CPTED stands for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (pronounced “sep-ted”). It’s a proactive design philosophy built on the idea that the proper design and effective use of the built environment can reduce the incidence and fear of crime. In plain terms, it means designing your physical space in a way that makes criminal activity harder, riskier, and less appealing, before anything bad happens.

The concept aims to create urban designs that draw people into public spaces and foster a sense of community pride, which in turn plays a role in suppressing crime. It’s not about turning your business into a fortress. It’s about smart, intentional design choices that work together.

CPTED Ontario is one of the leading resources for Canadian businesses and municipalities looking to implement these principles, and it’s worth bookmarking if you manage a commercial property.

The Liam Riazati Memorial Fund is designed to cover the cost of delivering and installing concrete barriers at eligible child care facilities across Ontario. The barriers will be supplied and installed free of charge to qualifying operators, with the province managing the application process to keep things as straightforward as possible for operators.

Minister Calandra acknowledged at the announcement that $20 million will not be enough to reach every vulnerable space in the province, but stated that additional funding will be made available in coming years if needed. The fund is intended as a starting point while the province examines longer-term safety requirements for the sector.

The short answer is that multiple parties can share liability depending on the circumstances. Ontario law does not automatically pin the entire outcome on the driver.

The driver is typically the first party examined. If their negligence caused the crash, whether through distracted driving, speeding in a parking lot, a medical episode, or an intentional act like a ram raid, they carry primary fault. Their auto insurance would be the first line of financial response.

The vehicle owner can also be held responsible if the driver had their permission to use the vehicle. Ontario legislation establishes that vehicle owners are responsible for the acts and omissions of those to whom they lend their vehicles, even indirectly through a chain of consent. If a company vehicle was involved and the driver was working at the time, the employer may also face liability.

The property owner and/or occupier is where it gets important for business owners. Under Ontario’s Occupiers’ Liability Act, property owners, tenants, and managers have a legal obligation to keep visitors safe on their property. This duty of care applies not just to slip and fall hazards but to foreseeable risks of any kind, including vehicle impact.

Jersey Barriers

Originally developed in New Jersey in the 1950s, Jersey barriers (also called Jersey walls or K-rails) are modular concrete barriers standing approximately 32 inches tall. An interesting Canadian variant is the Ontario Tall Wall, which stands 42 inches tall and has been used by Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation on 400-series highways since the early 1990s.

Where They Work:

• Highway medians separating opposing traffic lanes
• Temporary construction zones requiring quick deployment
• Event crowd control and traffic channeling
• Emergency roadway diversions

Where They Fall Short: According to industry analysis, Jersey barriers are designed to redirect shallow-angle sideswipe collisions on highways, not stop head-on impacts. Their sloped design actually allows vehicle tires to ride up the lower face, minimizing sheet-metal damage—which means they’re built for deflection, not protection. For commercial properties needing to stop unauthorized vehicle access completely, this is a critical weakness.

Additionally, Jersey barriers are bulky, visually intrusive, and difficult to integrate into professional business environments. After Toronto experienced vehicle attacks, the city deployed Jersey barriers around Union Station and other high-traffic areas as temporary measures, but officials acknowledged these weren’t ideal long-term solutions.

Concrete Security Planters

Reinforced concrete planters serve a dual purpose: aesthetics and vehicle stopping power. When properly designed and positioned, security planters can prevent vehicle intrusion while enhancing the appearance of commercial properties.

Advantages:

• Blend security with landscaping
• Less visually aggressive than traditional barriers
• Can be crash-rated for specific protection levels
• Suitable for upscale retail, office buildings, and public spaces

Limitations:

• Require significant space and proper spacing
• Higher cost than traditional bollards
• More complex maintenance (plants, irrigation, seasonal care)
• Less flexible for access control needs
• Cannot be easily removed or relocated

Cable Barriers

High-tension steel cable barriers consist of multiple cables mounted on breakaway posts. They’re designed to absorb impact energy while preventing vehicle crossovers.

