Toronto Police ended its Vulnerable Persons Registry on November 3. About 3,000 users were told in September.
Toronto Police Service discontinued the Vulnerable Persons Registry, a free database of information about people who are likely to need help if they go missing or face a crisis. TPS says newer tools provide faster and broader access to the same type of information. The Alzheimer Society of Toronto says the registry served about 3,000 of its clients.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on ctvnews.ca.
Toronto Police Service shut down its Vulnerable Persons Registry on November 3. The free database, launched in 2019, let caregivers file information about a person who might need help in a crisis, so officers responding to a call would have something to draw on before arriving.
TPS spokesperson Nadine Ramadan told CP24 that internal reviews found the registry did not work as intended. Participation was low, and the information was often not available early enough to help officers on a call.
A 2024 investigation by Ombudsman Toronto found the same problems. Ombudsman Kwame Addo said TPS did not give the public enough information to decide whether to use the registry, did not invest in awareness after the initial launch, assigned no one person to manage it, and had low internal staff awareness.
TPS says newer tools now provide what the registry was meant to offer. The RapidSOS Safety Network tool gives communications operators and the operations centre access to medical information faster. TPS also listed Apple Medical ID, Android Emergency settings and MedicAlert as options residents can use on their own.
Dave Spedding, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, told CP24 the registry was valuable for clients. The society serves about 15,000 of the estimated 50,000 Toronto residents living with dementia. Spedding said four in 10 people experiencing memory or cognitive changes wander, and a person with dementia is 2.5 times more likely to go missing than a person without it.
He said an estimated 3,000 Alzheimer Society clients received email notice in September that the registry was closing. The society is directing those clients to its own Finding Your Way program, which lets caregivers gather information that can be shared with emergency responders.
Toronto Police say they remain committed to ensuring first responders can support vulnerable people, and that the transition to newer technology incorporates the Ombudsman's recommendations.
Existing records in the registry will be kept for up to one year before disposal.
Residents who want to register emergency information for a family member can visit alzheimer.ca for the Finding Your Way program, use Apple Medical ID or Android Emergency settings, or contact MedicAlert. Anyone who needs to report a missing or at-risk person should call 9-1-1.
Questions this story answers
What was the Toronto Police Vulnerable Persons Registry?
The Vulnerable Persons Registry was a free database operated by Toronto Police Service since 2019. Caregivers and individuals could register information about a person who might need help in a crisis: someone living with dementia, autism, or another condition that could make it harder to communicate with officers in an emergency. The idea was that officers responding to a call would have access to that information before arriving.
Why did Toronto Police discontinue the Vulnerable Persons Registry?
TPS spokesperson Nadine Ramadan told CP24 that internal reviews found the registry did not work as effectively as intended. Participation remained limited and the information was not always available early enough in a call response. A 2024 investigation by Ombudsman Toronto found that TPS did not provide enough public information about the registry, did not invest in promotion after the initial launch, assigned no single person or unit to manage it, and that internal staff awareness was low. TPS said those findings informed the decision to end the program.
What tools does Toronto Police say will replace the registry?
TPS pointed to several alternatives. RapidSOS's Safety Network tool allows TPS communications operators and the operations centre to access medical information faster without a separate database, Ramadan told CP24. TPS also listed Apple Medical ID, Android Emergency settings, information resources for caregivers, and the MedicAlert service as voluntary options for people who want to share emergency information.
What did the Alzheimer Society of Toronto say?
Dave Spedding, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, told CP24 the registry was an important resource for his organization's clients. The society serves about 15,000 of the 50,000 people in Toronto who live with dementia. Spedding said four in 10 people experiencing memory or cognitive changes wander, and a person with dementia is 2.5 times more likely to go missing than a person without it. He said an estimated 3,000 clients received an email in September telling them the registry was shutting down. His organization is directing those clients to its own 'Finding Your Way' program.
What did Ombudsman Toronto say about the registry?
Ombudsman Kwame Addo said in a statement to CP24 that the 2024 investigation found several issues. Toronto Police did not provide enough information for the public to decide whether to use the registry, did not invest in raising awareness after launch, assigned no one to manage it, and had low internal staff awareness. The resulting report made 13 recommendations. TPS agreed to ensure any new systems it adopts come with clear and accurate information about their purposes, how to register, and how registrants' information is stored and accessed.
What happens to the information already in the Vulnerable Persons Registry?
TPS told CP24 that existing records in the Vulnerable Persons Registry will be kept for up to one year before being disposed of. TPS did not say where the records are stored during that period or who has access to them. The registry was discontinued on November 3, 2026, so the disposal date falls no earlier than November 3, 2027.
What should people who relied on the registry do now?
TPS is advising residents to call 9-1-1 immediately if someone is in danger, needs urgent medical help, or is missing and may be at risk. For people who want to register information in advance, TPS pointed to RapidSOS, Apple Medical ID, Android Emergency settings and MedicAlert. The Alzheimer Society of Toronto's Finding Your Way program collects information that caregivers can share with emergency responders and is available at alzheimer.ca. Toronto's 211 service can also connect residents with community support options.
When was the registry discontinued and how many users were there?
The Vulnerable Persons Registry was discontinued on November 3, 2026. The Alzheimer Society of Toronto's CEO told CP24 that an estimated 3,000 of his organization's clients had been notified by email in September that it was closing. TPS did not publish a total figure for all registered users across all conditions.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
Found an error? Tell the editors with the corrections form. A correction is noted on the story it changes. Read our standards.
Topics
More from voche.me
