St. Catharines councillor to table motion advocating sex offender bail reform to federal government

A St. Catharines councillor is to table a motion today advocating that the federal government address bail reform and make the national sex offender registry more publicly accessible following the horrific sexual assault of a child in Welland this August.

Councillor Kevin Townsend will table the motion.

The council meeting will take place in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 50 Church St. at 6 p.m. Residents can watch in person or online via the City’s YouTube page.

Earlier this month St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe wrote a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford stating his support for Welland Mayor Frank Campion in his quest for sex offender bail reform.

Mayor Campion wrote directly to Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sept. 4 demanding urgent bail reforms.

“As Mayor Frank Campion has made clear, the failings of our current system are leaving communities exposed to violent repeat offenders who face little real consequence for their actions. The result is devastating to the community, and the public is losing confidence in the institutions charged with keeping them safe,” Mayor Siscoe said in his letter to the premier.

READ MORE: Community rallies in St. Catharines following Welland child sexual assault