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Reaction in Ontario to Bill 110: Canada’s first mandatory gunshot wound reporting law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Howard Ovens ,
Hannah Park  and
Bjug Borgundvaag
Howard Ovens*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Services, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ont.
Hannah Park
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Bjug Borgundvaag
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Services, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ont.
*
Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Ave., Rm. 206, Toronto ON M5G 1X5; fax 416 586 4719; hovens@mtsinai.on.ca

Abstract

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Objective:

With the proclamation of Bill 110 in September 2005, Ontario became the first jurisdiction in Canada to mandate that gunshot wounds (GSWs) be reported to authorities. We sought to evaluate the impact of Bill 110, including the awareness of, experience with and opinions about the new law among Ontario emergency physicians (EPs), the public and the police.

Methods:

An online survey was distributed to all members of the Section on Emergency Medicine at the Ontario Medical Association. The public survey consisted of 3 closed questions and was performed by the polling firm Ipsos-Reid by telephone. Police opinion was requested through the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services of the Ontario government.

Results:

The physician response rate was 25%. The great majority of respondents were aware of the law (93%) and willing to comply (88%), but only half were sure of their obligations and the penalties. Since the law had been proclaimed, the majority (51%) had seen at least 1 GSW victim. Seventy-nine percent reported no problems with either the police or the bill, and 86% perceived no change in relations with patients. Six incidents of patients delaying care were reported. Of the public surveyed, two-thirds were aware of the law. After being informed of the law, almost all (95%) expressed support, and the majority (80%) felt it would not change their relationship with their treating physician. All 47 members of the Ontario Provincial Police who were surveyed agreed that Bill 110 is helpful for shooting investigations, 8 reported that they had personally been involved in cases initiated by a report and 6 had been involved in cases where charges were laid or weapons confiscated. Data on actual reports and results of investigations were not available.

Conclusion:

Bill 110 seems to have been broadly accepted by the emergency community and endorsed by the public.

Keywords

gunshot woundreportingOntario Bill 110
Type
Original Research • Recherche originale
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 3 - 13
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2009

References

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