Canada's NCR system under scrutiny after series of fatal mental-health failures

The Investigative Journalism Bureau identified 159 murders from 2018 to 2025 that received not-criminally-responsible (NCR) findings, a designation applied when severe mental illness prevents understanding of wrongdoing. Roughly one-quarter of perpetrators had seen a health-care professional within a month of the killing, and in 56 cases cannabis use was linked to worsening psychosis. Women made up 46% of NCR victims, a rate almost twice that of general homicide statistics, with many killings involving mothers targeted by their own children.

NCR determinations are made by forensic psychiatrists and ultimately decided by courts, leading to confinement in secure mental-health facilities rather than prison, with annual reviews that may result in conditional or absolute discharge. Critics, including provincial leaders, argue the system re-victimizes families and fails to act on clear warning signs, while mental-health professionals acknowledge the difficulty of predicting rare violent outcomes. The findings highlight the need for better screening, consistent follow-up, and clearer accountability within Canada’s mental-health and justice systems.