Police in North Bay say concerns about a data breach has led police to no longer accept anonymous tips from Near North Crime Stoppers. In a news release Friday, police said they received confirmation from Near North that it was affected by a cybersecurity incident involving Navigate360, the third-party provider of the P3 tip-management platform used by Crime Stoppers programs across Canada. Despite the issue with Near North, police stressed their systems operate separately and their data and systems have not been affected. Data breach emerged in June “(North Bay police) first learned of a data breach affecting U.S. Crime Stoppers programs in March 2026,” the release said. “In June 2026, information emerged alleging that Canadian data may also have been affected.” As a precaution, police stopped promoting Crime Stoppers as an option in June and “suspended the use of tips submitted through the platform, with exceptions for certain serious offences, including child safety concerns.” Police are now not taking any tips and recommend Near North shut down its tip lines. “The scope of the incident and the specific information that may have been compromised remain unclear,” police said. Efforts are being made to protect people who have provided tips and to prevent further information breaches. North Bay police said it “recognizes the serious concerns this incident raises, particularly for individuals who have provided anonymous tips through the platform.” Questions about the cybersecurity incident can be directed to the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association at dforster@1800222tips.com. Anyone with information about a crime or public safety concern in North Bay can contact police directly at 705-472-1234. In an emergency, call 911.
