Federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser says the federal government’s new Bail and Sentencing Reform Act will make it harder for violent offenders to obtain bail and will impose tougher sentences for serious crimes.
Speaking in Victoria, Fraser said the bill includes more than 80 measures aimed at strengthening public safety and restoring confidence in the justice system.
He said the legislation was shaped through extensive collaboration with provincial governments, particularly British Columbia, which has been calling for stronger bail laws to address repeat and violent offenders.
Fraser said the bill expands the use of reverse onus provisions, which require certain accused individuals to prove why they should be released on bail.
The new rules will apply to people charged with serious offenses such as assaults and sexual assaults involving choking or strangulation, and to those accused of violent extortion.
He credited B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma for advocating for these additions, citing evidence that individuals charged with such offenses are more likely to reoffend if released.
The legislation also introduces consecutive sentencing for certain crimes, meaning offenders will serve multiple sentences back-to-back rather than at the same time.
Fraser pointed to cases where extortion is combined with arson as an example of where consecutive sentences would apply.
Another key change eliminates the use of house arrest for those convicted of serious sexual assaults or sexual crimes against children. Fraser said this measure ensures that such offenders face jail time rather than conditional sentences.
The bill also directs courts to consider not only the severity of offenses but the number of outstanding charges an individual faces when deciding on bail, a step Fraser said is necessary to deal with people who repeatedly violate court orders.
Fraser said the reforms form part of a broader federal plan to promote safer communities through stronger laws, increased frontline support, and long-term social investments.
That plan includes hiring 1,000 new RCMP officers, adding 1,000 border officers, and boosting funding for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
He said additional legislation addressing intimate partner violence, online child exploitation, and court delays will be introduced before the end of the year.
Fraser called the new bail and sentencing measures a critical step toward restoring public trust in the justice system and thanked the B.C. government for its collaboration in shaping the bill.