Reforms to Strengthen Canada’s Bail System Become Law

Justice Minister Arif Virani holds a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Oct. 5, 2023. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Legislation making changes to Canada’s bail system has received Royal Assent and will come into effect on Jan. 4, 2024.

“Canadians should know that their voices have been heard as we strengthen our bail system,” Minister of Justice Arif Virani said in a statement. “The changes we made target serious repeat offending involving weapons such as guns and knives, as well as those accused of repeat intimate partner violence.”