The Ontario government is planning to introduce legislation to improve bail compliance by requiring bail cash up front.
If passed, it would require an accused person, or the person who agrees to ensure an accused person follows their bail conditions, to provide a cash security deposit in the full amount ordered by the court.
Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid said at a press conference that the cash deposit would be required in full before the accused is released from custody.
London Police Deputy Chief Paul Bastien said to XFM News police services from across Canada, including London, have been advocating for change.
“Instances where individuals who are already on bail, charged with violent offenses, serious offenses, commit new offenses. Murder, shootings, robberies, et cetera,” said Bastien. “When we started to see that trend, it became important for the police to advocate for change in that, around that bail system in order to help us ensure public safety in our communities.”
Back in September, Chief Thai Truong expressed the need for reform to the bail system, saying that change is needed now.
Bastien says after seeing high-profile incidents of people re-offending while on bail, police and their associations had to step up to push a reform of the bail process.
“But in certain cases, many cases, the public safety implications are such that we have to, we feel that there is more, some reform needed to beef up those bail provisions,” Bastien said.
The government says if the accused person follows the terms of their release, the deposit would be returned when the case concludes or the surety’s obligations end.
