Ottawa Now - Ontario defendants soon required to pay cash security deposits prior to custody release

The Ford government says it will require defendants to pay cash security deposits before they are released from custody. It’s part of a new legislation that is aimed at ‘tightening’ bail requirements and improving bail compliance. In a news release issued Monday morning, Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey said the current system is ‘broken’, and that the bill will introduce repercussions for offenders. Under the current provincial system, if the court orders a defendant’s release on a promise to pay, no cash deposit is required. Chris Lewis, a former OPP Commissioner, joins Kristy Cameron with his two cents on today’s Ottawa Now.