Alicia Gordon has had her share of run-ins with the law, from property crime to break and enters, while also struggling with a substance abuse disorder.

The Thunder Bay, Ont., woman was in and out of jail between 2019 and 2021, when she connected with a bail verification and supervision program (BVSP) run by the John Howard Society that connected her with the supports that helped her get sober.

“It became like a safety net,” she said.

On the heels of expected federal legislation aimed at revamping the bail system, a new report from the John Howard Society of Ontario is calling on the province to take action and expand the bail verification and supervision program, including bail beds, to more locations across the province.

It’s a way to ensure non-violent offenders have the best chance

See Full Page