The facility will replace the city's existing courthouses and is scheduled to open in 2025
The Government of Alberta has announced the completion of construction on the Red Deer Justice Centre, a modern facility designed to replace the city’s existing court facilities, which have been operating at capacity.
The new centre, expected to open in early 2025, aims to improve access to justice services for residents of Red Deer and the surrounding areas, ReNew Canada reported. The 312,000-square-foot building includes 12 fully built courtrooms, with space for up to four additional courtrooms to accommodate future growth. It also features dedicated spaces for alternative dispute resolution, such as family and civil mediation, and an Indigenous courtroom designed to facilitate smudging ceremonies.
“This new, state-of-the-art courthouse will increase access to justice services for residents of Red Deer and central Alberta,” said Pete Guthrie, Minister of Infrastructure. He noted that the facility is intended to meet the long-term needs of the community.
The $203.1 million project began construction in August 2020 and was designed to meet LEED Silver standards, emphasizing energy efficiency and reduced operational costs. With the building now complete, Alberta Infrastructure has handed it over to Alberta Justice, which will oversee the installation of furnishings and equipment before the facility opens to the public.
Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice, highlighted the facility’s potential to expand legal services. “Along with building a new justice centre for Red Deer, Alberta’s government is preparing to expand pre-court services, such as mediation, in Red Deer early in 2025. This new facility has the space to offer these services while also allowing more court cases to be heard, increasing Albertans’ access to justice,” Amery said.
Local representatives also emphasized the importance of the new justice centre for the growing community. Adriana LaGrange, MLA for Red Deer-North, noted the significance of the facility in providing updated resources and space for legal services, while Jason Stephan, MLA for Red Deer-South, described the centre as a reflection of the region’s development and the government’s commitment to supporting its population.
Designed by Group2 Architecture and Interior Design in collaboration with DLR Group, the new facility replaces the city’s older courthouse with a modern building aimed at addressing the current and future legal needs of Red Deer and central Alberta.
