Alberta has launched an electronic tracking system for repeat offenders, saying it aims to ensure “compliance and consistent oversight of high-risk offenders” who are on bail and community release throughout the province.
Under the new program launched Jan. 15, offenders and accused individuals deemed a public safety risk will be required to wear GPS ankle bracelets as part of their community supervision conditions, and allows Alberta Correctional Services to monitor them around the clock.
The province says the new system will address “the country’s problematic bail system,” which it describes as a “catch-and-release policy.”
“Ottawa’s Bill C-75 has broken the bail system. We are taking an important step toward combating rising crime. High-risk offenders pose a significant risk to public safety and require enhanced supervision in the community,” said Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis in a release, adding that information gathered through the tracking system will be used by courts in determining sentencing or bail conditions.
The province says the new system, with an estimated implementation cost of $2.8 million, will help ensure that offenders do not gain access to areas considered restricted by their release conditions, such as victims’ residences.
Previously, monitoring of accused individuals under community-based court conditions and bail supervision was limited to regular working hours and did not include GPS tracking, the province said. Any person ordered by the court to undergo electronic monitoring will be informed of the program requirements, including the tracking of their location.
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In the release, Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery called on the federal government to reform its bail and sentencing framework, which he says allows violent offenders to re-enter communities.
Canada’s premiers have previously asked the federal government to review its bail system, citing criminal cases where perpetrators were found to be repeat offenders with a violent criminal history.
In December 2023, the federal government passed legislation to make changes to the bail system. Justice Minister Arif Virani said in a December 2023 statement that Bill C-48, which came into effect last January, was designed to target repeat offenders who use weapons and those accused of repeat intimate partner violence.
The amendments included a provision to ensure the accused remain detained while awaiting trial unless they could prove they didn’t pose a flight risk or threat to public security.
The technology vendor for Alberta’s new ankle bracelet devices is Colorado-based SCRAM Systems. The province chose the company in August 2024 through an open procurement process, said officials. The vendor contract is estimated to end in March 2029.
