Bill 75, Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025

Summary#

Bill 75 is an omnibus public safety and animal welfare bill. It tightens bail enforcement, adds tough driving penalties, limits recordings at inquests, sets standards for police record checks, supports families of fallen public safety officers, and strengthens rules for animal research and protection.

• Requires cash/security payments when a court sets a money condition in a release order (bail), and lets the province place and enforce liens (claims) on land owned by a surety (the person who guarantees bail).
• Creates indefinite driver’s licence suspensions for dangerous driving causing death, and new on‑the‑spot suspensions and impoundments when police reasonably believe serious offences occurred.
• Continues a scholarship fund for spouses and children of public safety officers who died in the line of duty; covers tuition and living allowance.
• Bans most invasive medical research on cats and dogs (with narrow exceptions), stops breeding dogs and cats for research, and strengthens oversight and penalties.
• Bars photos and most recordings at coroners’ inquests, with limited exceptions.
• Sets service standards for police record checks and narrows what old convictions are hidden after five years.
• Increases fines for harming law‑enforcement animals.

What it means for you#

• Drivers

  • If convicted of dangerous driving causing death, your licence is suspended indefinitely, with possible reinstatement only after at least 25 years and other conditions.
  • Police can issue a 90‑day licence suspension and a 7‑day vehicle impound if they reasonably believe you committed dangerous driving. Limited appeal rights apply to the 90‑day suspension.
  • Careless driving penalties rise. Police can suspend your licence on the spot for 7 days (careless) or 30 days (careless causing bodily harm or death).
  • Fines for driving while suspended increase. Your vehicle can be impounded 14/30/45 days based on prior impounds.
  • Using a phone/device in a commercial truck or bus brings higher fines and automatic 7/14/60‑day suspensions for repeat offences.

• Vehicle owners

  • You pay towing and storage for impounds, unless certain appeal grounds are met (for example, the driver wasn’t actually suspended).
  • If your vehicle was stolen, police may release it early.

• Accused persons and sureties (people who agree to supervise and guarantee bail)

  • If a release order includes a money amount, the accused or surety must pay that amount up front, in the way set by regulation.
  • If a surety later owes the Crown money under federal law, the province can register a lien on the surety’s land and sell the property to collect if unpaid. Liens expire after six years unless enforced.

• Families of fallen public safety officers

  • A permanent scholarship program continues for surviving spouses and children. It can cover tuition and a living allowance. A committee reviews applications and advises the Minister.

• People who need police record checks (job seekers, volunteers, students)

  • The province can set service standards (for example, timelines). You generally cannot sue for delays or missed standards.
  • After five years, only convictions for offences that are “summary only” are hidden. Some old minor convictions that were prosecuted summarily but could have been prosecuted more seriously may still appear.

• Journalists and people attending inquests

  • Photos and most recordings at inquests are banned. Quiet note‑taking is allowed, and limited audio recording for parties or journalists may be allowed to replace notes. Breaking the rules can lead to fines or jail.

• Animal owners and animal welfare advocates

  • Invasive medical research on cats and dogs is banned except in narrow, regulated cases approved by an animal care committee.
  • Facilities cannot breed cats or dogs for research.
  • Penalties rise for harming animals that work with police. Minimum fines start at $50,000, with possible jail.

• Research facilities and pounds

  • Stronger animal care committee duties, record‑keeping, and approval rules apply. New offences and higher penalties apply for violations.
  • Pounds must take prescribed, reasonable steps to identify and notify dog and cat owners.

Expenses#

Estimated fiscal impact: No publicly available information.

• Police and provincial ministries may face higher enforcement and administration costs (suspensions, impounds, bail collections, record‑check standards).
• Fine revenues and fees could rise (higher traffic fines; device‑use penalties; increased impound fees paid by owners).
• The scholarship fund continues with existing resources and may receive additional transfers as needed.

Proponents' View#

• Will keep dangerous drivers off the road and act faster after serious driving offences.
• Makes bail more meaningful by requiring real financial stakes and improving collection from sureties.
• Supports families of public safety officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
• Respects dignity and privacy at inquests while maintaining orderly proceedings.
• Improves animal welfare by banning most invasive research on pets, ending breeding for research, and tightening oversight.
• Sets clear timelines for police record checks to help employers and volunteers plan.

Opponents' View#

• On‑the‑spot suspensions and impounds without a prior hearing may undermine due process and can hit innocent owners with costs.
• Requiring up‑front bail payments could keep low‑income accused in custody and may raise legal concerns about overlap with federal bail rules.
• Higher fines and long suspensions can be disproportionate and may severely impact workers, especially commercial drivers.
• The inquest recording ban could reduce transparency and limit public scrutiny.
• Narrowing record‑check privacy (showing more old convictions) may create barriers to jobs and volunteering.
• Limits on animal research and new compliance duties may slow certain veterinary or medical studies and increase costs for research institutions.