Ontario to name high-risk offenders on new website launching next year

TORONTO — Ontario Provincial Police are set to launch a website next year that will name high-risk offenders, the solicitor general said Monday as he introduced his annual omnibus justice bill.

The legislation will allow the OPP commissioner to publish information on offenders whenever a police chief in the province issues a community notification.

Solicitor General Michael Kerzner and Attorney General Doug Downey said the province wants to align with the federal and Alberta governments and the move will “keep Ontario safe,” but they didn’t explain further.

Local police chiefs can and do issue notices to the public about some high-risk and sex offenders who have served their time and are being released back into society.

That information will now be available on one central, public website, the ministers said.

The province is also proposing legislation that will allow restraining orders issued in other provinces and territories to be enforced in Ontario without the requirement to attend an Ontario court.

Ontario will also ban medically unnecessary procedures on animals, including cat declawing as well as dog ear cropping and devocalization, which involves removing or altering a dog’s vocal cords to reduce barking.

The province was exploring a prohibition on docking dogs’ tails, but did not go through with it. No explanation was given.

The new legislation will also give more powers to special constables to fine and arrest people who use drugs on transit, ban future procurement of Chinese-made drones and restrict the use of drones by the government and the Ontario Provincial Police.

“Nobody’s closing down and grounding the DJI drones today,” Kerzner said. “What we’re saying is we have a pathway forward to make sure that homegrown technology has a chance to have an opportunity, to flourish and it will.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2026.

Liam Casey, The Canadian Press