Lawyers raise concerns as sheriff shortages cause court delays

Trial lawyers in B.C. are calling on the provincial government to address an ongoing shortage of sheriffs it says has led to dozens of delays and cancellations in the court system in recent months, weeks and even days. 

The Trial Lawyers Association of B.C. said two high-profile cases were delayed on May 27 alone due to the sheriff shortage, and just last week, five Vancouver courtrooms were closed for the day. 

The province said that for security reasons, it was not able to confirm this. 

At least 86 court appearances were cancelled or delayed in 2023.

"It undermines the constitutional rights of the accused to a trial within a reasonable amount of time and denies victims and their families the timely justice they deserve," association president Michael Elliott told CBC's The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn.

It's not exactly a new problem—a 2007 CBC story shows that a sheriff shortage was causing delays 17 years ago. 

Last year, an internal report revealed major issues with the recruitment and retention of sheriffs in B.C., attributing the issue to poor pay, a toxic work environment and issues with management. 

The province responded, promising more money to hire more sheriffs, but the Trial Lawyers Association of B.C. says it's taking too long. 

The B.C. Sheriff Service is a law enforcement agency, similar to police or correctional officers. They ensure safety in courthouses, transport people in custody and manage courthouse detention cellblocks.

"Their jobs are very difficult," Elliott said. "There is an element of danger to them." 

And without them, Elliott added, court proceedings can't move forward. 

According to the province, sheriffs are paid a salary equivalent to about $50,000 per annum pro-rated during a mandatory 14-week training session. However, they must sign a return-of-service agreement stating that they will have to repay those training costs if they don't stay for at least two years. 

After training, sheriffs make between $69,000 and $79,000 a year and are eligible for recruitment, incentive and benefit payments. 

The 2023 report said that up to 50 per cent of sheriffs work second jobs to make ends meet in B.C., where the cost of living continues to climb. It said that sheriffs also rely on overtime work to make ends meet.