Ontario plans to require bail cash up front as part of new justice bill

Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government is set to table legislation that would require people accused of a crime and granted bail to provide a cash security deposit up front, rather than paying later if they break their bail conditions.

Attorney General Doug Downey says he believes that measure and others announced today would improve bail compliance.

Currently, if people are ordered released on bail with a promise to pay, the accused person and their surety only has 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.

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Downey and Solicitor General Michael Kerzner also announced a number of other non-legislative measures aimed at strengthening the bail system, including better digital tools to track repeat offenders and expanding bail prosecution teams.

The two ministers held a press conference today alongside Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw, who says that while rates of most types of crime are falling, there is a rising amount of young people involved in gun crimes, so “now is not the time to slow down.”

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