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Michael Kerzner May 25 2026 (1)

Ford government introduces anti-crime legislation

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Ontario is moving ahead with new legislation to tackle crime.

The Protecting Ontario’s Streets and Communities Act includes measures that support victims of human trafficking, crack down on the illegal drug trade and make it easier to enforce restraining orders.

Solicitor General Michael Kerzner says it builds on previous actions to strengthen public safety and hold offenders accountable.

“I have people every day that say public safety is right at the top of the list, and we want to make sure that they know their government is taking it seriously,” says Kerzner.

Other initiatives in the proposed bill include:

  • Increase public awareness and protect communities by amending the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, to authorize the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner to publish information on a provincial public website about high-risk offenders, including high-risk sex offenders, when a chief of police issues a community notification. If passed, the new website is expected to be online by April 2027.
  • Help survivors of human trafficking rebuild their lives by providing up to $50,000 in debt relief for victims who were forced or coerced into debt by their traffickers.
  • Crack down on illegal drug production by prohibiting the possession, use or sale of designated devices such as pill presses for the purpose of making illicit drugs, and prohibiting the possession, production or trafficking of precursor chemicals to make illegal drugs.
  • Set clearer rules of conduct for tow truck drivers at collision scenes and strengthen qualification standards for tow operators, tow truck drivers and vehicle storage operators.
  • Protect victims by allowing restraining orders issued in other provinces and territories to be enforced in Ontario without requiring an additional court declaration to make them enforceable.
  • Amend the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005, to strengthen public safety by modernizing training, oversight and licensing requirements.
  • Amend the Provincial Offences Act to resolve cases faster by allowing prosecutors and defendants to enter plea agreements without judicial oversight.
  • Reduce wait times for police record checks for people working or volunteering with vulnerable populations such as children, seniors and people with disabilities, while maintaining strong safeguards.
  • Add more canine teams to increase contraband searches in adult correctional institutions; and
  • Restrict the use and future purchases of Chinese-made drones for government use, helping protect sensitive provincial information.

The government also intends to review a strategy that addresses the root cause of violence against Indigenous women, children and gender-diverse people.

Kernzer says the measures build on actions the province has already taken to help law enforcement, corrections and the public.

“What this legislation does is it just sends a message across Ontario that we don’t just say we’re tough on crime. We have to have actions that show it.”

RAINY RIVER DRUGS

Two charged after OPP seize drugs, weapons in Rainy River District

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Two people are facing charges after Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) seized property valued at more than $325,000 in the Rainy River District.

On May 7, OPP Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) with assistance from the Kenora CSCU, Dryden CSCU, Kenora Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB), Northwest Region Emergency Response Team (ERT), and the Canine Unit, executed a search warrant in Fort Frances.

During the search, police seized a large quantity of cocaine and fentanyl, along with hydromorphone, oxycodone, Canadian currency, American currency, and evidence of drug trafficking and weapons.

Both accused, age 54 and 45, are expected to appear in court at a later date.

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Attempted abduction in Longlac: OPP requesting public assistance

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Greenstone OPP is seeking the public’s assistance regarding an attempted abduction in the area of Nishnabe Miikena Road and Picnic Point Road in Longlac.

At approximately 8:45 Wednesday morning, a female student from Notre Dame de Fatima French School was approached by a beige-coloured vehicle with two two male suspects inside. According to the police report, one man exited the vehicle and grabbed the student by the hand, trying to pull her towards the vehicle.

The student was able to escape and safely reach the school.

The driver of the vehicle is described as a white man in his late 30s or early 40s with thin light-coloured hair. He was wearing a white jacket with red detailing around the cuffs.

The passenger in the vehicle is described as a tall black man in his late 30s or early 40s with black hair. He was wearing a black hat, black shirt with a white cat on the front and an unzipped brown sweater.

Anyone who may have been in the area of Nishnabe Miikena Road and Picnic Point Road with dashcam or surveillance footage is asked to contact Greenstone OPP at 1-888-310-1122. To submit an anonymous tip, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

This is a developing story. More updates will be provided when available.

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Tumbler Ridge victims identified by RCMP

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The small mining community of Tumbler Ridge, B.C., is mourning after a mass shooting that left eight people dead, along with the shooter, and injured dozens more.

