Tougher Driving, Bail, and Animal Research Rules

Summary#

Bill 75 (Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025) changes several Ontario laws on road safety, bail enforcement, policing records, inquests, animal welfare, and support for families of fallen public safety officers. The bill’s goals are to crack down on dangerous driving, tighten bail enforcement, protect animals, improve pathologist training, and continue a scholarship fund for survivors.

Key changes:

• Road safety: New roadside suspensions and vehicle impoundments, higher fines, and an indefinite licence suspension after a conviction for dangerous driving causing death.
• Bail enforcement: Easier for the province to register liens on sureties’ property, collect unpaid amounts, and require payment when a release order says money is owed.
• Police record checks: Excludes older minor (summary-only) convictions after five years; sets service standards and limits lawsuits over delays.
• Inquests: Bans photos, video, and most recordings at coroner’s inquests unless allowed by the presiding coroner.
• Animal welfare and research: Bans invasive medical research on cats and dogs (with narrow exceptions), stops breeding cats or dogs for research in supply facilities, and strengthens oversight and penalties.
• Support for families: Continues in law the Constable Joe MacDonald scholarship fund for spouses and children of public safety officers who died in the line of duty.

What it means for you#

• Drivers

  • If convicted of dangerous driving causing death, your driver’s licence is suspended indefinitely (you can seek early reinstatement after a long period).
  • Police can issue an immediate 90‑day licence suspension and a 7‑day vehicle impound if they believe you drove dangerously (under the Criminal Code). You can appeal the 90‑day suspension only if the police got the wrong person or you had a sudden, unforeseeable medical event.
  • Careless driving fines increase to $1,000–$5,000. Police can suspend your licence for 7 days (careless) or 30 days (careless causing bodily harm or death) on the spot. There is no pre‑suspension hearing.
  • Driving while suspended brings higher fines. If caught, the vehicle can be impounded for 14, 30, or 45 days, depending on prior impoundments.

• Commercial truck and bus drivers

  • Higher fines for driving with a visible screen or while holding a device: $1,000–$2,000 (first), up to $6,000 (repeat).
  • Mandatory licence suspensions for these offences: 7 days (first), 14 days (second), 60 days (third+).

• Vehicle owners

  • Your vehicle can be impounded if someone drives it while suspended. You may appeal 30‑day (or longer) impounds on limited grounds (e.g., vehicle was stolen, driver wasn’t suspended, you did due diligence, or exceptional hardship). If the driver wasn’t suspended, the Registrar must cover towing and storage costs.

• Accused persons and sureties (people who pledge money for someone’s release)

  • The Crown can register a lien against real property at the land registry for the amount a surety promises. Liens expire after six years unless collection steps continue.
  • If a release order says you must pay a set amount if conditions are broken, you must pay as required by regulation. The Minister of Finance can use provincial collection tools.
  • If a surety defaults, the province may sell the property like a mortgage sale to collect.

• Families of public safety officers

  • The Constable Joe MacDonald Survivors Scholarship Fund is continued in law. Spouses and children of officers who died in the line of duty can apply for tuition and living supports for post‑secondary education. A committee reviews applications and advises the Minister.

• Job seekers who need a police record check

  • Convictions for offences that can only be prosecuted summarily (minor offences) are not disclosed if five years have passed since conviction and no pardon was granted.
  • Police services must meet service standards set by regulation. The law limits lawsuits for missed standards, but you can still seek judicial review.

• Journalists, families, and the public at inquests

  • Photos, video, and most recordings at inquests are banned unless allowed by the presiding coroner. Publishing or sharing such recordings is also banned. Breaking the rules can lead to fines up to $25,000 or jail up to 6 months.

• Animal researchers and facilities

  • Invasive medical research on cats, dogs, and other listed animals is banned, except for specific veterinary purposes approved under strict rules.
  • Any research with cats, dogs, or listed animals requires an approved project plan reviewed by an animal care committee, with records kept.
  • Supply facilities cannot breed cats or dogs for research.
  • New “minor” and “major” offences with higher fines and possible jail for serious breaches.

• People around service or police animals

  • Harming a law‑enforcement animal carries a minimum fine of $50,000 and up to $260,000 (individuals) or $1,000,000 (corporations), and up to two years in jail for individuals. Penalties for harming service animals continue to apply.

• Timing

  • Most parts take effect on Royal Assent or a later date by order. Police record check changes take effect on the later of January 1, 2026, or Royal Assent.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Stronger roadside suspensions, impoundments, and higher fines will deter dangerous and distracted driving and make roads safer.
• Indefinite licence suspension for causing death reflects the seriousness of the offence and protects the public.
• Bail changes make it easier and faster to collect when accused or sureties break their promises, improving accountability.
• The scholarship fund provides steady support to families of public safety officers who died in the line of duty.
• Limits on inquest recordings protect the privacy and dignity of grieving families and witnesses.
• New animal research rules reduce harm to pets like cats and dogs and improve oversight in labs.
• Police record check reforms balance public safety with fairness by not disclosing older minor convictions and by setting service standards.

Opponents' View#

• Immediate suspensions and impoundments without a prior hearing may risk errors and cause hardship for innocent owners and drivers.
• Higher fines and licence suspensions—especially for commercial drivers—could threaten jobs and livelihoods.
• Indefinite licence suspensions and tougher penalties may be seen as excessive or not focused on rehabilitation.
• Bail liens and forced sale of property could deter people from acting as sureties and may unfairly burden families.
• The inquest recording ban may limit media transparency and public oversight of the justice system.
• Banning invasive research on cats and dogs could hinder some medical or veterinary research and slow innovation.
• Limiting lawsuits over police record check service standards could reduce accountability if delays or errors occur.