It will focus on the effectiveness and adequacy of police services across the province
Former Court of Appeal for Ontario judge William Hourigan has been named the inspector for Ontario’s police integrity and anti-corruption practices inspection.
The landmark inspection will focus on determining police services’ adequacy and effectiveness, including those delivered by the Ontario Provincial Police. It will investigate system-level practices to prevent, detect, respond to, and safeguard organizations against corruption and not on individual contact.
The inspection will also cover police service boards. According to Ontario inspector general of policing Ryan Teschner, the inspection is the first of its kind in the country, “both in its scale and in its focus on system‑wide police integrity and anti‑corruption risks.”
“I determined it was necessary to appoint an external inspector with experience leading large‑scale, independent public investigations and inquiries to ensure this work is conducted with the focus and rigour it requires, and in a manner that maintains public trust,” Teschner said in a statement. “I have every confidence that the Honourable William Hourigan will bring his exceptional skills and judicial background to this important work, and I am grateful he has agreed to carry out this inspection.”
Hourigan retired from the Court of Appeal for Ontario in November 2025 after serving for 12 years beginning in 2013. He also sat on the Ontario Superior Court of Justice as a justice, having been appointed to this role in 2009.
He has presided over jury and non-jury civil, criminal, and family matters; moreover, he spearheaded significant independent inquiries and statutory reviews for government. He led an investigation under Alberta's Police Act last year and provided recommendations for bolstering and updating the civilian oversight of police services.
Hourigan was the commissioner of the 2022 public inquiry into the Ottawa Light Rail Transit system. He was once a senior litigator.
As inspector, Hourigan will be authorized to obtain all information he needs from Ontario's police services and boards. He may conduct document and data reviews, interviews, expert and other consultations, and benchmarking against leading practices, per a media release by the Inspectorate of Policing.
“I intend to approach this inspection with rigour and a focus on ensuring that the systems designed to protect police integrity are working as intended, so that the public can continue to have confidence in their police services and the boards that govern them,” Hourigan said.
The inspector and his team will commence their work to identify evidence of possible compliance issues, systemic risks, strengths and shortcomings, and areas for improvement with the release of the inspection’s terms of reference. According to the Inspectorate of Policing, Hourigan’s inspection is not expected to hamper or interfere with current police investigations or criminal proceedings.
Hourigan is set to submit findings to the inspector general within 18 months. The Inspectorate of Policing indicated that it would publish regular updates on its website.
Based on the inspection’s results, the inspector general may issue legally binding directions if the CSPA was not complied with. Should the inspection unearth concerns that require immediate corrective action, the inspector general will be informed and may then issue such directions as appropriate; actions will also be made public.
“Strong policing depends on strong systems – systems that not only hold organizations accountable when problems arise, but also identify risks early, strengthen safeguards over time, and uphold consistent standards. This work will strengthen the entire policing system and will support the almost 40,000 police service members in delivering high-quality services that keep communities across Ontario safe,” Teschner said.
Teschner announced the inspection in February after the York Regional Police’s Project South investigation led to seven active police officers and one retired Toronto police officer being charged with bribery, shielding illicit cannabis dispensaries for drug traffickers, identity theft, and accessing confidential information to progress a murder plot against an Ontario correctional facility manager.
