Most Canadian police services have policies governing stops, searches, and street checks (sometimes called “carding”). These policies emphasize legality, documentation, and respect for Charter rights. In theory, they exist to ensure stops are based on reasonable grounds, not bias or convenience.
Practice on the Ground
But lived experience tells a different story:
Disproportionate targeting: Racialized and Indigenous people report being stopped at far higher rates.
Ambiguity of “suspicion”: Officers often cite vague behaviour as justification.
Documentation gaps: Not every stop is recorded, creating “invisible” encounters.
Community mistrust: Frequent stops erode trust, especially when individuals are never charged.
Canadian Context
Ontario: Street checks were heavily restricted in 2017 after widespread criticism, but reports show many communities still experience disproportionate stops.
Quebec & Alberta: Ongoing debate about racial profiling in traffic stops and pedestrian checks.
Indigenous communities: Routine stops often tied to geography (living near highways, reserves, or border zones), reinforcing perceptions of surveillance.
Civil liberties advocates: Argue that reforms haven’t gone far enough, since policies often don’t stop informal or undocumented practices.
The Challenges
Policy vs culture: Written reforms can’t always overcome entrenched habits.
Data gaps: Without consistent reporting, it’s hard to prove disparities.
Legal ambiguity: The threshold for “reasonable suspicion” remains broad and subjective.
Enforcement of rules: Even when policies change, accountability for violations is weak.
The Opportunities
Mandatory documentation: Require every stop to be logged and reviewed.
Independent audits: Civilian bodies analyze stop data for bias and patterns.
Community consultation: Residents define what safety means and how police presence should look.
Training with accountability: Not just bias-awareness courses, but consequences when policy is ignored.
The Bigger Picture
Street checks reveal the core accountability dilemma: law and policy may be clear, but practice bends under culture, discretion, and bias. Without enforcement, reforms are little more than ink on paper.
The Question
If communities experience stops as harassment despite official reforms, can Canada honestly say policy has changed practice? Which leaves us to ask: how do we ensure the reality on the street reflects the rights on the page?
Stop, Search, and Street Checks: Practice vs Policy
Policy on Paper
Most Canadian police services have policies governing stops, searches, and street checks (sometimes called “carding”). These policies emphasize legality, documentation, and respect for Charter rights. In theory, they exist to ensure stops are based on reasonable grounds, not bias or convenience.
Practice on the Ground
But lived experience tells a different story:
Canadian Context
The Challenges
The Opportunities
The Bigger Picture
Street checks reveal the core accountability dilemma: law and policy may be clear, but practice bends under culture, discretion, and bias. Without enforcement, reforms are little more than ink on paper.
The Question
If communities experience stops as harassment despite official reforms, can Canada honestly say policy has changed practice? Which leaves us to ask:
how do we ensure the reality on the street reflects the rights on the page?