Ottawa — Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada’s new government will take strong action to keep communities safe with new laws, major investments in policing, and coordinated work with provinces and territories to tackle the root causes of crime.
Carney announced plans to amend the Criminal Code next week to keep violent and repeat offenders out of communities. The proposed legislation will include reverse-onus bail for major crimes, consecutive sentencing for multiple offences, harsher penalties for organized retail theft, and restrictions on conditional sentences for certain sexual offences.
The government also plans to hire 1,000 new RCMP personnel as part of a $1.8-billion investment over four years, beginning in Budget 2025. The funding will increase federal policing capacity to combat online fraud, money laundering, child exploitation and organized crime networks. It will also raise the RCMP cadet recruitment allowance to $1,000 a week and dedicate 150 officers to investigate financial crimes.
Carney said the government’s approach will combine enforcement with prevention, including investments in affordable housing, mental health supports, addiction services and youth programs. “When laws repeatedly fail to protect those basic rights, we need new laws,” Carney said. “Canadians should feel safe in their homes and in control of their future.”
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Budget 2025 will strengthen the justice system and provide law enforcement with new tools. Justice Minister Sean Fraser added that Ottawa is working with provincial and territorial counterparts meeting this week in Kananaskis to deliver the promised bail and sentencing reforms.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the RCMP funding fulfills a campaign commitment and will help boost recruitment and policing across the country. “These are significant investments in the safety of all Canadians,” he said.
Budget 2025 will be tabled in the House of Commons on November 4, 2025. The government says its reforms are aimed at fixing ineffective policies from the past and building a safer future through stronger laws, better resources and practical solutions.
Comments