Collection, Use and Reporting of Demographic Statistics

Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world.   The Toronto Police Services Board embraces the diversity of the City of Toronto. 

The Board is committed to ensuring that the Toronto Police Service will provide services in partnership with all the communities of the City and in a way that is equitable, respectful, inclusive and culturally competent. 

The Board is committed to improving services to the public. Based on the principle that only what is measured can be effectively managed, the Board believes that it is important to collect, use and report statistics related to the grounds prohibited under the Ontario Human Rights Code. 

The Board acknowledges that no single statistic is or should be determinative of how deployment decisions are made; rather, such decisions should be based on a combination of considerations because safety in a neighbourhood or the experience of policing by a community depends on an intersectionality of factors. 

The Board categorically opposes the misuse of statistics in a manner that stigmatizes any community. 

The Board requires that this policy be implemented in keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Therefore, in developing and implementing this policy, the Board is committed to working in consultation with the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. 

The Toronto Police Service will be permitted to collect, use and report statistics related to the grounds prohibited under the Ontario Human Rights Code, i.e., race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status or disability, as necessary and appropriate. 

It is the policy of the Toronto Police Services Board that: 

1. The Chief of Police will ensure that the Service establishes a procedure for the collection, use and reporting of statistics related to the grounds prohibited under the Ontario Human Rights Code, i.e., race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status or disability, and that the procedure include provisions to maintain appropriate degrees of confidentiality; 

2. The Chief of Police will ensure that the statistics are not to be used by the Service, under any circumstances, to stigmatize, ascribe criminality to, make value judgments on or otherwise stereotype any community based on group characteristics; 

3. The Chief of Police will report on the collection and use of statistics from time to time as may be required by the Board. 

Board Members 

4. The Board and Board Members will not use statistics under any circumstances, to stigmatize, ascribe criminality to, make value judgments on or otherwise stereotype any community based on group characteristics.