for a bail hearing. The Crown should be given reasonable
notice by defence/duty counsel of the intention to change the fix date into a
hearing. If proper notice is not given, pursuant to s. 516 of the Criminal Code, a
judge may decide to adjourn the hearing.
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f. Counsel should use the Consent Forms for appearance changes on the Bail JCM
Fix Date List or morning court list so that as much as possible court appearances
are reserved for matters where something substantive will occur.
g. If the accused has been in custody for over 45 days without a bail hearing,
counsel must appear before a judge to explain the delay. If no bail hearing occurs
at this appearance, the Court may arraign the case and set a pre-trial conference
(if the CRIM 12 Practice Direction is applicable), a trial/preliminary inquiry, or
issue other instructions. The judge may also return the matter to the home court
location for further scheduling. The responsibility of monitoring the 45-day
timeframe lies with counsel.
II. Bail Hearings on Weekday Evenings, Weekends, and Statutory Holidays
16. Files requiring bail hearings on weekdays that are not scheduled onto a daytime court
list are spoken to by Crown counsel in the evening at the Justice Centre.
17. Bail hearings will be heard primarily by Judicial Justices at the Justice Centre on weekday
evenings from 4:30PM until 11:00PM and on weekends and statutory holidays as set out
in the table below. Bail hearings after 11:00PM cannot ordinarily be accommodated.
WEEKDAY EVENINGS (FROM 4:30PM UNTIL 11:00PM)
* 7:00PM scheduled start time for all Regions
Room 310
Room 311
Room 312
Northern Region
Island Region
Fraser Region
Vancouver Region
Interior Region
WEEKENDS AND STATUTORY HOLIDAYS
* scheduled start times noted in red text
Room 305
Room 306
Room 310
Room 311
Fraser Region
(except Surrey)
and
PPSC Files
12:30PM
Island Region
12:30PM
Northern Region
11:15AM
Interior Region
11:15AM
Vancouver Region
1:00PM
Surrey
1:00PM
18. The scheduled start times noted above are targeted start times only. Bail hearings may
commence earlier. Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) files are often scheduled
to start earlier.
19. Bail hearings at the Justice Centre are conducted virtually where all participants attend
by videoconference, unless the accused is only able to attend by audioconference.
20. Despite the virtual nature of the bail hearings, all the same evidentiary and procedural
rules that apply to in-person proceedings should apply, like marking exhibits.
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21. All reasonable efforts must be made for new in-custodies not scheduled onto a weekday
daytime court list (during regular court sitting hours) to be scheduled onto a weekday
evening court list.
22. Where an accused appearing at the Justice Centre is to be remanded to the next
scheduled weekday, the accused will be scheduled to the afternoon court list in the
applicable virtual or hybrid Bail Courtroom, unless a Judicial Justice or Judge orders
otherwise following a request by counsel. Accused being remanded beyond the next
scheduled weekday can be scheduled on a morning court list.
23. Crown and defence counsel shall submit any documents they wish the Court to consider
for a bail hearing by following the process set out in CRIM 18.
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Appendix A”
Regional Catchments, Location Codes, and
Court Registry Email Addresses
I. Weekday Bail Hearings During Regular Court Sitting Hours
NORTHERN REGION CATCHMENTS
VR1
PRINCE GEORGE CATCHMENT
Code
Court Registry Email Addresses
2
Prince George Provincial Court
PG
csbpg.criminalregistry@gov.bc.ca
CARIBOO CATCHMENT
Anahim Lake Provincial Court
AL
Office15231@gov.bc.ca
100 Mile House Law Courts
OMH
Office15231@gov.bc.ca
Fort St James Provincial Court
FSJ
csbpg.criminalregistry@gov.bc.ca
Fraser Lake Provincial Court
FL
csbpg.criminalregistry@gov.bc.ca
Kwadacha Provincial Court
KWA
Office15216@gov.bc.ca
Mackenzie Provincial Court
MAC
Office15216@gov.bc.ca
McBride Provincial Court
MCB
Office15215@gov.bc.ca
Quesnel Law Courts
QUE
Office15230@gov.bc.ca
Tsay Keh Dene Provincial Court
TKD
csbpg.criminalregistry@gov.bc.ca
Valemount Provincial Court
VAL
Office15215@gov.bc.ca
Vanderhoof Law Courts
VHF
csbpg.criminalregistry@gov.bc.ca
Williams Lake Law Courts
WL
Office15231@gov.bc.ca
VR2
NORTHWEST CATCHMENT
Atlin Provincial Court
ATL
Office15228@gov.bc.ca
Burns Lake Provincial Court
BL
Office15219@gov.bc.ca
Dease Lake Provincial Court
DL
Office15222@gov.bc.ca
Good Hope Lake Provincial Court
GHL
Office15228@gov.bc.ca
Hazelton Provincial Court
HAZ
Office15224@gov.bc.ca
Houston Provincial Court
HOU
Office15224@gov.bc.ca
Kitimat Law Courts
KIT
Office15222@gov.bc.ca
Lower Post Provincial Court
LP
Office15228@gov.bc.ca
Masset Provincial Court
MAS
Office15220@gov.bc.ca
New Aiyansh Provincial Court
NEA
Office15222@gov.bc.ca
Prince Rupert Law Courts
PR
Office15220@gov.bc.ca
Queen Charlotte Provincial Court
QCC
Office15220@gov.bc.ca
Smithers Law Courts
SMI
Office15224@gov.bc.ca
Stewart Law Courts
STE
Office15222@gov.bc.ca
Terrace Law Courts
TER
Office15222@gov.bc.ca
PEACE CATCHMENT
Chetwynd Provincial Court
CHE
Office15226@gov.bc.ca
Dawson Creek Law Courts
DC
Office15226@gov.bc.ca
Fort Nelson Law Courts
FN
Office15229@gov.bc.ca
2
The Court Registry email addresses have been copied from the BC Government webpage here.
