Ontario to Give Special Constables More Powers to Address Drug Use on Public Transit

Ontario’s government is proposing changes as part of a larger public safety bill meant to give special constables more power to crack down on drug use on public transit.

The proposed new measures, announced May 4 by Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, include up to six months in jail and a $10,000 fine for those using drugs on public transit.

“Through these proposed changes we are giving law enforcement and their partners the tools they need to keep our communities and transit systems safe, while holding offenders and those who enable them accountable,” Kerzner said in a May 4 statement.

The measures are expected to be part of an upcoming public safety bill to be tabled by the provincial government. The bill is also expected to propose stricter rules on drug paraphernalia and penalties for landlords who knowingly permit the production of drugs on their properties.

The landlord provisions would not apply to homeless shelters, emergency shelters, retirement homes, and long-term care homes.

Special Constables

The proposal marks a push to further increase the enforcement powers of special constables in the province. Legislation passed last year gave some special constables the authority to carry firearms and gave Niagara Parks Commission officers the right to carry long guns.

Earlier this year, the province also proposed regulations that would give special constables some authority to issue tickets to individuals using drugs in public.

Special constables are sworn peace officers who have narrower powers than police officers. They often work for transit systems, universities, courts, and housing authorities. Most carry batons, handcuffs, and pepper spray, but are not generally authorized to carry firearms, with some exceptions, such as in Niagara.

Ontario’s proposed legislation would make drug use on public transit a specific provincial offence and give special constables more power to enforce it.