How IO shapes Ontario’s modern legal spaces

Since our beginning in 2005, Infrastructure Ontario (IO) has played a key role in shaping the province’s justice infrastructure. To date, we’ve delivered approximately $44.4 billion in infrastructure projects, successfully bringing 161 major P3 projects to market. Of these, 23 projects have directly enhanced the safety, accessibility, and efficiency of Ontario’s justice system.

Waterloo Region Consolidated Courthouse - Kitchener

From modern courthouses to state-of-the-art police facilities, our work supporting the government’s commitment to justice, correctional and safety infrastructure has touched communities across Ontario. These unique projects are more than just modernized buildings, they are seen as vital public assets that ensure Ontarians have access to fair and timely justice in safe, secure, and functional environments.

Supporting justice across the province

Notable achievements include the delivery of the award-winning Ontario Court of Justice - Toronto, expansion of correctional facilities in Kenora and Thunder Bay using modular construction, and numerous new Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachments across Ontario. No matter the size or scope, each project reflects IO’s commitment to quality, innovation, and collaboration with government and industry partners.

Laying the foundation

The first justice project we delivered was the Durham Region Courthouse in Oshawa, completed in 2009. It brought together multiple court services into a single, modern facility, ultimately improving access to justice, operational efficiency, and public safety. As IO’s first justice-sector P3, it set the standard for future courthouse projects by showing how collaboration, innovation, and risk-sharing could deliver high-quality public infrastructure.

Building for the future

IO continues to build and modernize key justice infrastructure that improves access, addresses capacity needs, and connects people to services they need. The Thunder Bay Correctional Complex, now under construction, will be Ontario’s first correctional facility designed with a focus on rehabilitation and sustainability (the complex is targeting LEED Silver certification). Set to open in 2026, it will replace two aging facilities with a single, state-of-the-art 345-bed complex.

Courtroom in Durham Region Courthouse in Oshawa, IO’s first justice project

Meanwhile, Phase 3 of the OPP Modernization Project recently kicked off, which includes 12 new detachments and a regional headquarters in Thunder Bay – further strengthening public safety infrastructure across the province.

As IO marks 20 years of service, our legacy in the justice sector stands as a testament to the power of public infrastructure to strengthen communities and respond to the demands of modern justice. With every project, IO continues to build a more connected and competitive Ontario. "Our work goes beyond infrastructure," said Denise. “It's about enabling justice to be accessible, transparent, and trusted by all.”

Artistic rendering of new Thunder Bay Correctional Complex