Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced that the federal government will introduce a sweeping bail reform bill next week, aimed at tightening release conditions for violent and repeat offenders. Speaking outside the RCMP Toronto Airport detachment in Etobicoke, Carney said the legislation will focus on keeping individuals accused of serious crimes — including violent auto theft, human trafficking, sexual assault, and organized criminal activity — out of communities while they await trial.
“Right now, in most bail hearings, the starting point is to release,” Carney said. “Our new law will flip that script.”
The upcoming bill will amend the Criminal Code to introduce a “reverse-onus” system for major crimes, shifting the burden onto the accused to prove why they should be released on bail. Judges will consider an offender’s risk of reoffending and their criminal history over the past decade. The legislation will also allow for consecutive sentencing to ensure that multiple sentences are served back-to-back rather than concurrently, potentially leading to significantly longer prison terms.
Additional measures will include restricting conditional sentences for a range of sexual offences, requiring those convicted to serve time in correctional facilities rather than at home, and imposing harsher penalties for organized retail theft. “This is how the federal government can help municipalities and provinces get criminals off the streets, disrupt and dismantle criminal networks, reinforce the justice system with tough and comprehensive bail reform and build a stronger, safer, more secure Canada,” Carney said.
Alongside the bail reforms, Carney announced $1.8 billion in new federal funding over four years to strengthen policing capacity nationwide. The investment will allow the RCMP to hire 1,000 new officers and increase cadet recruitment allowances, while dedicating additional personnel to combat organized crime, money laundering, and online fraud.
The plan follows mounting pressure from provincial leaders, opposition parties, and law enforcement agencies, who have warned about the growing number of crimes committed by offenders out on bail.
Reaction to the announcement has been mixed. The Conservative Party dismissed the Liberal government’s proposal as “half-baked,” accusing Carney of failing to repeal the “principle of restraint” that facilitates the early release of repeat offenders. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association strongly opposed the changes, arguing that there is no evidence bail contributes to crime and criticizing the lack of standardized bail data collection.
Law enforcement and municipal groups, however, welcomed the reforms as a step in the right direction. The Toronto Police Association praised the inclusion of measures like reverse-onus bail and consecutive sentencing but said further changes are needed to the Youth Criminal Justice Act and parole system. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities described the announcement as a “welcome signal,” citing the strain repeated arrests place on local emergency services.
The bill will be tabled in Parliament next week, ahead of the Nov. 4 federal budget. Carney also hinted that a major border security announcement is coming on Friday.