Ontario tables another omnibus bill. Here’s what’s in it, from road safety to animal testing
The Ford government has tabled a wide-ranging, omnibus justice bill with new measures relating to bail rules and enforcement in jails, along with enhanced police powers to deal with dangerous driving and a planned ban on some animal testing.
The far-reaching legislation, titled the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, was introduced on Tuesday by an array of ministers.
“I’m here today to talk about the next bold step in our government’s plan to protect Ontario,” Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said.
“(The) legislation is designed to crack down hard on impaired and dangerous driving, restrict access to bail for violent and repeat offenders, increase support for public safety personnel, protect animals and keep our correctional officers safe.”
Many of the measures announced through the bill on Tuesday won’t be enacted when the legislation passes, but are instead the start of consultations or tweaks to existing policies and regulations.
Below is a breakdown of the changes the government has announced.
A change to how Ontario’s bail system operates is among the headline new measures announced before the legislation was confirmed.
Currently, if people are ordered released on bail with a promise to pay, the accused person and their surety only have 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.
Accused and sureties who default on their bail payments could see their driver’s licences suspended if they do not pay, the government added.
The province has also said it plans to create enhanced digital tools to track repeat offenders or people who are not complying with their bail, which will include a plan to create a database. It further plans to establish a fee system for people mandated to wear GPS monitoring devices by a court.
Elsewhere, the announcements include a slew of new measures aimed at those working inside Ontario’s overcrowded jails.
The government said it will introduce splash guards in jail cells and increase the use of K9s in correctional facilities to conduct searches.
The government is also kicking off consultations on the idea of publishing information from the sex offenders registry.
The legislation includes changes to police accountability, powers and rules for drivers.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which investigates instances of use-of-force and misconduct by police, will no longer automatically investigate the use of non-lethal weapons by officers as part of the change.
There are also tweaks to the powers both police officers and special constables have.
The government is considering giving transit constables the power to direct people to stop using illegal drugs and to leave a space. Those who don’t comply can be given a ticket or arrested. Currently, only police officers have that power.
At the centre of the legislation are major changes to the punishments for people both suspected and convicted of dangerous driving.
A lifetime suspension from driving will be introduced for people convicted of dangerous driving, a measure under changes named Andrew’s Law, after the father of three killed by an alleged dangerous driver.
Alongside the lifetime suspension for conviction, police will be allowed to immediately suspend a driver’s licence for 90 days and impound a vehicle if they believe someone was driving dangerously.
Fines and impounds will be handled on a sliding scale. The first offence will come with a 14-day suspension and a $2,000 to $10,000 fine, with the second offence at 30 days and up to $15,000. Subsequent offences could come with fines of up to $20,000 and a 45-day impound period.
The government said it also intends to enhance road safety education for young drivers and increase the fines for anyone convicted of distracted driving.
Meanwhile, another unrelated change will begin consultations on how to tackle contraband tobacco better.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
The weather outside might be frightful but, depending where they live, some Ontario residents may soon get a reprieve from the snow — though only some.
Snow warnings are in effect for several parts of central and southern Ontario, with Environment Canada using its new alert system to issue yellow warnings for snowfall.
The new system now adds a colour to each weather alert — yellow, orange and red — to show the seriousness. Yellow alerts are issued when hazardous weather may cause damage or disruption, or impact health. These weather events are likely moderate, localized, and/or short term.
Current yellow warnings stretch south to cities such as London, Kitchener and Guelph, west to Manitoulin Island and north to Huntsville and Cedar Lake.
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Parts of the Greater Toronto Area are also under warnings including Peterborough, Markham, Milton and Vaughan.
These areas are forecast to see additional snowfall on Sunday, though the amounts vary. Places such as Cobourg and London expected to see two to five centimetres, while other areas, such as Kitchener and Manitoulin Island, are forecast to recieve five to 10 centimetre.
