8 in 10 Canadians Say Bail System Is Too Lenient: Survey

The Law Courts building, which is home to B.C. Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, is seen in Vancouver on Nov. 23, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

A majority of Canadians say the bail system is too lenient, with four in 10 saying that crime has gotten worse over the past few years, according to a recent survey.

The Abacus Data survey, titled The Politics of Safety: Why Bail Reform Is Striking a Chord with Canadians, found that Canadians have become more concerned over crime and public safety, and the government’s ability to fix it.

Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed say it has become too easy for those accused of serious crimes to be released; most support bail reform, with 83 percent of Conservatives calling for it, and 76 percent of Liberals saying they agree reform is needed.

Eight in 10 (80 percent) say repeat violent offenders should automatically be denied bail for serious charges.

Nearly half of Canadians (44 percent) say that crime has increased over the past year, while 18 percent say it has decreased.

Of those surveyed, 37 percent say drug-related crime is the biggest concern, 34 percent say it is property crime, and 31 percent say violent crime is the biggest problem. Survey participants also cited break-ins and vehicle theft as major concerns (30 percent).

Canadians are divided about the cause of crime, with 48 percent saying homelessness and addiction are the key drivers, while 42 percent say it is caused by weak sentencing and justice system policies. Nearly 40 percent cited economic issues, such as the rising cost of living, according to the survey.

Abacus also found that many Canadians lack confidence in the federal government’s ability to deal with crime and public safety. Two in five (41 percent) say they lack confidence, while 29 percent say they believe the federal government could address the issues.

Over half (52 percent) want to see stricter laws and penalties for certain crimes, 40 percent say social services need to improve to tackle the underlying causes of crime, and 38 percent of survey participants say there needs to be mental health and addiction supports. Thirty-two percent believe more funding for law enforcement would help, and 28 percent say investment in community programs and prevention initiatives are needed.

Provincial Breakdown

When it comes to provincial numbers, 22 percent in B.C. say the crime situation has gotten better over the past year, and 15 percent say it is somewhat better. Thirty-nine percent of B.C. residents say the situation is worse than a year ago, and 28 percent say it was somewhat worse.

In Alberta, 17 percent of those surveyed say the crime situation has improved over the past year, and 11 percent say it is somewhat better. More than half say it was worse (53 percent), and 33 percent say it was somewhat worse.

Twelve percent of residents in Saskatchewan and Manitoba say the situation has gotten better, and 9 percent say it is somewhat better than a year ago. The majority (56 percent) say the crime situation is worse, and 33 percent say it has gotten somewhat worse over the past year.

In Ontario, 19 percent of those surveyed say things have gotten better over the past year, and 14 percent say it has somewhat improved. Nearly half say crime has gotten worse over the past year (49 percent), and 28 say it is somewhat worse.

Sixteen percent of Quebec residents say the crime situation has improved since last year, and 13 percent say it is somewhat better. Of those who disagreed, 27 percent say it has gotten worse over the past year, and 21 percent say it is somewhat worse.

In Atlantic Canada, 16 percent of those surveyed say the crime situation has improved and 13 percent say it was somewhat better. Forty-seven percent say it has gotten worse, and 30 percent say it is somewhat worse than last year.

The survey was conducted between Sept. 12 and 17 with 2,230 random panelists asked to complete the survey. Abacus said the margin of error was plus or minus 2.08 percent, 19 times out of 20.

Bail Reform Motions

The survey results come as the Conservatives are planning to introduce Bill C-242, called the Jail Not Bail Act, to tackle bail reform.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said that current Canadian bail laws have led to ongoing cases of repeat offenders targeting Canadians. He said the Liberal government has been slow to introduce bail reform legislation.

Poilievre said Liberals need to “get out of the way” when the bill is introduced.

“We don’t need the Liberals to do anything,” he said. “If they will abstain on this vote and agree to let this bill pass, we can scrap Liberal bail [laws].”

Bill C-242 would eliminate the requirement for judges to release those accused of crimes at the “earliest reasonable opportunity and on the least onerous conditions possible”—a requirement that was established under Liberal Bill C-75.

Justice Minister Sean Fraser has said the government plans to introduce legislation this fall to reform the criminal justice system. He said it would include changes to the Criminal Code that would impose stricter bail conditions and sentencing, particularly for crimes related to organized crime, car theft, home invasion, and human trafficking.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety Jacques Ramsay said he understood the “legitimate frustration” of Canadians regarding repeat offenders being released on bail. He also noted the government’s Bill C-48 that passed in 2023 tightened the rules for violent repeat offenders, and strengthened protection for victims of intimate partner violence.

Ramsay said the Liberal legislation to be introduced in the fall would do more to strengthen bail.

The Conservatives introduced a motion on Sept. 18 to prevent criminals who have been convicted of three serious offences from being granted bail, probation, parole, or house arrest, but it was voted down by the Liberals, Bloc Quebecois, and NDP.

Matthew Horwood contributed to this report.