He was the court’s regional senior judge for the Northeast Region
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has named a new chief justice in Patrick J. Boucher, the court’s regional senior judge for the Northeast Region.
Boucher takes over from Geoffrey B. Morawetz, who retired on May 15. The appointment, which was announced by prime minister Mark Carney, was applauded by Ontario attorney general Doug Downey.
“Chief justice Boucher brings decades of distinguished legal and judicial experience to this important role. Having served with distinction on both the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the rule of law, judicial excellence, and public service,” Downey said in a statement.
Boucher became the regional senior judge for the Northeast Region in 2024. He was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice as a judge in 2020.
He was first named to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2009 and became its regional senior justice for the Northeast Region. He was a local administrative judge and was once an Association of Ontario Judges director; moreover, he was an education chair for the Northeast and was in the chief justice’s judicial pre-trial best practices working group.
As a private practitioner, Boucher concentrated on family and criminal law litigation.
Downey said Boucher’s experience made him a suitable leader for what he described as “one of Canada’s busiest and most respected courts.”
Canada justice minister and attorney Sean Fraser also revealed a batch of judicial appointments in Ontario.
Toronto-based Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge Lisa Brownstone has been appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal as a judge in Toronto, filling a post authorized under Bill C-74 (2018) in Toronto as of June 30. While at the Superior Court, she sat on the Family, Civil, and Divisional Court teams.
Shannon Chace, executive legal officer at the Ontario Court of Appeal for the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario in Toronto, replaces Brownstone and joins the Ontario Superior Court of Justice as a judge in Toronto. She was previously deputy director of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General’s constitutional law branch.
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada’s (Toronto) chief federal prosecutor, Tanit Gilliam, has been named an Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge in Newmarket. She previously prosecuted serious criminal offences in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Justice. Gilliam takes over for justice M. Edwards, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective October 10, 2025.
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada’s (Ottawa) senior counsel, Genevieve C.A. McInnes, has been appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice as a judge in Ottawa. She prosecuted organized crime, regulatory law, and national security matters. McInnes takes the place of justice H.J. Williams (Ottawa), who resigned as of March 30.
The Ontario Bar Association lauded the new appointments to the bench.
