What Is The Sex Offenders Registry?
The Sexual Offender Information Registration Act (or SOIRA) is a database available to police that provides information with regard to individuals convicted of sexual offences. The purpose of the database is to require convicted individuals to register so that police can prevent and investigate sexual crimes. The database includes the following information about offenders:
- Name and any alias they use;
- Date of Birth;
- Gender;
- Address of every place they have lived, worked, and volunteered;
- Address of any educational institution where they are enrolled;
- Their telephone number;
- Height and weight;
- Every distinguishing mark on their body;
- Licence plate number and vehicle make, model, year, and colour;
- Licence number and name of issuing jurisdiction(s);
- Passport number and name of issuing jurisdiction(s);
- If applicable, their military status; and
- Photograph of the offender (optional)
If convicted of a "designated offence" under section 490.011(1), which includes sexual assault, you will be required to register under SOIRA. This order is mandatory if you are convicted. The length of the order depends on how the Crown proceeded and the length of sentence ordered:
- 10 years if the offence was prosecuted by summary conviction OR the maximum term of imprisonment for the offence is 2 or 5 years;
- 20 years if the maximum term of imprisonment was 10-14 years;
- For life if the maximum term of imprisonment is life imprisonment.
Offenders will be required to report every year, as well as notify the police if they intend to be away from their address for more than 7 days.
