Minister Fraser, Premier Eby, and Attorney General Sharma underscore collaboration behind Canada's new bail and sentencing reforms

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Department of Justice Canada

Oct 27, 2025, 15:59 ET

VICTORIA, BC, Oct. 27, 2025 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada has taken action against the rise in crime by introducing sweeping reforms that would make bail laws stricter and sentencing laws tougher by targeting extortions and sexual offences.

Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, was joined by the Honourable David Eby, Premier of British Columbia, and the Honourable Niki Sharma, Attorney General and Deputy Premier to highlight how these federal reforms reflect strong collaboration with British Columbia. The newly introduced Bail and Sentencing Reform Act would address the rise in extortions and enact provisions to end house arrest for many sexual offences. The sweeping reforms, which include over 80 clauses, also propose significant reforms to the bail and sentencing framework. They were informed by extensive consultations thanks in part to the Government of British Columbia.

Stricter bail laws, like reverse onus for cases involving sexual assault

With these proposed amendments, bail would be harder to obtain for those accused of some sexual offences. The bill adds a new reverse onus for assaults or sexual assaults in which the accused is alleged to have choked, suffocated, or strangled the complainant. A new amendment would also make it clear that a reverse onus applies where a Crown prosecutor seeks to have an offender detained in custody after conviction and until sentencing, including in cases where detention is needed to protect the public or prevent further offences. In such cases, it would be up to an offender to demonstrate why they should be released. Recent tragedies in British Columbia have shown how quickly intimate partner violence can turn deadly when high-risk offenders remain free after conviction; these reforms would help close that gap. This change will be important in cases involving repeat offenders of serious crimes and certain intimate partner violence offences. The Act would also end house arrest for certain sexual assaults and child sexual offences.

Cracking down on extortion

The proposed reforms would crack down on extortion in two ways – by making bail harder to get, and by toughening sentences for offences involving extortion. The Act proposes to create new reverse onuses for violent and organized crime-related auto theft, break and enter of a home, trafficking in persons and extortion involving violence, among other offences, meaning that the offenders would need to prove why they should be released. Proposed amendments would also require consecutive sentences for extortion and arson. This means serving one sentence after another instead of serving sentences for multiple offences at the same time.

These changes to the Criminal Code will only be effective if provincial and territorial governments work together with the federal government to support implementation. This includes properly managing and resourcing the administration of justice, including police and prosecution services, bail courts, bail supervision programs, provincial courts, jails, victim services, and data collection. British Columbia has taken important steps in these areas, and the federal government looks forward to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to ensure the proper functioning of the criminal justice system.

A strong Canada means strong protections for our communities and a Criminal Code that responds to emerging threats, protects victims of crime, and keeps our kids safe. This is the latest in a series of reforms to strengthen community safety and Canada's justice system. In the coming months, the Government of Canada will bring forward further changes to address court delays, strengthen victims' rights, better protect people facing sexual and intimate partner violence, and keep children safe from horrific crimes.

Quotes

"Canada's new government is moving ahead with sweeping reforms to keep Canadians safe. We're proposing reforms to address intimate partner violence by making bail laws stricter and creating a reverse onus for sexual assault involving choking, strangulation, and suffocation, meaning the accused would have to show why they should be released rather than the Crown proving why they should be detained. We're also cracking down on extortions involving violence and other serious crimes. In the coming months, we will bring forward additional measures to better protect people facing sexual and intimate partner violence and to keep children safe from horrific crimes."
The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

"Ensuring basic respect for community standards and keeping violent offenders away from people they would hurt or kill are the basic functions of the criminal law. We've not been seeing these results under the current criminal law, which is why we've been pressing hard for change. This new bill is excellent news. I'm glad the new Prime Minister has prioritized the work needed to restore public confidence in our criminal justice system. We'll back his team's work up by getting people the intensive mental health care they need, in healthcare settings or in prison, and work with him to deliver housing and other social supports that can help keep people on the right path. We have more to do, but this new law will really move things forward. All parties and the Senate must support its quick passage and implementation."
The Honourable David Eby
Premier of British Columbia

"Our government has been clear about the need for stronger federal measures to address repeat and violent offending, extortion, and post-conviction bail. I'm pleased to see those priorities reflected in the bill, including reverse-onus bail provisions that will help better protect victims of intimate-partner violence. We will continue to work collaboratively with our federal partners to create stronger measures and ensure preventable tragedies never happen again."
The Honourable Niki Sharma, K.C.
Attorney General and Deputy Premier

