Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner has scheduled an inquest into the death of John Brownlie, an 88-year-old man who died in September 2023 following an interaction with Peel Regional Police. The proceedings are set to begin on September 8 and are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding his death and consider recommendations aimed at preventing similar fatalities.
The inquest was announced on August 31 by Dr. Jennifer M. Dmetrichuk, Regional Supervising Coroner for the Toronto East Region.
John Brownlie Inquest to Begin September 8
The inquest will begin at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, and will be conducted by video conference.
Bonnie Goldberg has been appointed as the presiding officer, while Julian Roy will serve as inquest counsel. According to the Ministry of the Solicitor General, the proceedings are expected to last seven days and hear testimony from approximately nine witnesses.
Brownlie died on September 25, 2023, at the age of 88. His death followed an interaction with officers from Peel Regional Police on September 13, 2023, about 12 days earlier.
An inquest into his death is mandatory under Ontario’s Coroners Act.
Proceedings Will Examine Circumstances of Death
The central purpose of the inquest will be to examine the circumstances surrounding Brownlie’s death.
Coroner’s inquests in Ontario are public hearings that examine the circumstances of a death. Depending on the case, an inquest jury can hear evidence from witnesses and consider broader issues that may have contributed to the death.
The jury may also make recommendations intended to prevent future deaths in similar circumstances. Such recommendations can address policies, procedures, institutional practices or other issues identified through the evidence presented during the proceedings.
The scheduled hearing will provide an opportunity for evidence concerning Brownlie’s death to be formally examined through Ontario’s coronial process.
Inquest Expected to Hear From Nine Witnesses
With approximately nine witnesses expected to participate, the proceedings are scheduled to run for seven days.
Evidence presented during the hearing is expected to help establish the circumstances surrounding Brownlie’s death and provide the jury with information needed to consider potential recommendations.
The announcement did not provide additional details about the specific issues that will be addressed during testimony or identify the witnesses expected to appear.
The involvement of Peel Regional Police stems from Brownlie’s interaction with officers on September 13, 2023. The government announcement does not provide further details about that interaction, and the inquest will serve as the formal process for examining the circumstances connected with his subsequent death.
Public Can Watch Proceedings Online
The entire inquest will be conducted through video conference rather than through an in-person hearing.
Members of the public will be able to watch the proceedings live online through the designated inquest webcast. This allows the hearing to remain publicly accessible while witnesses, counsel and other participants take part remotely.
Ontario provides additional public information about the province’s coroner’s inquest system, including details about how inquests operate and the role of juries in reviewing deaths.
Mandatory Inquest Under Ontario’s Coroners Act
Ontario’s Coroners Act establishes the legal framework governing death investigations and inquests in the province. In certain circumstances, an inquest is required by law rather than being held at the discretion of a coroner.
In Brownlie’s case, provincial officials have confirmed that the proceeding is mandatory.
The September hearing will focus on establishing the circumstances surrounding his death and determining whether recommendations should be made to reduce the risk of similar deaths in the future.
With seven days set aside for testimony and approximately nine witnesses expected, the inquest will begin at noon on September 8, 2026, with Goldberg presiding and Roy serving as inquest counsel.