After 5 years, the City of Red Deer has finally gotten the answer they were hoping to hear about expanding their courthouse.

$97 million has been earmarked over the next 4 years, to bring a new Justice Centre to Red Deer, helping with the backlog of court cases their current courthouse has faced.

Mayor Tara Veer says she was thrilled with the news, considering court cases were being held in hotel conference rooms to meet that need.

"The courthouse had reached such capacity that it was necessary for court cases to be heard in a hotel. Which obviously raises its own challenges for the justice system. So this is great news for Red Deer, it means timely access to justice in both criminal and civil proceedings."

Veer says they plan to build the centre downtown, at the site of the old RCMP detachment.

"It's a significant tract of land, and it's also in close proximity to the remand centre. We've been holding that for the provincial government, hoping to receive an answer from them regarding their intensions, and we got the answer we've been waiting years to hear."

Veer says this Justice Centre isn't good news for just Red Deerians, but all Central Alberta victims of crime seeking justice.