About: Justice and Public Safety
The Department of Justice and Public Safety works to develop supports to reduce risks to the community and to strengthen the criminal and civil justice systems. The department coordinates efforts for efficient public safety services to provide security to citizens from threats to their personal and economic stability.
Some of the priorities in this mandate are to:
- Designing and implementing PEI’s first Domestic Violence Court;
- Enhancing partnerships with communities and various stakeholder groups to ensure effective and efficient emergency response as well as completing the necessary work to keep public safety best practices top of mind, including completing the After Action Review of the response to Post-Tropical Storm Fiona;
- Further establishing a safe online environment by creating a multi-sectoral task force to develop and action plan to address cyberbullying and promote cyber-safety;
- Conducting an operational model and governance review of PEI Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) and ensure proper staff and resources are available through EMO to provide leadership for future emergency situations.
Structure and Employees
Community and Correctional Services Division is an essential part of the Criminal Justice System in protecting the public and contributing to the rehabilitation of youth and adult offenders by providing community and custody programs. The Division provides support services to the courts and victims of crime. It also contributes to new initiatives involving victim issues, crime prevention, public education, research, policy and program development. The Division is made up of four Sections: Community Programs, Correctional Programs, Victim Services and Clinical Services.
View employee listThe Clinical Services Team is a provincial resource providing assessment and treatment services. The target population are high-risk adults and youth involved with the criminal justice system. The team also provides training, consultation, and case management support.
View employee listThis Section is responsible for the planning, administration, and delivery of the following community based programs and services: Probation Services (Adult Offenders) and Youth Justice Services including the Alternative Residential Placement/Community Youth Worker Program, Youth Probation Services, and the Youth Intervention Outreach Program. As well, the Section is involved in considering and developing alternatives to traditional justice approaches; assisting in community/public education; crime prevention and early intervention initiatives.
View employee listThe primary areas of responsibility of Corporate Services include: budgetary control, monitoring and forecasting of Divisional revenues and expenditures; assisting the Department with status quo process; negotiating and preparing claims for the numerous federally funded agreements and projects in our Division; auditing expenditures and processes; providing advice and interpretations of Collective Agreement to payroll employees; leadership role in developing a statistical tracking process for the Division; approving and planning Divisional purchases and monitoring inventory levels; coordinating administration functions and cross training of admin staff; and providing support to Divisional managers in financial and process decisions.
View employee listThe Correctional Programs Section is responsible for the planning, administration, and delivery of correctional programs for adult and young offenders in three custodial facilities across the province. There are two adult facilities: Provincial Correctional Centre in Charlottetown and Prince Correctional Centre in Summerside. The PEI Youth Centre in Summerside (secure custody) is responsible for young offenders. Correctional Programs staff are responsible to provide intake, assessment, case management, security, rehabilitative programming and discharge planning for adult and young offenders serving custody sentences/dispositions, police lock-ups, remands and others placed by means of provincial or federal legislation and/or agreements.
View employee listVictim Services assists victims of crime throughout the province by providing information, support, referral, assistance throughout the criminal justice process and criminal injuries compensation.
View employee listThe Crown Attorneys’ Office is mandated to represent the Attorney General of the province in all aspects of his prosecutorial function. The Crown Attorneys’ Office prosecutes offences under the Criminal Code of Canada, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and provincial statutes in the Provincial, Supreme and Appeal Courts of Prince Edward Island and in the Supreme Court of Canada. The Crown Attorneys’ Office also provides legal advice on criminal law to government ministries and the police, and develops policies and procedures on issues relating to the prosecution of criminal cases. The policies that guide the conduct of criminal prosecutions can be found at Conduct of Criminal Prosecutions in PEI [589 Kb].
View employee listThe Family Law and Court Services Division is comprised of Court Services, Family Law Section, and the Office of the Public Trustee and Public Guardian.
View employee listCourt Services is responsible for administrative activities in both Civil and Criminal Courts in all three levels of Court - Provincial Court, Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island and Prince Edward Island Court of Appeal. Find additional information about Prince Edward Island courts on the Courts of Prince Edward Island website: http://www.courts.pe.ca/
View employee listThe Family Law Section is responsible for the planning, administration and delivery of the following programs and services: Child Support Guidelines Office, Maintenance Enforcement Program, Administrative Recalculation Office, Family Court Counsellors' Office and the Parent Education Program.
View employee listThis section functions under the supervision of the Public Trustee. The Public Trustee is appointed by the province to assist persons who are unable to manage their own financial affairs. The section administers the Public Trustee Act and the Provincial Administrator of Estates Act.
View employee listThis division is comprised of the Consumer Services, Corporations, Insurance and Real Estate, Securities and Vital Statistics sections.