A vigil is planned for Feb. 13, with Prime Minister Mark Carney expected to attend as residents gather to remember those who were killed.

Carney has also extended invitations to leaders of all opposition parties, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre expected to be among those in attendance.

Abel Mwansa, 12; Emmett Jacobs, 11; Ezekiel Schofield, 13; Jennifer Jacobs, 39; Kylie Smith, 12; and Zoey Benoit, 12, are shown in this handout image. The six are among those killed in the Feb. 10, 2026 mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. Photo: RCMP.

Authorities have identified the eight victims:

  • Kylie May Smith, 12
  • Ticaria Lampert, 12
  • Zoey Benoit, 12
  • Abel Mwansa Jr., 12
  • Ezekiel Schofield, 13
  • Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 39, an educational assistant at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School
  • Jennifer Jacobs, 39, the shooter’s mother, found at a nearby residence
  • Emmett Jacobs, 11, the shooter’s stepbrother, also found at the residence

Residents, officials and support workers remain focused on helping the community process the tragedy and begin the long recovery ahead.

Community fundraising effort

A GoFundMe organized by parents from the Tumbler Ridge Parent Advisory Committee, working alongside local organizations, has been launched to support families directly affected by the tragedy.

Organizers say the funds will help cover unexpected expenses, daily living needs, funeral costs, mental-health supports and relocation costs as families begin recovery.

As of the latest update, the campaign has raised more than $400,000 toward a $550,000 goal, reflecting widespread support from both the local community and donors beyond the region.

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Woman charged after drug seizure in Constance Lake First Nation

A 41-year-old woman is facing trafficking-related charges after police searched a home in Constance Lake First Nation earlier this week.

Officers carried out the search on Mahikan Street on February 10 and arrested the suspect without incident. Police say they found suspected fentanyl, hydromorphone tablets, cash and other items linked to drug trafficking inside the residence.

The cash seized is estimated at nearly $1,500, while the drugs have an estimated street value of about $21,500.

The woman is charged with possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, possession of hydromorphone for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.

She appeared in court for a bail hearing on February 11 and was remanded into custody. Her next court appearance is scheduled for February 12.

Sioux Lookout Airport Front 1

Flight forced to return to Sioux Lookout after alleged assault

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A woman is facing multiple charges after a disturbance aboard a flight from Sioux Lookout to Kasabonika Lake led the plane to return to Sioux Lookout Municipal Airport.

According to the Ontario Provincial Police, officers were called just after 7 p.m. on Friday after a reported assault on board the aircraft while it was in the air.

Police say a 44-year-old woman was arrested and charged with assault in an aircraft in flight, assault, and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

She was released on bail with conditions and is scheduled to appear in court in Wunnumin Lake on January 19.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information or video related to the incident is asked to contact the OPP or reach Crime Stoppers anonymously.

K9 Unit Police Service Dog Becks at the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service Headquarters in Thunder Bay (Sam Goldstein/January 9, 2026)

NAPS reintroduces K9 unit after nearly a decade

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For the first time in almost 10 years, the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) has welcomed a new K9 team to its ranks.

Constable Daniel Birch and his nearly-three-year-old Police Service Dog (PSD) partner, Becks, were officially introduced during a news conference at NAPS headquarters in Thunder Bay on Thursday, January 8.

Birch earned the position through an internal competition in 2025 and completed a 21-week training program before being paired with Becks.

The duo graduated from the OPP-led General Service Dog course on December 5 and were deployed the following day.

Since then, Birch says the pair have “created quite a special bond.”

Constable Daniel Birch and PSD partner Becks at the NAPS headquarters in Thunder Bay. (Sam Goldstein/January 8, 2026)

Becks is trained in a wide range of specialized tasks, including:

  • Tracking missing persons
  • Detecting drugs and firearms
  • Locating evidence
  • Criminal apprehension
  • Conducting building searches

Birch says that having a service dog “brings a whole different element to the work we do.”

As a Belgian Malamois, Becks has a nose that simply outclasses anything a human can smell, which “allows him to locate people a lot faster than just humans,” the constable explains.

