Doug Ford says his government is looking at whether Ontario bail hearings should be livestreamed to the public, the latest sign of his push for tougher oversight of a system he says has lost public trust.
Speaking at a Monday news conference, the Ontario premier said the province is examining ways to open up bail proceedings, which are now only accessible to members of the public who attend in person. “We know we need to do more to fix the broken bail system and protect our province,” Ford said Monday.
He added: “That’s why we’re exploring new measures to bring our bail system out into the open by live streaming bail hearings, which right now are not accessible to the public except for people who go in-person.”
Ford did not explain how livestreaming would work given a major legal obstacle. Evidence presented during bail hearings is often subject to publication bans, raising immediate questions about how broader public access would be handled.
The premier also said he wants mandatory written justification whenever bail is granted to a violent offender. He said the goal is “to ensure clear reasoning is provided with greater consistency in decisions and easier public review.”
Ford further said the province would need to create “an anonymous regional dashboard to identify bias, promote accountability, and restore public confidence.”
Ford has spent years criticizing what he views as weak bail rules. Police leaders have also raised concerns about so-called catch and release laws, arguing that accused offenders are often back on the streets soon after arrest.
Still, bail law falls mainly under federal jurisdiction in Canada. Ford used Monday’s announcement to renew pressure on Ottawa.
“We need the federal government to follow through with their promise to reform Canada’s broken bail system and keep repeat offenders behind bars,” he said.
Ford’s remarks came as the province announced a Request for Qualifications to build the new Brockville Correctional Complex and expand the St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre.
Ontario says the project will add 295 correctional beds in Eastern Ontario. It forms part of a broader provincial plan to add 1,436 new correctional beds across Ontario by 2032.
“When violent and repeat offenders break the law, Ontarians expect them to be held accountable,” Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said in a statement.
“That’s why our government is strengthening bail laws and making generational investments to expand correctional capacity across Ontario, so that we always have room to keep offenders behind bars and off our streets.”
The province says the added correctional space will help prevent offenders from being released because of capacity pressures. Ford said he plans to discuss the livestreaming proposal further with Attorney General Doug Downey and Solicitor General Michael Kerzner in the coming weeks.