Environment Canada says the snow is expected to transition to flurries in most areas, and will likely to change to rain showers midday in several communities.
There are also several special weather statements in effect for some cities, with some, including Sault Ste Marie and West Nippissing-French River, expected to see between five and 10 additional centimetres of snow into the evening.
Those facing the snow are urged to make additional time for travel. Snow buildup will make roads and walkways difficult to navigate and visibility will be reduced.
Other cities, such as Niagara Falls, Kingston and the majority of the Golden Horseshoe, including Toronto and Hamilton, are under a special weather statement for strong winds.
Those winds are expected to begin later this morning, with strong southwesterly gusts that could hit 60 to 70 km/h. The winds will ease in the evening, but Environment Canada cautions that local utility outages are possible.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Toronto Fire crews remained on scene Saturday afternoon as a complex highrise fire at Thorncliffe Park Dr. and Overlea Blvd. continued to burn behind walls, with officials still unable to give residents a timeline for when they can go home.
Toronto Fire said they have made “positive” progress, but the blaze remains extremely difficult to access.
Acting Division Commander Robert Houston said firefighters have been “actively fighting a stubborn fire” for more than 48 hours and that early in the response they discovered “high levels of carbon monoxide throughout the building.”
All 408 units across the two towers were evacuated. No injuries have been reported.
The Red Cross is providing emergency assistance, delivering accommodations and food for 117 households and 239 people as of Saturday morning.
Officials said residents were moved from an initial hub into hotels.
One of those displaced is single mother Mohamee Muhammad, now staying with her daughter at a hotel in the Don Valley.
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They have been provided a card to buy meals but only have guaranteed accommodation until Dec. 2.
“You have to take it one day at a time,” Muhammad told Global News.
Her daughter Aisha learned about the fire from her school principal.
“I just hope we can go home back soon,” she said, adding the experience is deeply disruptive. “I wasn’t expecting this. I just thought it would be a normal day until I got the call.” She was permitted to briefly enter to retrieve her school supplies.
Another resident, Nihal Sheikh, said his wife called him while he was at work to say the building was being evacuated. They have a two-month-old and two other young children.
“Things happened suddenly,” he said. “It was so chaotic.”
He said responders escorted him upstairs to retrieve medications and diapers. “We don’t know what’s going on… we are just getting updates from fire department and police.”
Houston said temperatures and carbon monoxide levels have “successfully lowered,” but crews still “do not have eyes on the fire… just behind walls,” relying instead on heat readings and air monitoring.
He confirmed “there is no timeline” for when residents can return. “We just can’t see. We’re in the middle of trying to mitigate the situation.”
Earlier on Friday, Fire Chief Jim Jessop said the blaze is being fuelled by insulation burning “slowly” between the walls of both towers, creating “high levels of carbon monoxide” due to “incomplete combustion.” Crews had recorded readings of 850 parts per million, a life-threatening level.
Jessop said he expects it to be a “prolonged event,” with no estimate on when it will be brought under control. Once it is, it will still take firefighters another 24 hours to ensure there are no flare-ups.
Crews were first called around 1:30 p.m. Thursday to reports of “light smoke” on multiple floors at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr., before the fire spread into the adjacent building at 21 Overlea Blvd.
City officials thanked emergency responders and urged any remaining displaced residents to contact the Red Cross, saying, “The most important thing is that everybody in this community is safe.”
– With files from Gabby Rodriguez
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Broccoli florets sold under the Your Fresh Market brand are being recalled across several provinces due to possible Salmonella contamination, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says.
The CFIA issued the recall Friday for packaged broccoli florets distributed in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
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Consumers are urged to check their refrigerators and dispose of the product or return it to the place of purchase. The agency says the product should not be eaten, sold, served or distributed.
Food contaminated with Salmonella may look and smell normal but can still cause illness.
Symptoms can include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Young children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness.
The CFIA says anyone who believes they became sick after eating the product should contact a health-care provider.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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