Birch greatly respects his canine companion: “I’ve always had a passion for dogs, and always admired their abilities,” he says.

Constable Birch plays fetch with PSD Becks. (Sam Goldstein/January 8, 2026)

NAPS first launched a K9 Unit in 2009, but its previous canine member, Pax, retired in 2016.

Terry Armstrong, NAPS Chief of Police, says that the service had to go without a K9 replacement for many years because “as the world knows, we were drastically underfunded at the time.”

He feels that the service would have found a replacement earlier had they been able.

“The chiefs have been asking for years about reinstituting the K9. It was always something we’d hoped to do after the retirement of Pax,” he adds.

NAPS plans to recruit another two canines to their new K9 unit, so that one can be assigned to each of the three regions NAPS polices.

The reintroduction of the unit is expected to strengthen policing services across the 34 Northern communities NAPS serves.

But Armstrong stresses that the K9 unit is not only for NAPS.

“There really aren’t boundaries when it comes to helping people and public safety,” says the police chief. “When other agencies need our help, just as when we lean on them, it’s great to be able to cross-pollinate to help out with those things.”

Birch and Becks have already responded to about 15 service calls, with both NAPS and other police services in the area.

Ryan Wedding in bed Dec 9 2025 adjusted FBI

FBI releases new photo of suspect from Thunder Bay

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The search continues for a Thunder Bay man suspected of heading a Mexican drug cartel.

The FBI alleges Ryan James Wedding of controlling one of the most prolific and violent drug-trafficking organizations in the world, comparing him to the likes of infamous drug lords “El Chapo” Guzman and Pablo Escobar.

The Bureau has released a new photo of Wedding.

It shows the 44-year-old lying down, revealing a large tattoo of what appears to be a lion on his left side.

The FBI believes it was taken this summer in Mexico, where Wedding is suspected to be living.

Wedding is wanted on suspicion of running a transnational drug trafficking operation that ships hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia into the United States and Canada.

He is also wanted in connection with several murders, including the killing of a federal witness in January.

The Bureau last month increased a reward offered for information leading to his arrest from $10,000,000 to $15,000,000.

Several other people connected to the same cartel were also arrested in November, including an Ontario resident suspected of being Wedding’s lawyer.

Courtroom One Gavel

Province considering new bail requirements

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The Ford government is proposing several changes to the process by which an accused person obtains bail.

It includes having the money being paid up front.

Associate Solicitor General Zee Hamid says it is aimed at keeping repeat offenders behind bars and facilitating the collection of forfeited bail payments more easily.

“By requiring the full amount of promise to pay cash upfront, there’s a real consequence for repeat offence and noncompliance with bail conditions. Not to mention, if we already have the cash at hand, it makes collecting the debt easier,” says Hamid.

The money would be returned if bail conditions were met.

The proposed legislation also aims to improve how the province collects and administers bail debts.

Measures such as garnishing wages, seizing and selling property and using property liens are being considered.

A database is also proposed to enhance security checks, with the information to be shared with police services and prosecutors across the province.

Hamid says they are also looking to have individuals ordered to wear monitoring devices intended to track their whereabouts to pay the device’s full cost.

“A user-pay approach would ensure that those subject to GPS monitoring contribute to the cost of the device, while the funds could be used to support victim services and other vital justice programs,” says Hamid.

The legislation would also expand bail prosecution teams, which are made up of prosecutors and law enforcement agencies who prepare the strongest possible case in bail hearings.

Existing teams have managed over 4,000 serious violent cases since 2023.

“By strengthening Ontario’s bail system, we’re taking decisive action to protect our communities from violent, repeat offenders,” says Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.

“Our government is backing that commitment with record investments to build new correctional facilities, expand capacity and ensure there is always space to keep dangerous criminals behind bars.”

There is no indication of when the legislation may be in place.

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OPP arrest impaired driver after accident

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A 61-year-old woman from Wabigoon First Nation is facing a charge of impaired driving.

OPP officers from the Dryden detachment responded to a single-vehicle collision at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 3.

The accident occurred on Highway 17 near Dinorwic, in Southworth Township.

As a result of their investigation, officers arrested the driver for operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs.

The accused was released from custody and will make a court appearance at a later date.

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