The Ford government has tabled a wide-ranging, omnibus justice bill with new measures relating to bail rules and enforcement in jails, along with enhanced police powers to deal with dangerous driving and a planned ban on some animal testing.
The far-reaching legislation, titled the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, was introduced on Tuesday by an array of ministers.
“I’m here today to talk about the next bold step in our government’s plan to protect Ontario,” Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said.
“(The) legislation is designed to crack down hard on impaired and dangerous driving, restrict access to bail for violent and repeat offenders, increase support for public safety personnel, protect animals and keep our correctional officers safe.”
Many of the measures announced through the bill on Tuesday won’t be enacted when the legislation passes, but are instead the start of consultations or tweaks to existing policies and regulations.
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Below is a breakdown of the changes the government has announced.
A change to how Ontario’s bail system operates is among the headline new measures announced before the legislation was confirmed.
Currently, if people are ordered released on bail with a promise to pay, the accused person and their surety only have to forfeit the money if the accused breaches their release conditions and the court orders payment.
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Under the proposed new system, payment would be made when the accused person is released from custody, and it would be returned at the conclusion of their case.
Accused and sureties who default on their bail payments could see their driver’s licences suspended if they do not pay, the government added.
The province has also said it plans to create enhanced digital tools to track repeat offenders or people who are not complying with their bail, which will include a plan to create a database. It further plans to establish a fee system for people mandated to wear GPS monitoring devices by a court.
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Elsewhere, the announcements include a slew of new measures aimed at those working inside Ontario’s overcrowded jails.
The government said it will introduce splash guards in jail cells and increase the use of K9s in correctional facilities to conduct searches.
The government is also kicking off consultations on the idea of publishing information from the sex offenders registry.
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The legislation includes changes to police accountability, powers and rules for drivers.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which investigates instances of use-of-force and misconduct by police, will no longer automatically investigate the use of non-lethal weapons by officers as part of the change.
There are also tweaks to the powers both police officers and special constables have.
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The government is considering giving transit constables the power to direct people to stop using illegal drugs and to leave a space. Those who don’t comply can be given a ticket or arrested. Currently, only police officers have that power.
At the centre of the legislation are major changes to the punishments for people both suspected and convicted of dangerous driving.
A lifetime suspension from driving will be introduced for people convicted of dangerous driving, a measure under changes named Andrew’s Law, after the father of three killed by an alleged dangerous driver.
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Alongside the lifetime suspension for conviction, police will be allowed to immediately suspend a driver’s licence for 90 days and impound a vehicle if they believe someone was driving dangerously.
Fines and impounds will be handled on a sliding scale. The first offence will come with a 14-day suspension and a $2,000 to $10,000 fine, with the second offence at 30 days and up to $15,000. Subsequent offences could come with fines of up to $20,000 and a 45-day impound period.
The government said it also intends to enhance road safety education for young drivers and increase the fines for anyone convicted of distracted driving.
Meanwhile, another unrelated change will begin consultations on how to tackle contraband tobacco better.
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Animal testing and pets
The omnibus legislation also bundles in changes to pet testing that Premier Doug Ford promised over the summer.The proposed law will prohibit invasive medical research on cats and dogs, barring a few specific circumstances, as well as a ban on breeding cats and dogs for testing.There are also plans to regulate cosmetic procedures on pets like declawing, and potentially increased penalties for people who harm animals working with peace officers.
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