A report on intimate partner violence released by the Ontario government is facing scrutiny after opposition parties claimed portions were generated by artificial intelligence and that some cited sources do not exist. The 877-page study, authored by Progressive Conservative MPP Jess Dixon, was introduced into the legislature on Tuesday.
Report Faces AI and Sourcing Concerns
Members of the Ontario New Democratic Party stated that AI detection programs flagged the report as likely being largely AI-generated. They also allege that multiple sources cited in the report could not be verified.
NDP MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam told The Globe and Mail that citations often led to broken links or inaccurate content. The NDP withdrew from the committee process last month and is preparing to release a dissenting report.
The provincial government has denied that AI was used in the report’s creation. A spokesperson, Jana Sklover, stated the report was reviewed by academics and legislative staff before publication, but declined to name the reviewers or make them available for interviews.
Dixon Defends the Report
When questioned about the opposition’s claims, MPP Dixon stated she could not comment on their assertions. She emphasized the importance of the issue to victims, survivors, and front-line advocates.
Dixon said the report was based on hundreds of sources and drew from the expertise of those who testified before the committee. She reiterated that intimate partner violence is a nonpartisan issue.
Previous Issues and Ongoing Criticism
The committee was established following an NDP bill calling for the recognition of intimate partner violence as an epidemic. The NDP announced its withdrawal from the process in late November.
An investigation by The Globe found examples of incorrect or misattributed citations, including an opinion piece attributed to the wrong author with an incorrect publication year, and a cited paper that could not be found in the journal’s archives.
Myrna Dawson, a professor at the University of Guelph and executive director of the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability, expressed concern over the potential use of AI, questioning the integrity of the report if true.
Similar issues with citations were recently reported in Newfoundland, where a health-care paper by Deloitte Canada required revisions for citation errors.
The Ontario report has also been criticized by the Liberal party for lacking timelines, accountability, and guaranteed resources for implementation.
Dawson also questioned the need for another lengthy report, given the existing body of research on intimate partner violence.
According to the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses, there were 43 femicides in the province between November 2024 and November 2025.
With files from Stephanie Chambers in Toronto
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