Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a wide-ranging plan on Thursday to strengthen public safety, expand affordable housing, and support community well-being across Canada. The announcement included new legislation, significant investments in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and a major housing development in the Greater Toronto Area.Carney said the government will end the use of conditional sentences, such as house arrest, for serious crimes including sexual assault. Under the proposed legislation, offenders convicted of such crimes will be required to serve their sentences in correctional facilities..“This is not justice,” Carney said, referring to offenders serving sentences in the same communities as their victims. “Our legislation will put an end to this.”The Prime Minister also announced the hiring of 1,000 new RCMP personnel across the country to strengthen law enforcement capacity. The investment is intended to improve investigative and technical capabilities, allowing the RCMP to work more effectively with provincial and municipal police services on key national security issues such as foreign interference, violent extremism, cybercrime, organized crime, and online child sexual exploitation.Of these new positions, 150 officers will be dedicated to financial crime investigations, targeting money laundering networks, online fraud, and the recovery of illicit assets. Carney noted that financial crimes are increasing and have a serious impact on Canadians, particularly retirees who lose their savings to scams..During a question-and-answer session following the announcement, Carney was asked whether the new measures represent a rejection of part of the Trudeau government’s legacy and an admission that his predecessor had been too lenient in recent years. Carney did not directly address that characterization but said his government is learning from what is happening in communities and taking necessary action.“Thank you for your question,” Carney said. “We have to learn lessons, lessons on what’s happening in our communities and on the ground. We’re working closely with police forces, and yes, of course, we’re learning lessons with regard to bail reform. We’re learning lessons and then we’re taking action. We’re making difficult but necessary decisions.”.“These measures will keep violent criminals and repeat offenders off our streets,” he said. “They will protect the people we love and deliver the justice Canadians deserve.”Carney emphasized that the government’s plan goes beyond enforcement, aiming to address the root causes of crime through social and economic initiatives. “We must empower everyone in our country to have opportunities to get ahead,” he said. “That means making our communities truly safe by tackling the root causes of crime.”As part of the announcement, Carney unveiled the first project under Build Canada Homes, a new federal housing entity. Located in Downsview in the Greater Toronto Area, the project will begin with 540 factory-built housing units, at least 40% of which will be deeply affordable. The development is expected to lead to the construction of more than 63,000 new homes in the area..The Attorney General of Canada, along with the Ministers of Justice and Public Safety, are meeting in Kananaskis, Alberta, to coordinate next steps with provinces, territories, municipalities, and law enforcement agencies. Carney said the government’s approach is focused on collaboration and ensuring that local realities guide national solutions.“The world is more dangerous and divided, and it is changing rapidly,” Carney said in closing. “We cannot control what happens beyond our borders, but in Canada, we decide what happens here. We are choosing to build stronger communities where Canadians can feel safe in their homes, safe in their neighborhoods, and in control of their futures.”He said the government’s plan combines tough new laws, greater resources, and practical solutions to secure Canada’s borders, strengthen justice, and protect communities.
