Ontario Building Safer and Stronger Communities

Background

On November 18, 2024, the Ontario government proposed the Safer Streets, Stronger Communities Act, which seeks to improve community safety by strengthening the tools available to law enforcement to combat crime. The Act proposes a range of measures to keep criminal activity off the streets and out of communities, including stricter regulations for supervised drug consumption sites, strengthened provisions within the Sex Offender Registry to better handle sex offences, including those committed online, and provisions to penalize Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) fraud.

What’s in the Act?

The Safer Communities component of the new Act includes some of the following provisions:

  • Restricting Supervised Drug Consumption Sites: The Act proposes prohibiting these sites within 200 metres of schools, licensed childcare centres, EarlyON child and Family Centres. Additionally, municipalities and local boards would need provincial approval to support new supervised consumption sites or safer supply programs. If passed, the Act would also prohibit them from applying to the federal Ministry of Health for exemptions related to the decriminalization of illegal drugs.
  • Strengthening the Sex Offender Registry: Amendments to Christopher’s Law would provide the police with more information to help prevent, solve, and investigate both physical and online sex crimes. Furthermore, individuals with active registry reporting requirements under Christopher’s Law would be ineligible to legally change their names through an amendment to the Change of Name Act.
  • Enhancing the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA): The government is seeking to enact various changes to CSPA’s operational and technical framework, including granting regulation-making authority to prescribe areas where policing responsibility can be transferred between a municipal board and the OPP, or between municipal boards and increasing flexibility for police services to assist one another.
  • Exploring data collection and analysis surrounding the bail process for repeat and violent offenders.

The Stronger Enforcement component of the new Act includes some of the following provisions:

  • Combating Illegal Cannabis Sales: The Act proposes amendments to ban the advertising and promotion of illegal cannabis, both for online and in-person storefronts.
  • Supporting Victims of Terrorism: If passed, the Act will abolish limitation periods for lawsuits under the federal Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, allowing victims to sue terrorists at any time.

The Safer Streets component of the new Act includes some of the following provisions:

  • Penalizing Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Fraud: Introduce fines of up to $75,000 for the first offence, and $100,000 for subsequent offences for knowingly using a false VIN. The Act also includes potential imprisonment of up to six months and license or permit suspension for up to a year.
  • Extending the application of careless driving to include parking lots: Proposes an amendment to the Highway Traffic Act to extend careless driving laws to parking lots in order to further protect the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers. The Act also proposes extending the time to initiate charges for careless driving and related offences from six months to two years, allowing for more thorough investigations.
  • Improving Commercial Vehicle Oversight: The Act proposes several measures related to commercial vehicles, including the introduction of a 30-day limit for appealing decisions made by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles regarding Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR) certificates, creating a framework for an administrative penalty program to reduce court backlogs and burdens on clients, and granting the Registrar of Motor Vehicles greater authority to ensure compliance with CVOR certification requirements.

What is the government saying?

“Our government is keeping our communities safe and holding criminals accountable. We’re proposing impactful changes to strengthen tools for police officers, improve access to justice and eliminate dangerous activity that puts hard-working people at risk. In Ontario, crime doesn’t pay.” – Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General

“We’re working to keep our communities safe. With these proposed changes, our government is tackling the illegal cannabis market, helping victims of terrorism and making justice more accessible to more communities across Ontario.” – Doug Downey, Attorney General

What are others saying?

“Promoting the safety of all Ontarians, modernizing the delivery of policing services, and prioritizing crime prevention and victims of crime are all vital components of healthy and vibrant communities. The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police welcomes these legislative changes, which will help make communities safer.” – Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie, President of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police

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