Page 13 of 15
Fort St John Law Courts
FOS
Office15228@gov.bc.ca
Tumbler Ridge Provincial Court
TR
Office15226@gov.bc.ca
INTERIOR REGION CATCHMENTS
VR3
KELOWNA CATCHMENT
Kelowna Law Courts
KEL
CSB.KelownaCriminal@gov.bc.ca
Penticton
PEN
PentictonCourtRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Princeton
PRI
PentictonCourtRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Nelson
NEL
NelsonCourtRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Nakusp
NAK
NelsonCourtRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Castlegar
CAS
NelsonCourtRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Grand Forks
GRF
VCRosslandCrt@gov.bc.ca
Rossland
ROS
VCRosslandCrt@gov.bc.ca
Cranbrook
CLB
cranbrookcourtregistry@gov.bc.ca
Creston
CRE
cranbrookcourtregistry@gov.bc.ca
Invermere
INV
cranbrookcourtregistry@gov.bc.ca
Fernie
FER
cranbrookcourtregistry@gov.bc.ca
Sparwood
SPA
cranbrookcourtregistry@gov.bc.ca
Golden
GOL
GoldenCourtRegistry@gov.bc.ca
VR4
KAMLOOPS CATCHMENT
Kamloops
KAM
JAGCSBKamloopsScheduling@gov.bc.ca
Merritt
MER
JAGCSBKamloopsScheduling@gov.bc.ca
Lillooet
LIL
JAGCSBKamloopsScheduling@gov.bc.ca
Clearwater
CLW
JAGCSBKamloopsScheduling@gov.bc.ca
Vernon
VER
JAGCSBVernonScheduling@gov.bc.ca
Salmon Arm
SAA
JAGCSBSalmonArmScheduling@gov.bc.ca
Revelstoke
REV
JAGCSBSalmonArmScheduling@gov.bc.ca
ISLAND REGION CATCHMENTS
VR8
SOUTH ISLAND CATCHMENT
Duncan
DUN
Duncancrimreg@gov.bc.ca
Ganges
GAN
Duncancrimreg@gov.bc.ca
Sidney
SID
VicProvincialReg@gov.bc.ca
Victoria
VIC
VicProvincialReg@gov.bc.ca
Western Communities
WCO
wccregistry@gov.bc.ca
VR9
NORTH ISLAND CATCHMENT
Campbell River
CAR
CampbellRiverRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Courtenay
COU
CourtenayRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Nanaimo
NAN
crimreg.nanaimo@gov.bc.ca
Gold River (including Tahsis)
GOR
CampbellRiverRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Port Alberni
POA
PortAlberniRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Port Hardy
POH
porthardycourtregistry@gov.bc.ca
Powell River
POR
powellriverregistry@gov.bc.ca
Tofino
TOF
PortAlberniRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Ucluelet
UCL
PortAlberniRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Page 14 of 15
FRASER REGION CATCHMENTS
CR
001
PORT COQUITLAM HYBRID BAIL COURTROOM CATCHMENT
Port Coquitlam Law Courts
COQ
csb.portcoquitlamprovcriminal@gov.bc.ca
New Westminster Law Courts
NEW
JAGCSBNWestminsterCourtScheduling@gov.bc.ca
CR
204
ABBOTSFORD HYBRID BAIL COURTROOM CATCHMENT
Abbotsford Law Courts
ABB
abbotsfordcriminalregistry@gov.bc.ca
Chilliwack Law Courts
CHI
CSBChilliwackCriminalRegistry@gov.bc.ca
CR
108
SURREY HYBRID BAIL COURTROOM CATCHMENT
Surrey Provincial Court
SUR
CSBSurreyProvincialCourt.CriminalRegistry@gov.bc.ca
VANCOUVER REGION CATCHMENTS
CR
001
NORTH VANCOUVER HYBRID BAIL COURTROOM CATCHMENT
North Vancouver Provincial
Court
NVA
NorthVancouverRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Pemberton Provincial Court
PEM
NorthVancouverRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Sechelt Provincial Court
SEP
SecheltRegistry@gov.bc.ca
CR
107
RICHMOND HYBRID BAIL COURTROOM CATCHMENT
Richmond Provincial Court
RMD
RichmondCourtRegistry@gov.bc.ca
CR
101
VANCOUVER HYBRID BAIL COURTROOM CATCHMENT
Bella Bella Provincial Court
BEB
CSBMainRecordRequests@gov.bc.ca
Bella Coola Provincial Court
BEC
CSBMainRecordRequests@gov.bc.ca
