News Release
Update to SIU’s Less-Lethal Firearm Investigations
Case Number: N/A
As of January 1, 2026, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) will no longer investigate cases involving Anti-Riot Weapon ENfields (ARWENs), and other similar weapons, that do not result in serious injury or death.
By way of amendments made by the government to Ontario Regulation 660/20, under the Special Investigations Unit Act, 2019, ARWENs and similar weapons will be excluded from the definition of 'firearm' in the new year. This means the use of these weapons by officials that does not result in serious injury or death will not prompt an SIU investigation. Police services will still be required to submit an incident report as part of the regular internal police process, and any case involving serious injury or death will still require an SIU investigation.
Effective January 1, 2026, the use of the following weapons that do not result in serious injury or death are exempt from SIU investigation:
- Firearms listed as prohibited or restricted under regulations to the Criminal Code.
- PepperBall launchers or similar devices that discharge irritant projectiles.
- 37 mm or 40 mm calibre launchers, including ARWEN 37, ARWEN Ace, and models manufactured by Sage Control Ordnance International.
- Shotguns, when used exclusively with less-lethal projectiles.
The SIU will continue to investigate instances where traditional firearms are discharged, whether or not it results in serious injury or death.
For media inquiries, please contact siu.media@ontario.ca
Q&As
ARWEN Firearm Exemption
Q. Why did the Ontario government make this regulatory change?
The Ministry of the Attorney General amended the regulation under the Special
Investigations Unit Act, 2019 to exclude Anti-Riot Weapon ENfields (ARWENs) and
similar less-lethal devices from the definition of 'firearm'. This means that the police
discharge of less-lethal weapons at a person will not prompt an SIU investigation. Police
services will still be required to submit an incident report as part of the regular internal
police process, and any case involving serious injury or death will still require reporting
to the SIU.
This change is expected to free up resources by allowing the SIU to focus its capacity
on critical incidents. The SIU remains mandated to investigate incidents where the
discharge of less-lethal devices results in serious injury or death, but not in cases where
no one was seriously injured or died.
Q. Does this mean there is no longer any oversight of ARWEN discharges by
police in the province?
Any incident involving a less-lethal firearm discharge will still require reporting to the
SIU, and will continue to be investigated by the SIU if it results in a serious injury or
death of a person. Police services will still be required to submit an incident report as
part of their regular internal process, and if no death or serious injury occurs, an
individual may make a complaint with the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency, which
has a mandate to address public complaints regarding the conduct of police officers in
Ontario.
Q. When will this change occur?
The amended regulation will come into force on January 1, 2026.
Q. What about the SIU’s existing ARWEN-related cases?
All ongoing ARWEN-related investigations will continue. Only those cases that are
reported on or after January 1, 2026, will be excluded from the definition of ‘firearm’ and
therefore the SIU will no longer have the statutory authority to investigate.
Q. Under the amended regulation, shotguns and specific federally listed firearms
are now exempt from SIU investigation. Are these less-lethal devices? If not, why
would they be exempt?
The amended regulation excludes from the SIU’s mandate shotguns where they
discharge less-lethal rounds, such as bean bag rounds.
Q. How many cases involving less-lethal firearms has the SIU investigated since
the SIU Act, 2019 came into force (From December 1, 2020, to date?) How many
resulted in serious injuries or charges?
Since the SIU Act came into force five years ago, the SIU has been mandated to
investigate the police discharge of a firearm at a person that does not result in serious
injury or death, including ARWENs. This will no longer be the case, as ARWENs and
similar weapons, will no longer be considered “firearms” for purposes of the SIU’s
mandate.
Very few of the SIU’s cases to date involving ARWENs and similar weapons directly
result in the serious injury or death of a person. The projectile typically causes no
serious injury but may cause bruising or lacerations.
From December 1, 2020, to November 26, 2025, there were 102 SIU cases involving
ARWENs or other similar devices (such as BIPs, sock guns, less-lethal shotguns, etc).
Of those, 11 resulted in serious injury (about 10 per cent of cases) and one charge was
laid (no serious injury involved).
Q: Who may I contact if I have questions about the changes?
Inquiries regarding the regulatory change may be directed to the Ministry of the Attorney
General at attorneygeneral@ontario.ca.
Inquiries regarding SIU investigations may be directed to the SIU at
If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES