Federal Bail Reform Cheered by Edmonton Leaders as Crime Battle Continues

Community leaders are hoping newly-passed federal bail and sentencing reform legislation will make Edmonton safer.

Mayor Andrew Knack hailed the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act (Bill C-14), passed Thursday, as an important step toward addressing repeat and violent offenders and strengthening public safety.

"Edmontonians deserve to feel safe in their homes, businesses, and communities," Knack said. He added that measures must be paired with continued investments in crime prevention, addictions services, housing, mental health supports, and community reintegration.

The new law applies a counter push against 2019's Bill C-75, which made it easier for suspects to get bail to reduce judicial delays and over-representation of racialized people in jails. That measure caught criticism from Alberta's justice ministry as making it difficult for the criminal justice system to protect public safety.

The act targets organized crime and violent extortion—crimes hitting Edmonton particularly hard. A July 2025 Edmonton Police Service report found more than one-third of Edmontonians (36 per cent) say they would feel unsafe walking alone in their community after dark, and almost three-quarters (72 per cent) would feel unsafe taking transit alone after dark.

The Downtown Revitalization Coalition called the measures long-overdue. "For years, coalition members—including business owners, property managers, employers, residents, and frontline workers—have raised concerns about a small number of repeat offenders responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder, and safety concerns in Edmonton's core," said coalition chairwoman Cheryll Watson.