Ontario rolling out police dashboard to monitor people out on bail for firearms charges
CBC
The Ontario government is rolling out a province-wide police dashboard to monitor people who are out on bail for firearms-related offences, the province announced Wednesday.
The dashboard is a situational awareness tool and will improve information sharing between law enforcement agencies, according to a provincial news release.
"What we would like to see is stricter bail laws, point blank," said Graham McGregor, associate minister of auto theft and bail reform, speaking at Wednesday's announcement.
"But what we can do from the provincial side is make sure we're monitoring these people more effectively," he said.
After a person is granted bail, their bail conditions will be uploaded on the dashboard, said OPP Deputy Commissioner Karen Meyer.
When an officer is out on patrol, they will have information about that person, their address, the charges they're facing and surety information.
Officers can use this information to conduct bail checks. There is no GPS tracking involved in the dashboard, Meyer said.
The dashboard will be managed by the OPP. Currently, the OPP, as well as police services for Toronto, Guelph, York and Peel regions, are signed on to using the tool.
McGregor said he's challenging all police services in the province to sign up to the tool by the end of the year.
The dashboard is part of $112 million in spending the government is putting toward strengthening bail enforcement and monitoring for violent offenders, announced in April 2023.
The dashboard is the province's attempt to address a flawed bail system, McGregor said.
"We've had enough of individuals getting arrested, getting a slap on a wrist and going on to commit more crimes," he said.
The 13 provinces and territories have been pushing the federal government to legislate stricter bail measures, writing joint letters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last year and in 2023 after several high-profile instances of crimes allegedly committed by offenders out on bail.
These instances include the fatal shooting of an OPP constable in late 2022 and the killing of a B.C. woman in her home last July.
Top officials with N.L. Hydro believe a proposed new deal for energy sales to Hydro-Quebec, and the development of additional hydroelectric capacity on the Churchill River, will power a fresh surge in mining activity in Labrador, generate significant jobs and revenue for the province, and help meet the growing global demand for so-called "green" steel.
Ontario Health has awarded funding to the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) in North Bay to provide addiction treatment and support for 39 new beds out of 53, initially allocated to Canadore College.
Some customers of Superior Propane are expressing their irritation with the company following a hike in tank rental fees.
The sister of a Regina man killed at the construction site of a wind farm in southern New Brunswick is shocked by the "slap on the wrist" penalty imposed against one of the companies involved.
Quebec Premier François Legault is warning that U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's threatened tariffs would hurt not only the Canadian economy — but the U.S. economy as well.
A national Muslim advocacy organization says it's "deeply alarmed" a candidate to lead Manitoba's Progressive Conservative Party shared a Facebook entry that declared his Muslim rival must be prevented from winning the race.
People who sell snowmobiles, offer dog-sled tours or just generally rely on a good snowpack for their livelihood say this year's frigid temperatures and heavy snowstorms have been great for business.
Islanders woke up Wednesday morning to snow-covered roads with icy patches and slush, creating challenging travel conditions.
A non-profit that provides a portion of Alberta's legal aid budget is concerned about potential funding changes imposed by the provincial government.
Anna Ho begins her videos with the phrase, "So I live in Vancouver, and I have no friends."
On cold nights, it's hard to find safe places to discharge unhoused patients, Hamilton emergency-department doctors say.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants a fresh start with President-elect Donald Trump — but also warns that she won't back down over tariffs that she believes would hurt the auto industry in her state.
A former Waterloo, Ont., elementary school principal will serve four years behind bars after pleading guilty last year to child sexual exploitation and child pornography offences.
Leaders in Fort Resolution, N.W.T., say they have concerns about the response to an extended power outage in the community on Saturday.
The premiers will gather in Ottawa Wednesday to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and discuss a looming threat that has the potential to throw the economy into a tailspin: president-elect Donald Trump's promised tariffs on all Canadian goods.
This story is part of Welcome to Canada, a CBC News series about immigration told through the eyes of the people who have experienced it.
Two more children have died following a duplex fire early Saturday morning in Lower Sackville, N.S., according to a GoFundMe page set up by a family friend to support the family.
Irving Oil has announced the company will not be put up for sale, a possibility it had raised in 2023.