Ontario Review Board
Re: Mavis Alexander
ORB File No: 5224
Hearing held on: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Place of hearing: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health 1001 Queen Street West, Toronto
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before: Alternate Chairperson: Mr. M.D. Segal Members: Dr. G.A. Chaimowitz Dr. H. Moulden Ms. C. Fromstein Mr. J. Cyr
Parties Appearing: Accused: Mavis Alexander Counsel: Ms. M. Murphy
The person in charge of hospital: Counsel: Mr. J. MacIntyre
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Mr. M. Feindel
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated July 18, 2025)
Introduction
Mavis Alexander, age 50, was found not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder on November 27, 2008, on a charge of arson - disregard for human life, contrary to the Criminal Code.
On June 5, 2025, Ms. Alexander appeared before the Ontario Review Board (the “Board”) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (the “hospital”) for her annual hearing. Ms. Alexander is on a Detention Order dated June 4, 2025, arising out of a Restriction of Liberty hearing. Ms. Alexander was at Margaret's House when re-admitted. The plan is to have Ms. Alexander return to Margaret's House.
Exhibit 1 was the Hospital Report dated May 27, 2025. Exhibit 2 was the Disposition dated June 4, 2025.
In preliminary positions, the hospital, supported by Crown counsel, advanced that a Detention Order was appropriate on the same terms. Ms. M. Murphy, patient’s counsel, indicated that she was not challenging that position.
Index Offence
- The circumstances of the index offence as taken from last year’s Reasons for Disposition are as follows:
“According to the police synopsis dated January 17, 2008, the Toronto Fire Services responded to a residential call to 32 Bushell Avenue, a house owned and operated by House Link community Homes. Four other residents were in the house. Upon arrival, members of the fire department located a couch on fire in the basement apartment belonging to Ms. Alexander. District Chief Paul Halls determined the cause of fire as arson and notified the Toronto Police. The officers located Ms. Alexander a short distance away from her residence, at which time she was placed under arrest, facing charges of Arson Disregard for Human Life x4.”
Diagnosis
- The current diagnosis as taken from the Hospital Report are as follows:
Schizoaffective Disorder, bipolar type
Personal History and Background
A full review of Ms. Alexander’s history and background is contained in the Hospital Report which was filed as an exhibit. Accordingly, there will be no repetition in detail in these Reasons. Ms. Alexander was born in Vancouver. She reached developmental milestones at age-appropriate intervals. According to her mother, Ms. Alexander was the victim of abuse during her childhood. This included sexual abuse by her stepfather when she was 12 years old. She completed high school at the age of 17 and then enrolled in a culinary course in New York City but quit after six months due to the course load being too heavy. Ms. Alexander has no employment history. The onset of her mental illness was when she was 16 years old. She was admitted to hospital at that time and diagnosed with schizophrenia and discharged to be treated with antipsychotic medication. Ms. Alexander had three siblings, an older brother and sister and a younger sister. Her brother died of a drug overdose. It was reported that her father also suffered from a mental illness which ultimately led to his suicide. Her father’s grandmother also suffered from mental illness.
Ms. Alexander has a history of admission to hospital for mental health treatment. Between the ages of 18 and 21, she had several admissions to St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. She was being followed by an Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT) and subject to a Community Treatment Order (CTO) in 2007. The team lost contact with her shortly before the commission of the index offences. Ms. Alexander also had a history of admissions to CAMH including an assessment for fitness to stand trial on unrelated criminal charges in 2005. In January 2008, Ms. Alexander was initially found unfit to stand trial on the index offences. She has a history of cannabis, alcohol, and cocaine use.
Evidence at Hearing
Dr. Dupré, Ms. Alexander’s psychiatrist, testified. Dr. Dupré was Ms. Alexander’s psychiatrist on the Women's General Forensic Unit and is her outpatient psychiatrist.
While in hospital, Ms. Alexander’s medications were changed somewhat to supplement clozapine with a long-acting injection of Abilify every four weeks. So far, the change has gone well without side effects and has provided stability.
The plan is to return Ms. Alexander to Margaret's House, which provides very supportive housing. A bed is available. To support transition this time, passes will be