Typical Applications:

• Highway median separations
• Roadside protection on curves
• Agricultural and rural property boundaries
• Temporary or semi-permanent installations

Why They Don’t Work for Most Commercial Properties: Cable barriers need significant run length to function properly, typically 100+ feet. They’re designed for highway speeds and shallow-angle impacts, not for stopping vehicles attempting to breach a commercial property perimeter. For dealerships, warehouses, storefronts, and parking facilities, cable barriers simply aren’t practical or effective.

Flex bollards, also known as bendable bollards or flexible delineator posts, are traffic control devices designed to bend upon impact and then return to their original upright position. Unlike traditional rigid steel or concrete bollards that can damage vehicles and remain permanently bent after being hit, flex bollards are engineered to absorb impact without causing harm to either the bollard or the vehicle.

According to the Canadian Parking Association, flexible traffic bollards are rigid enough to give the appearance of sturdy steel bollards but are actually composed of plastic polymer that can bend up to ninety degrees upon impact and return to their original form afterwards.

Mark Kusiewicz, the dealership manager with over 40 years in the automotive industry, spoke to CP24 about the incident. Standing in his now-empty showroom, he expressed what many business owners are feeling: “You hear about it. You see it. Then when it happens to you, it’s quite surreal.”

Lockwood Leasing had security measures in place. They had cameras. They had an alarm system. But when determined criminals arrived with a plan, none of those electronic systems could physically stop them from smashing through glass, grabbing keys, and driving away with millions in inventory.

Two suspects have been charged so far—Amin Hadj Kaddour, 24, of Mississauga, and Joshua Twa’colagiacomo, 24, of Victoria Harbour—but Halton police are still searching for additional suspects and several missing vehicles. Four cars have been recovered abandoned across the GTA, but the Ferrari (worth approximately $620,000 alone), along with several other high-end vehicles, remain missing.

• Outdoor play spaces
• Main building entrances
• Pedestrian walkways
• Window-adjacent activity rooms

Winter transforms Toronto’s roads into hazardous zones where even experienced drivers can lose control. According to the Ontario Road Safety Annual Report, nearly 30% of all motor vehicle accidents occur during adverse weather conditions. Recent data shows that winter driving conditions account for over 30% of all weather-related accidents in Ontario.

Just this past November, the Ontario Provincial Police responded to approximately 220 collisions across the GTA during the first major snowfall of the season. Most accidents involved rear-end collisions caused by black ice, reduced visibility, and drivers failing to adjust their speed for winter conditions.

One of the most immediate ways bollards save money is by preventing vehicle-related damage. Whether it’s an accidental collision or a deliberate attempt to ram through a storefront, bollards act as a physical barrier that protects your infrastructure. Commercial bollards are increasingly used in Canadian cities to safeguard public and private spaces from vehicle intrusions.

Consider the cost of repairing a damaged façade, replacing broken windows, or dealing with structural harm, expenses that can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars. Bollards mitigate these risks, offering peace of mind and a strong return on investment.

Canadian retailers face an unprecedented theft crisis. According to The Globe and Mail, Canadian retailers lost $9.1 billion to theft in 2024, up significantly from $5 billion in 2018. Approximately 45 per cent of incidents in 2024 included violence against staff or customers.

The Retail Council of Canada reports that some of its largest members have seen a 300 per cent increase in thefts since 2020. According to Statistics Canada, rates of shoplifting jumped 31 per cent in 2022 compared with 2021.

Ram raids, where criminals deliberately drive vehicles into storefronts to steal merchandise, have become an increasingly common threat. High end stores such as jewelers, electronics retailers, and luxury fashion boutiques face particular risk. Installing crash rated bollards at storefront entrances creates a physical barrier that stops vehicles before they can breach the building.

Beyond ram raid protection, retail bollards also protect pedestrians in busy shopping areas. Placing bollards near walkways, building entrances, and pedestrian crossings ensures that vehicles cannot accidentally drive into areas where people are walking.