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Halloween safety

Police in several provinces investigate reports of needles in Halloween candy

Police in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta are looking into separate reports, and no injuries have been reported

Police in several provinces investigate reports of needles in Halloween candy

Police in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta are investigating separate reports of needles and other apparent tampering found in Halloween candy after trick-or-treating on Oct. 31, according to Global News. No injuries have been reported, and each investigation is ongoing.

The RCMP in Nova Scotia and Alberta, Quebec provincial police and Durham Regional Police are among the services that have issued public notices advising people to check their children's trick-or-treat hauls, Global News reported.

Durham police said Sunday they are investigating after sewing needles were found in Halloween candy in Oshawa.

Quebec provincial police said they have received two calls about needles found in chocolate or candy in Drummondville, about 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

Nova Scotia RCMP said a parent found a syringe in a child's bag after trick-or-treating in Beaver Bank. RCMP in Blackfalds, Alta., said a needle was found in Halloween candy after a child went trick-or-treating in the town's northeast.

Barry Horn, a father of three, told Global News on Monday that his family found five pieces of candy that appeared to have been tampered with after trick-or-treating in Toronto's Beaches neighbourhood.

"You hear of these things happening, but you never think it's going to happen to you or your family or your kids," Horn said.

He said the experience will make the family more aware of the houses they visit and what their children receive, though celebrating remains a big part of what the kids enjoy.

How this story was checked

4 of 5 main claims confirmed by other sources. An editor checked the story and approved it before it was published.

Independent web check · Trust score 90/100

An AI check searched the web for each main claim. The score comes only from what it found, so the newsroom cannot change it. How the score works

  1. Confirmed Durham police said they are investigating after sewing needles were found in Halloween candy in Oshawa. Independent outlets report Durham Regional Police are investigating five sewing needles allegedly found in candy in Oshawa. Toronto police are separately investigating a similar report. Needles found in Halloween candy in Toronto and Durham
  2. Confirmed Quebec provincial police said they received two calls about needles found in chocolate or candy in Drummondville. CP24 and CBC report that the Sûreté du Québec is investigating two incidents in Drummondville involving needles and metal pins in chocolate. Needles, metal pins found in Halloween chocolate in Quebec, police say · Quebec provincial police investigating cases of pins and needles in Halloween candy
  3. Confirmed Nova Scotia RCMP said a parent found a syringe in a child's bag after trick-or-treating in Beaver Bank. RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment reported a syringe found by a parent in a child's Halloween treat bag in Beaver Bank on Oct. 31. CTV and CP24 carried the same account. Syringe found in child's Halloween treat bag: N.S. RCMP · RCMP warning residents after suspicious item found in Halloween treat bag
  4. Confirmed RCMP in Blackfalds, Alta., said a needle was found in Halloween candy after a child went trick-or-treating in the town's northeast. Red Deer Advocate and CTV report that RCMP issued a warning after a needle was found following trick-or-treating in northeast Blackfalds. Needle found in Halloween candy in central Alberta · RCMP issue warning after Blackfalds family reports needle in Halloween candy
  5. Not found No injuries have been reported, and each investigation is ongoing. The reports I found describe ongoing investigations. I found nothing that settles the claim that no injuries were reported in all four provinces.

Our newsroom's record

An editor checked 3 claims in this story against 1 source before it was published.

Claims checked: 3. Sources used: 1. 3 without a second source of our own (the web check above may still have found one).

Sources the newsroom lists

  1. Canadian police urge caution after reports of tampered Halloween candy (News report or publication)

Independent web check on Nov 2, 2026. Checked by our verification desk on Nov 2, 2026. An editor approved the story before it was published. Our standards

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