View employee listThis Section is responsible for administering the Lottery Schemes Order (bingos, raffles, casino nights, 50/50 draws) and handles consumer complaints and inquiries. The various statutes administered are: Auctioneers Act, Business Practices Act, Cemeteries Act, Charities Act, Collection Agencies Act, Conditional Sales Act, Consumer Protection Act, Consumer Reporting Act, Direct Sellers Act, Films Act, Lottery Schemes Order Part X, Bankruptcy Act (Federal), Prearranged Funeral Services Act, Sale of Goods Act and Tax Rebate Discounting Act (Federal). If you have a consumer complaint, please call toll-free 1-800-658-1799.
View employee listThis section is responsible for the registration of partnerships and business names, the incorporation of companies, non-profit corporations, co-operatives and credit unions and the registration of extra-provincial corporations. It administers the Companies Act, Extra-provincial Corporations Registration Act, Co-operative Associations Act, Credit Unions Act, Limited Partnerships Act and the Partnership Act.
View employee listThis section functions under the supervision of the Superintendent of Insurance and is responsible for real estate sales licenses, insurance legislation, the handling of insurance complaints and the collection of premium tax and fire prevention tax. The section administers the following Acts: Fire Prevention Act (Sec. 16-18), Insurance Act, Premium Tax Act, and the Real Estate Trading Act.
View employee listThis section administers and enforces the Securities Act. It is responsible for the registration of securities dealers, advisers and salespersons and for the regulation of companies that sell securities to the public.
View employee listThe Vital Statistics Program is a provincial registry responsible for the collection, registration, maintenance and dissemination of vital event information which includes births, deaths, stillbirths, adoptions, marriages, divorces and change of name.
View employee listThis division serves as a resource to the Department of Justice and Public Safety in the areas of policy advice and development, federal/provincial/territorial relations, and community and social development.
View employee listThis program has eight full-time staff lawyers and one director, who provide assistance to legal aid clients. Eligible clients who cannot be represented by staff lawyers because of professional conflict rules, may be referred to private sector lawyers on a legal aid basis. Legal Aid coverage is restricted to essential legal services in criminal law, and civil and family law areas. Eligibility requirements include a financial means test. Civil and family legal aid services are funded by the province. Criminal legal aid is cost-shared by Prince Edward Island and Canada.
View employee listThe division provides legal policy advice and guidance to the Department of Justice and Public Safety and is responsible for the administration of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
View employee listThe Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act simultaneously ensures openness and transparency in the operations of government, while ensuring that personal information held by government is protected. The Access and Privacy Services Office provides government-wide policy advice, service and support in the administration of the Act and its regulations.
View employee listThe Legal Services Section provides legal services to all departments and agencies of the Provincial Government.
View employee listThis section is responsible for the drafting of all statutes and regulations, the revision of statutes and the consolidations of the statutes and the regulations.
View employee listThe Public Safety Division is comprised of 911 Administration, Emergency Measures Organization, Fire Marshal's Office, Firearms Office, Investigation and Enforcement, and Policing Services.
View employee listThe 911 Administration Office serves as the coordinating agency for the operation of the E9-1-1 service and the maintenance of the provincial civic addressing system under the Emergency 911 Act.
View employee listIn PEI, death investigation is carried out under the Coroner's Act. The coroner is responsible for the investigation of all unnatural, sudden and unexpected, unexplained or unattended deaths. This investigation includes determining the identity of a deceased and how, when, where and by what means that person died. The coroner will classify a death as natural, accidental, suicide, homicide or undetermined. He/she is responsible for uncovering dangerous practices or conditions that may lead to death, and making recommendations to improve public safety and prevent deaths in similar circumstances.
View employee listThe Emergency Measures Organization provides the Province of Prince Edward Island with an emergency management system for the protection of persons, property and the environment in response to all emergencies and disasters.
View employee listThe office of the Provincial Fire Marshal is responsible for the promotion of fire prevention measures in the province and extends to training for volunteer fire fighters as well as institutional and municipal officials.
View employee listThe PEI Firearms Office administers the Gun Control Program, pursuant to the federal Firearms Act and relevant provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada. This office also administers the Private Investigators and Security Guards Act.
View employee listThe Investigation and Enforcement Section, through PEI's Conservation Officers, is responsible for enforcing provincial and federal acts and regulations pertaining to the environment, fish and wildlife, pesticides and off-highway vehicle enforcement.
View employee listPolicing Services Section is responsible for the administration of the Police Act and for liaising with all police agencies toward the implementation of effective and efficient policing services in PEI.
View employee listAgencies, Boards and Commissions
- Court Transcribers Examining Board
- Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Human Rights Commission
- Judicial Remuneration Review Commission
- Law Society Council
- Criminal Code Review Board
- Police Commissioner
- Public Trustee Advisory Committee
- Supreme Court Finance Committee
- Victim Services Advisory Committee
