Tougher Bill on Bail and Sentencing: Canada to Introduce Reform Legislation Next Week
October 16, 2025 – The federal government, led by Mark Carney, is gearing up to table legislation next week aimed at strengthening bail and sentencing laws for violent and repeat offenders. The reforms will focus on enhancing reverse-onus bail for serious crimes, imposing consecutive sentences for multiple offences, raising penalties for organised retail theft, and limiting conditional sentences for sexual offences. These changes reflect Canada’s broader push to update legal frameworks governing criminal justice (Canada PM).
What’s Changing in the Canada Criminal Code Law and Why It Matters for Canadian Lobbying Firms
The proposed reforms target key aspects of criminal law:
- Reverse-onus bail for major offences — shifting the evidentiary burden onto the defendant in certain cases.
- Consecutive sentencing, meaning multiple crimes, no longer may be served concurrently.
- Expanded penalties for offences such as organised retail theft.
- Tightened access to conditional sentences for certain sexual and violent crimes.
Because these changes happen at the federal level, they play into the interplay between Canada’s provinces and territories and the federal government. For professionals using legislative monitoring software or Parliamentary Monitoring software, having early awareness can be a competitive advantage — catching bill-tracking updates or legislative debates before mainstream coverage (Read the full news here).
How Gnowit Supports Your Strategic Firm in Canada
When major policy shifts surface, staying reactive can put you behind. With Gnowit’s Automated Regulatory Tracking Software, you’ll:
- Receive alerts on new bill proposals, amendments, and committee transcripts.
- Monitor developments across federal and provincial governments via regulatory monitoring of Canada’s capabilities.
- Link insights directly into strategic decision-making rather than manually scanning multiple sources.