Should Police Background Checks Include More Criminal History?

Official title: Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025 - Proposed Legislative Amendments to the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 (PRCRA)

Open Legislation Justice & Rights
Ontario wants to change how police background checks work. Right now, minor convictions disappear from checks after five years. The proposed change would keep more convictions visible longer—specifically for crimes that could have been charged as either minor or serious offences. The government also wants power to set timelines for how fast police must complete these checks.

Why This Matters

Ever applied for a job that required a background check? This affects what shows up. If you have an old conviction for something like theft or assault that was handled as a minor offence, it might stay on your record longer. For employers and volunteer organizations, it means more information when screening applicants.

What Could Change

The five-year limit for showing convictions would only apply to purely summary offences—not hybrid offences prosecuted summarily. That's a significant change. Many common crimes like theft under $5,000 and simple assault are hybrid offences. The Solicitor General could also set mandatory timelines for police to complete background checks, with reporting requirements.

Key Issues

  • Should hybrid offences prosecuted summarily remain visible on background checks beyond five years?
  • Should the Solicitor General have authority to set mandatory processing timelines for police background checks?
  • How will consistency in background check results be ensured across different police services?

How to Participate

  1. Review the proposed amendments in Bill 75, Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025 to understand the changes.
  2. Submit your feedback through the comment form by the deadline.

Submit Your Input

Comment On Proposed Police Record Check Amendments

Key Documents