The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) says its new Project Aurora has already led to 20 arrests in just over six weeks, as part of a strategy aimed at preventing serious crimes such as arson, shootings, and home invasions through social media monitoring.
Described by police as an innovative and disruptive project, the program focuses on detecting criminal activity before offences are carried out. According to the SPVM, it relies on structured surveillance active around the clock, with specialized cybercrime teams monitoring platforms where offers of criminal contracts are believed to circulate.
Police say the program involves analyzing coded vocabulary, identifying potential threats, and coordinating between investigative units. Information gathered by the cybercrime unit is shared with other divisions, including anti-gang teams and firearms units, which can then initiate investigations.
In a written statement to The Tribune, Samantha Velandia, a representative from the SPVM Media Team, explained that the unit conducts continuous monitoring to identify and assess potential criminal activity. The SPVM affirms that social media has played a significant role in recruiting young people, who are rarely paid as promised after carrying out illegal acts.
“The cybercrime unit of the SPVM is conducting a proactive and continuous monitoring of social media platforms to identify and assess potential criminal activity,” Velandia wrote.
However, some Montrealers have raised concerns about whether the initiative could reinforce existing biases. Noah Weisbord, associate professor in the Faculty of Law, explained in a written statement to The Tribune that the program risks targeting certain ethnicities.
“SPVM’s racial profiling record means there is a danger that Aurora, without robust safeguards, could unfairly target racialized kids online, hitting some communities harder than others.”
Project Aurora builds on previous efforts, such as outreach to businesses, which focused on in-person engagement and crime prevention. In 2025, the SPVM reported 86 violent incidents targeting business owners, with 46 suspects arrested, including minors. The new initiative adds an intelligence-driven layer that targets the online environments where criminal activity is increasingly organized.
The strategy reflects a broader trend in policing that emphasizes prevention based on digital behaviour rather than crimes committed. Similar efforts have been made at the federal level, including initiatives by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to monitor criminal activity through online data collection. Federal programs like the RCMP’s Project Wide Awake show that large-scale monitoring of social media is not new in Canada.
In a written statement to The Tribune, McGill’s Socialist Fightback Club warns that this signals a broader trend of suppressing activism in the province.
“While the Quebec government is parading this new project as a way of stopping crime and bringing people to justice, in reality these are just new tools that the state will have at its disposal to further crack down on activism at McGill and throughout the rest of the province,” Socialist Fightback wrote. “However, these measures will not scare us off. We will continue openly calling for students and workers at McGill to fight back against any cuts that might come.”
The expansion of social media surveillance has raised legal and ethical questions, pointing to challenges in interpreting online evidence in court. Weisbord commented that while online communications can provide valuable evidence, they also present risks of misinterpretation.
“Screenshots and logs hold up in court if properly authenticated. One danger is [that] police, prosecutors, and judges might misread slang, jokes, or emojis as real intent, charging protected speech. Courts need full context to avoid punishing thoughtcrimes,” Weisbord wrote.
Nonetheless, the SPVM reaffirmed that safeguards are in place. Prosecutors at the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales will review cases involving youth, and the police have emphasized that prevention programs remain part of their approach alongside enforcement.
“A small number of cases do involve youths facing significant challenges, the majority of those who are arrested or investigated are individuals with prior criminal histories or who are already facing charges for other offences,” Velandia wrote. “This approach supports a balanced response that emphasizes prevention and support, while ensuring appropriate accountability when required.”
As Project Aurora continues, questions remain about how to balance crime prevention with privacy and legal protections in the digital landscape. Weisbord emphasized that Project Aurora is still susceptible to political exploitation.
“Aurora has already demonstrated it can help stop violence early. [However], surveillance systems like Aurora don’t stay neutral: Once built, they tend to grow, and in the wrong political moment, they become tools of authoritarian control,” Weisbord wrote.