In a October 22 news conference at Thompson Rivers University, BC Minister of Justice Shirley Bond introduced a white paper on justice reform that identifies "timeliness, transparency and balance [as] essential parts of effective justice and public confidence."

According to a news release posted on its website, the BC government will immediately begin to implement the following 10 activities in furtherance of justice reform:

1.      Establish a new governance structure, through a Justice and Public Safety Council, to set strategic direction and ensure co-ordination across the justice system. 

2.      Develop an annual Justice and Public Safety Plan that will set goals for the justice system and report publicly on performance measures.

3.      Hold a regular Justice Summit, beginning March 2013, with justice system leaders to discuss the progress and direction of reforms.

4.      Create better administrative management tools that will help enhance transparency and accountability within the system.

5.      Transform justice information systems, beginning with the release of a Technology Strategy for Justice Information by spring 2013.

6.      Construct a business intelligence system, starting with developing an Action Plan on Business Intelligence, that will help measure and report on how the system operates.

7.      Create a costing methodology that considers the key cost drivers across the system and determines, in co-operation with the judiciary, the appropriate judicial complement for the Provincial Court.

8.      Set performance measures that are relevant to the public and report on progress using tools like the Justice and Public Safety Plan and the JusticeBC data dashboard.

9.      Reduce case backlogs and improve overall efficiency with a new court scheduling system, Crown file ownership, expansion of criminal duty counsel services, and an early resolution pilot project.

10.  Streamline routine practices such as the way information flows from prosecutors to accused and their defence counsel, admission and discharges from corrections and workflow practices in courthouses to improve efficiency and service delivery.