Practical, legal safety steps for Thunder Bay homes, businesses and residents, including theft prevention, trespass notices, cameras and reporting concerns

Practical precautions, clear staff procedures and timely reporting can reduce risks while keeping responses within the law

THUNDER BAY — October 15, 2026 — Concerns about theft, shoplifting and uncomfortable encounters can affect how people use their neighbourhoods and downtown businesses.

Through 2026 and according to Statistics Canada, crime in Thunder Bay is a serious issue. It is very likely that Thunder Bay will hold the dubious title of “Murder Capital” of Canada again this year, there are more homicides this year so far than in most years that the city has topped the per capita most homicides per 100,000 population.

What is really impacting most residents is the feeling that our city is just as safe as it once was. None of that is statistically measured, but the feelings of frustration, anger, and helplessness are prominent. Social media is loaded with people sharing their experiences.

Residents and shop owners have practical options for protecting themselves and their property, from better locks and lighting to clear emergency procedures.

The most useful safety plan puts people first: reduce opportunities for theft, recognize when an encounter is escalating, create a way to leave and know when to call for help.

Thunder Bay police have acknowledged concerns about disorder and property crime in commercial areas. Their October 9 update says the Project Support pilot has ended, although visible patrols and community engagement continue.

Put personal safety ahead of an argument or stolen property

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety recommends calm communication, personal space and ending an interaction when someone becomes threatening. It also advises getting assistance rather than returning to a situation where there may be a physical threat.

Practical steps include:

• Choose routes with good lighting, clear sightlines and places where you can seek help.
• Keep your phone accessible and remain aware of people and traffic around you.
• If an encounter feels unsafe, create distance and move toward a staffed business or another safer location.
• Keep your voice calm. Avoid insults, challenges or stopping to argue.
• If someone follows, threatens or corners you, call 911 when you can safely do so.

You can decline a request for money with a brief response and keep moving. You do not need to defend your decision or remain in a conversation that makes you uncomfortable.

Separate panhandling from threatening behaviour

Asking for money is not automatically a criminal offence. A person’s poverty, housing situation or appearance does not establish that they pose a danger.

Ontario’s panhandling law also has constitutional limits. In Fair Change v. Ontario, decided April 2, 2024, the Superior Court struck down several provisions of the Safe Streets Act, while upholding its prohibition on genuinely aggressive solicitation.

When reporting a concern, describe what happened: the words used, any threats, unwanted physical contact or attempts to prevent someone from leaving. Give the location and direction of travel.

A description of observable behaviour is more useful than an assumption about someone’s intentions.

Start home security with the basics

RCMP home-security guidance recommends locking doors and windows, securing tools and ladders, removing valuables from vehicles and recording serial numbers. It also recommends exterior lighting and keeping house numbers visible for emergency responders.

A practical home check should include:

• Entry points: Check doors, windows, garage doors, sheds and gates. Have weak locks or damaged frames assessed and repaired.
• Lighting: Illuminate entrances and paths without creating glare into neighbouring homes.
• Portable valuables: Store bicycles, tools and equipment securely. Keep photographs, serial numbers and purchase records.
• Vehicles: Lock up and remove valuables, keys and garage-door remotes.
• Absences: Ask a trusted person to check the property and collect deliveries. Avoid publicly advertising travel plans.

Renters should report broken exterior doors, locks or lighting to the landlord or property manager and document the concern.

If you arrive home and suspect a break-in is underway, stay outside at a safe distance and call 911. Avoid entering to investigate or searching for an intruder.

Security measures should also preserve your ability to escape a fire. Do not create traps or devices intended to injure someone.

Businesses need a plan staff can actually use

Ontario’s Ministry of Labour guidance explains that employers must assess workplace-violence risks, maintain a prevention program and provide appropriate information and instruction. Programs must address getting immediate help, reporting incidents and responding to complaints.

For a retailer, useful measures include:

• Clear sightlines between the sales floor, entrance and counter;
• Secure displays for frequently stolen or high-value merchandise;
• Limited cash in tills and discreet cash-handling routines;
• A reliable way to summon help, such as an alarm or agreed code word;
• Check-ins for employees working alone and a safe closing procedure; and
• Written instructions for thefts, threats, trespassing and emergencies.

A policy directing staff to observe, withdraw and report suspected theft can reduce the need for physical intervention. Managers should explain who contacts police, who assists customers and where employees can move if an incident escalates.

