The Ontario government is proposing sweeping new public safety measures that could soon see the names of high-risk offenders — including dangerous sex offenders — published online in a province-wide database accessible to the public.
The proposed legislation, known as Bill 119 — the Protecting Ontario’s Streets and Communities Act, 2026 — was introduced this week by the Ontario government as part of a broader effort to strengthen community safety, expand law enforcement powers, and increase accountability for repeat and violent offenders.
If approved by the legislature, the new law would authorize the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police to publicly post the names and details of high-risk offenders on a dedicated website beginning in April 2027.
The move would represent one of the most significant public disclosure changes to Ontario’s criminal justice and community notification system in recent years.
Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said the legislation is intended to provide law enforcement agencies with stronger tools to protect communities and vulnerable residents.
“This legislation builds on the decisive action we’ve already taken to strengthen public safety by giving law enforcement stronger tools to crack down on illegal activity, protect victims and vulnerable people and hold offenders accountable,” Kerzner said in a government release.
Under the proposal, whenever a police chief anywhere in Ontario issues a community notification warning residents about the release or presence of a high-risk offender, that information could also be centralized and published online by the OPP commissioner.
Currently, community warnings involving dangerous offenders are typically issued separately by individual police services, often through local news releases or public notices. The proposed provincial database would consolidate those warnings into one searchable public platform.
The proposal mirrors aspects of an existing Royal Canadian Mounted Police high-risk child sex offender database, which publicly identifies individuals convicted of serious offences against children who are considered likely to reoffend.
However, Ontario is currently excluded from that RCMP database, meaning names and photos of Ontario-based offenders do not presently appear on the national list.
Supporters of the proposed changes argue the centralized system would improve public awareness and allow residents to take additional precautions when dangerous offenders are released into their communities.
At the same time, the proposal is expected to generate debate among legal experts, privacy advocates, and criminal justice organizations regarding rehabilitation, vigilantism concerns, and the long-term effectiveness of public offender registries.
Beyond the proposed offender database, Bill 119 contains several additional measures targeting crime, public safety, and community protection across Ontario.
Among the key proposals are new financial supports for survivors of human trafficking, including up to $50,000 in debt relief for individuals who were coerced into financial obligations by traffickers.
The legislation would also expand enforcement powers for special constables working on designated transit systems, allowing them to issue fines related to public drug use.
Other proposed measures include tighter restrictions on pill presses used to manufacture illegal drugs, new conduct and qualification standards for tow truck operators at collision scenes, and provisions enabling restraining orders issued in other provinces to be enforced more easily within Ontario.
The bill also seeks to reduce delays for police record checks required by volunteers and employees working with vulnerable populations.
In addition to crime-related reforms, the legislation contains animal welfare and procurement provisions, including proposed bans on medically unnecessary cosmetic procedures for animals such as cat declawing and dog ear cropping, as well as restrictions on future procurement of Chinese-made drones.
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey said the legislation continues the province’s broader push to strengthen public safety while improving efficiency within the justice system.
“People across Ontario deserve to feel safe in their communities,” Downey said.
“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.”
Bill 119 has already undergone second reading debate at Queen’s Park but has not yet been formally approved.
If passed, the legislation could significantly reshape how Ontario police services communicate public safety risks while also expanding provincial authority in several areas related to law enforcement, victim protection, and criminal accountability.