B-C Attorney General Niki Sharma says the expansion of virtual bail across the province is an important step to make the justice system more efficient and effective.
The virtual bail hearings allow judges, court staff and lawyers to appear from multiple jurisdictions, on the same day, without the need to travel.
Sharma says the use of the technology allows the justice system to better adapt to extreme events like wildfires, flooding and pandemics.
Following a successful pilot in northern B-C in 2021, there are now centralized virtual bail hearings in the Interior, Vancouver Island, Vancouver Coastal and the Fraser region.