An Ontario judge tasked with reviewing the practice of police street checks widely known as carding says there's little to no proof it has had an effect on the level of crime or arrests.
The conclusion is outlined in a 310-page report by Appeal Court Justice Michael Tulloch on how a street check regulation has been implemented by police forces across Ontario.
Tulloch says some police forces reported other ways to gather and use data they already have rather than stopping people randomly and asking for identifying information.
He has listed a series of recommendations that includes the government changing the regulation to state that no police officer should arbitrarily stop individuals to request their identifying information as well as increased training for officers on the practice.
Ontario's former Liberal government introduced new carding rules in 2016, outlining that police must inform people that they don't have to provide identifying information during street checks, and that refusing to co-operate or walking away cannot then be used as reasons to compel information.
Data has shown that officers were disproportionately stopping black, Indigenous and other racialized people.
Correctional Services Minister Sylvia Jones says Tulloch's report will guide the Progressive Conservative government as it reviews policing legislation in the province, adding that racism has no place in law enforcement.