Klemtu Provincial Court
KLE
CSBMainRecordRequests@gov.bc.ca
Vancouver Provincial Court
(222 Main Street)
VAN
CSBMainRecordRequests@gov.bc.ca
II. Bail Hearings on Weekday Evenings, Weekends, and Statutory Holidays
JUSTICE CENTRE
Please use the email address related to the Region/type of the file being heard
Federal Files
JC
JusticeCentreBail.Federal@gov.bc.ca
Island Region
JusticeCentreBail.IslandRegion@gov.bc.ca
Vancouver Region
JusticeCentreBail.VancouverCoastalRegion@gov.bc.ca
Fraser Region (excluding Surrey)
JusticeCentreBail.FraserRegion@gov.bc.ca
Surrey Files
JusticeCentreBail.Surrey@gov.bc.ca
Interior Region
JusticeCentreBail.InteriorRegion@gov.bc.ca
Northern Region
JusticeCentreBail.NorthernRegion@gov.bc.ca
Page 15 of 15
Cross-Reference
The Policy on Use of Electronic Devices in Courtrooms and Access to Court Proceedings Policy,
including the general prohibition on the recording or broadcasting of court proceedings unless
authorized by the Court
Notice to the Profession and Public 21 for etiquette and directions on connecting by remotely.
(Anyone appearing in Provincial Court by Teams can email the CBABC at members@cbabc.org for
technical support.)
Law Society of BC Member Portal: BC Courtrooms Live Links
The MS Teams Virtual Bail Team Communications Protocol located on the Virtual Bail Team in the
Files section of each regional Channel
History of Practice Direction
Original practice direction dated February 09, 2009 replacing the practice direction titled Hearing
of Bail Applications by the Justice Centre dated March 04, 2005.
Amended practice direction dated February 23, 2015 (changes to wording and formatting only).
Amended practice direction dated September 18, 2019 (consequential amendment to para. 4
further to Bill C-75 amendments regarding audioconference and videoconference).
Amended practice direction dated November 26, 2019 (amendment to para. 2 clarifying current
process regarding access to the Justice Centre).
January 8, 2020: Housekeeping update to remove “duration” section as contained information
duplicated in “History of Practice Direction” section.
April 19, 2021: amended “Application” section - consequential reference to CRIM 14 Northern Bail
Pilot Project for bail hearings for all adult and youth criminal files in the Northern Region.
July 18, 2022: amended “Application” section consequential to CRIM 14 Northern and Interior Bail
Pilot Project and housekeeping update to para. 1.
January 9, 2023: amended Application” section consequential to Revised CRIM 14 Practice
Direction: Northern, Interior, and Island Bail Pilot Project.
September 18, 2023 for Northern, Interior, Island and Vancouver Regions and October 16, 2023
for Fraser Region: adds “Background”; updating “Purpose”; incorporates and updates processes
from rescinded CRIM 14 Northern, Interior, and Island Bail Pilot Project and NP 26 Chilliwack
Provincial Court Bail Pilot Project.
September 29, 2023: effective date for Fraser Region changed to November 16, 2023.
October 24, 2023: revised Appendix “A”, Part I to add Pemberton, Bella Bella, Bella Coola and
Klemtu to Vancouver Region and update email addresses for Sidney and Victoria.
I make this practice direction pursuant to my authority under the Provincial Court Act, R.S.B.C.
1996, c. 379, and Rule 3 of the Criminal Caseflow Management Rules.
Melissa Gillespie
Chief Judge
Provincial Court of British Columbia