"In Surrey Centre, we've seen firsthand how extortion and violent crime can harm families and small businesses. These reforms demonstrate that when all levels of government work together, we can protect our communities. This legislation is about strengthening our justice system and holding offenders accountable."
The Honourable Randeep Sarai, P.C., M.P.
Secretary of State for International Development and Member of Parliament for Surrey Centre

"By making it harder for repeat and violent offenders to get bail and ensuring tougher penalties for crimes like extortion, we're sending a clear message: there are real consequences for those who threaten public safety. Canadians deserves to feel safe, bail and sentencing reforms are a critical step toward building safer communities."
The Honourable Jill McKnight, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

"In Victoria, we've been at the forefront of calls for stronger action to ensure people feel safe in their homes, on our streets, and in their workplaces. I've heard loud and clear from residents, small business owners, and community leaders that tackling crime, especially repeat and violent offences, has to be a top priority. These new bail and sentencing reforms will make a real difference here at home, working together with provincial and municipal partners. They'll help protect victims, hold offenders accountable, and give Victorians greater peace of mind knowing our justice system is working to keep people safe."
Will Greaves
Member of Parliament for Victoria

Quick Facts

  • Since the launch of It's time: Canada's Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-based Violence (the Federal GBV Strategy) in 2017, the Government of Canada has invested more than $820 million, plus an ongoing $44 million annually, to end gender-based violence across the country. This funding has contributed to enhancing the capacity of gender-based violence (GBV) organizations; increasing supports to crisis hotlines; strengthening the federal GBV Program; addressing root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people; and increasing GBV data collection.
  • Of this, Justice Canada was allocated $112 million over five years for initiatives that work to assist victims and survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence in making informed decisions about their particular circumstances, reduce re-traumatization, increase confidence in the justice system's response to gender-based violence and improve support and access to the justice system. This includes:
    • $28.4 million over 5 years for provinces and territories to provide supervision services for parenting time and transfers to protect the safety and well-being of children and families;
    • $35 million over 5 years for projects that assist victims of intimate partner violence to access and navigate the family justice system, and that improve justice system responses to this type of violence; and
    • $48.75 million over 5 years to ensure access to free legal advice and legal representation for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, including legal advice for victims involved in the criminal and family justice systems.
  • The Government of Canada has also invested an additional $539.3 million over five years (2022 to 2027), including $525 million over four years (2023-2027) to support Provinces and Territories in their efforts to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence. This funding has been distributed through bilateral funding agreements between Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) and all jurisdictions.
  • Sexual assault is a highly gendered crime, with women and girls accounting for nine in ten (89%) victims involved in incidents reported to police in 2023. The vast majority (90%) of accused persons in sexual assault cases were men and boys, and most (72%) victims of sexual assault knew the person accused of the crime.
  • The rate of police-reported sexual assault increased 32% between 2017 and 2024. Violent crime also increased 29% during this time, which was similar to the trend for sexual assault.
  • While the national police-reported crime rate decreased between 1998 and 2014 (-37%), it has started an upward trend (+12%) between 2014 and 2024. While there has been a 4% decrease in 2024 compared to 2023, everyone in Canada, alongside the Government, are deeply concerned with the overall rise in crime over the past decade.
  • Extortion is a violent crime involving the use of threats or violence to coerce someone into doing something – such as handing over property - for the offender's gain. The police-reported rate of extortion decreased 10% to 32 incidents per 100,000 population in 2024 from 2023, following four consecutive years of increases. Despite the decline, the rate was over four times higher in 2024 than a decade ago in 2014, rising from 8 to 32 incidents per 100,000 population over this period.
  • Canada's criminal justice system is a shared responsibility of the provinces, territories and the federal government. The federal government is responsible for enacting criminal law, while provincial and territorial governments are responsible for the administration of justice. Provinces are responsible for conducting most bail hearings and enforcing bail conditions, as well as operating most remand facilities. Several provinces have recently taken steps to address the issue of repeat violent offenders.

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SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

Contacts: For more information, media may contact: Lola Dandybaeva, Manager of Media Relations, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, 343-549-0347, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]

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