February 26, 2026 Canadian officials were left “disappointed” after OpenAI presented no substantial new safety measures during a high-level meeting about its handling of a user account linked to a deadly British Columbia school shooting. The dispute centres on whether AI companies should be required to alert police when they detect credible warning signs of violence, rather than relying solely on internal review.
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon summoned OpenAI’s senior safety team to Ottawa after it was reported the company had suspended 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT account in June 2025 over posts describing gun violence scenarios, but did not inform law enforcement. On Feb. 10, Van Rootselaar killed eight people, including family members and individuals at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, before losing his own life to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Following Tuesday’s meeting, which included Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and Culture Minister Marc Miller, Solomon said, “We made it clear that Canadians expect credible warning signs of serious violence to be escalated in a timely and responsible way. Internal review alone is not sufficient when public safety is at stake.” He added that the government expressed “our disappointment that no substantial new safety measures were presented at this time.”
OpenAI has said the account was flagged through automated systems and human review aimed at detecting “misuses of our models in furtherance of violent activities.” Roughly a dozen employees debated whether to contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but concluded the posts did not indicate “credible or imminent planning” of violence. The company contacted the RCMP only after the suspect’s identity became public the day after the attack.
British Columbia Premier David Eby called the timeline “infuriating,” saying: “From the outside, it looks like OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent this tragedy.” Solomon said “all options are on the table” regarding potential regulation but did not announce specific legislation.