Shoppers who witness suspected theft can alert employees and provide information. Following someone into a parking lot or trying to recover merchandise can turn a property incident into a confrontation.

Buzzer-entry shops should protect access and escape

For businesses considering a locked front door and doorbell, the system needs careful planning.

Customers should be able to see how to request entry and receive a prompt response. Consider whether someone using a mobility aid can reach the bell and how customers with hearing, vision or communication disabilities will obtain assistance.

Security decisions must also respect human rights. The Ontario Human Rights Commission warns that refusing service, searching shoppers or removing people because of unfounded racial assumptions can amount to discrimination.

Before installing or changing door hardware, have a qualified installer assess the arrangement and consult Thunder Bay Fire Rescue about fire-safety requirements. A system that controls entry must not leave customers or employees trapped inside.

The City says commercial fire inspections are available on request.

Use trespass notices carefully and document them

A trespass notice can help address repeated unwanted entry onto private premises.

A business guide available through the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce recommends clear signage, directing people to leave, retaining copies of notices and documenting that warnings were communicated. It advises contacting TBPS if a person refuses to leave or potential danger exists.

If it is safe, an authorized person can clearly communicate that someone must leave the premises. Avoid turning that request into an argument or physical struggle.

Ask police about documenting repeated incidents and the appropriate notice process. Identify the property and the conduct involved. A notice concerning a private business does not give its owner control over a public sidewalk.

Self-defence has limits

Section 34 of the Criminal Code allows a defence where someone reasonably believes force is being used or threatened against them or another person, acts for protection and responds reasonably in the circumstances.

Courts consider factors including the threat, weapons, the people involved and other available responses. Fear alone does not establish that every use of force is justified.

Section 35 separately addresses defence of property and also requires a reasonable response. Owning property does not create unlimited authority to use force against someone who enters it or takes something.

Getting distance, using a barrier and calling police are practical options when they can be done safely. Retaliating after a danger has passed raises different legal issues from responding to an immediate threat.

Be cautious with products sold for self-defence

Pepper spray designed for use against people is a prohibited weapon. Animal-repellent products have a different legal classification, but their misuse can still be an offence. A product being available for purchase does not establish that carrying or using it against a person is lawful.

A charged phone, personal alarm and plan for reaching help are practical options that do not depend on physically overpowering someone.

Citizen’s arrest carries serious risks

Section 494 permits citizen’s arrests in specific circumstances. For property-related offences, the owner, lawful possessor or an authorized person must find the person committing an offence. A later arrest must be within a reasonable time and requires reasonable grounds to believe police intervention is not feasible. An arrested person must be delivered to police without delay.

Justice Canada recommends reporting wrongdoing to police whenever possible. It warns that excessive force, mistaken identification or an unlawful arrest can expose someone to criminal prosecution or a civil lawsuit.

A social-media accusation or resemblance to someone in a video is not a sound basis for a neighbourhood confrontation.

Cameras help preserve evidence, but privacy matters

Businesses should establish a legitimate reason for surveillance, limit camera coverage, post clear notices, restrict access to recordings and delete footage when it is no longer needed.

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada also cautions about recording sound and capturing areas where people expect privacy. Its business-surveillance guidance does not automatically apply in the same way to a homeowner’s personal camera.

For home systems, aim cameras at your own entrances and property, minimize unnecessary recording of neighbours and protect accounts with strong passwords.

TBPS operates a voluntary Camera Registry Program. Its description says registration helps officers identify cameras that may contain useful evidence; officers contact owners when seeking assistance.

After an incident, preserve original recordings before automatic deletion and note any incorrect camera timestamp. Provide evidence to investigators rather than using social media to declare someone guilty.

Report incidents through the right channel

Call 911 for immediate danger, violence, a break-in in progress or another emergency.

For incidents after the danger has passed, contact Thunder Bay Police Service at 807-684-1200 or use the appropriate online reporting option linked from the TBPS website.

In its October update, TBPS reported that online theft and property-damage reports helped investigators connect incidents and identify a suspect. thunderbaypolice.ca

Record dates, times, locations, descriptions, losses and police occurrence numbers. Neighbours and nearby businesses can share factual observations and encourage reporting without organizing confrontations or publishing lists of alleged offenders.

Analysis: For Thunder Bay, stronger everyday precautions and clear reporting can sit alongside longer-term work on housing, mental health, addictions and public spaces. The City identifies those issues as part of its Community Safety and Well-Being planning. Individual safety measures should support that work while giving residents and employees practical options today. City of Thunder Bay