Some Toronto police will soon carry rifles in public
The move comes in response to an alleged rise in “terrorism, extremism and hate-motivated incidents”
Toronto police are advising residents not to be alarmed if they see officers walking around with large semi-automatic rifles.
At a press conference yesterday, Toronto Police Services deputy chief Frank Barredo announced a new counter-terrorism unit, Task Force Guardian, and said its officers will soon be taking up posts around the city. They will be deployed to tourist attractions, places of worship and other high-traffic areas, to both deter bad actors and reassure marginalized communities, the Toronto Star reports. The rifle-carrying officers will be dressed in grey uniforms and will wear protective body armour and helmets.
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TPS chief Myron Demkiw said the new force is not a response to “any particular threat, but the growing volume and complexity of threats related to terrorism, extremism and hate-motivated incidents,” reports the CBC. In recent weeks, gunshots were fired at three synagogues in the GTA as well as at the US consulate downtown. Toronto is also gearing up to host tens of thousands of tourists for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.
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Whether the sight of heavily armed and armoured police officers inspires feelings of calm and security will depend on the person. A joint statement by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto welcomed the move, but former mayor of Toronto John Sewell said the new arms would only frighten people. “I don’t think that arming officers with big scary guns will solve any problems,” he told the Star.
It’s therefore uncertain what impression the rifle-wielding officers will leave on our World Cup visitors. Even with the recent shots fired at the consulate and synagogues, guns remain a rare presence in our city’s public life, and Toronto consistently ranks as the safest city in North America. The sight of police officers armed to the teeth may challenge that notion.
Anthony Milton is a freelance journalist based in Toronto specializing in long-form magazine writing. He previously worked as an assistant editor at Toronto Life, where he launched the Front Row newsletter. He regularly contributes all sorts of stories to the magazine, including deep dives on sports, business and housing as well as short-form commentary on our ever-changing city, from its obsession with cherry blossoms to its maddening NIMBYism. His work has also appeared in Maclean’s, Ricochet, TVO, the Trillium and more.
