Ontario to crack down on crime with sweeping new legislation
· Toronto Sun
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The Ontario government is looking to crack down on crime and introduce more protections for victims in sweeping new legislation on public safety measures, such as a website identifying sex offenders in local communities, financial relief for victims of human trafficking and initiatives to reduce drug abuse on public transit, among other initiatives.
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Dubbed the “Protecting Ontario’s Streets and Communities Act,” the legislation includes key measures empowering the OPP to publish information on a public website about high-risk offenders, including sex offenders. The province will also provide $50,000 in financial aid for human trafficking victims who were forced into debt, and grant transit cops the ability to arrest drug abusers on public transit systems.
“People across Ontario deserve to feel safe in their communities,” said Provincial Attorney General Doug Downey in a news release. “Building on the historic measures we have already taken to strengthen public safety, expand court capacity, and crack down on dangerous offenders, our government is taking further decisive action to streamline court processes, improve enforcement, and ensure offenders are held
accountable. These proposed reforms will help cases move more efficiently through the justice system, better protect vulnerable people, and strengthen communities across Ontario.”
Addressing Canadians’ crime concerns
The province is tabling the legislation as Canadians become increasingly concerned about crime, particularly the severity of violent crime in major urban areas. An Angus-Reid report from earlier this year shows that Canadians believe stricter approaches to crime are needed instead of more social supports.
Canadians are also concerned about what they see as the justice system’s inability, or unwillingness , to punish and deter crime through tougher sentencing. The poll said Canadians believe justice system leniency is a major factor in increased crime. The Canadian Bar Association went so far as to chastise reporters who brought the issue into what is being perceived as activism-motivated judicial leniency into the public eye.
The province is also aiming to streamline the judicial process for minor crimes (e.g. speeding tickets) by allowing prosecutors and defendants to enter plea agreements without having to appear in front of a justice of the peace.
Drug abuse on transit
The legislation also permits special transit constables the power to issue tickets and arrest drug users on public transi t, following an announcement in early May by Solicitor General Michael Kerzner that the province would do so. That move comes as transit riders, particularly in Toronto, are complaining of more common and brazen drug use on the TTC, even in broad daylight.
Retail theft
The province is also addressing the growing problem of shoplifting. The Retail Council of Canada estimates retailers lost $9.1 billion in theft in 2024, compared to $5 billion in 2018. Shoplifters are increasingly organized, often appearing in masked groups that engage in smash-and-grabs and then attempt a quick getaway. Recently, Peel Regional Police busted 65 people and laid more than 500 charges in a retail theft probe dubbed Project Filcher . The province is establishing a prosecutorial team dedicated to retail theft, increase advocacy for Criminal Code amendments on the matter and explore plate recognition technology on major provincial highways.
Human trafficking
One of the most heinous issues the province aims to address is human trafficking, which is often the exploitation of vulnerable girls and young women. Traffickers often coerce their victims into incurring massive amounts of debt which they’re then forced to work off through labour or sex work. They’re often abused, forced to live in poor conditions and isolated from their friends and family. London Police say about 70% of Canadian human trafficking cases reported to police happen in Ontario. Queen’s Park wants to establish access to a designated support organization for survivors that would negotiate the removal of coerced debts along with a dispute resolution process for high debts up to $50,000.