ETOBICOKE, Canada – In a rapidly changing and more dangerous world, Canada is focused on what we can control. We are building our economy with major projects and millions more homes, we are empowering Canadians with lower costs and new opportunities to help you get ahead, and we are protecting our communities and our country. We cannot control what other nations do, but we can control what we choose to build – and we are building Canada strong.
Safe, resilient communities are the backbone of a strong Canada. They attract people, families, businesses, and investment, and enable greater certainty and prosperity. To that end, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced new measures today that will protect Canadians and keep our communities safe. Canada’s new government will:
- Strengthen Canada’s Criminal Code to keep violent and repeat offenders out of our communities. Next week, the government will table legislation to amend the Criminal Code for crimes committed by violent and repeat offenders – those accused of serious crimes like violent auto theft, breaking and entering, human trafficking, violent assault, and sexual assault. The legislation will include the following amendments:
- Introducing reverse-onus bail for major crimes.
- Allowing consecutive sentencing so multiple crimes mean longer time behind bars.
- Imposing harsher penalties for organised retail theft.
- Restricting conditional sentences for a number of sexual offences.
- Hire 1,000 Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) personnel. In budget 2025, the government will invest $1.8 billion over four years to increase federal policing capacity across Canada to combat crime – including online fraud, money laundering, online child sexual exploitation, and organised criminal networks that threaten Canada’s economic and national security. This funding will also go toward raising the RCMP cadet recruitment allowance to $1,000 per week and dedicating 150 new RCMP personnel to tackle financial crimes – targeting money laundering networks, organised crime, online fraud, and the recovery of illicit assets.
In parallel, Canada’s new government is working with provinces, territories, and local law enforcement to address the root causes of crime. Enforcement alone is not enough. To truly make communities safer, we must make major investments to build affordable housing, support those struggling with mental health and addictions, and reinforce programs for at-risk youth. This work is being undertaken in partnership with provinces, territories, municipalities, and local law enforcement, because to be effective, our solutions must reflect the realities of the communities we serve.
From day one, Canada’s new government has acted decisively to keep our communities safe – from cracking down on the cross-border smuggling of guns, fentanyl, and other drugs, to expanding border-security resources and investing in violence prevention programs. We have introduced legislation to combat the rise in hate and violent intimidation, including to protect individuals against Islamophobia and antisemitism. To build Canada strong, we will protect our communities, our border, our country, and our way of life.
Canada’s new government will keep building stronger communities – by fixing ineffective policies from the past and building a safer future – with tough new laws, big new resources, and practical solutions. We will secure our border and our sovereignty, we will protect our communities and our way of life, and together we will build Canada strong.
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