Regina families got away with no tricks, only treats this Halloween, according to Regina Police Services.
There have been no reports of any tampered treats, unlike families across Canada who haven’t been so lucky. In the past three days, there have been several reports from provinces such as Manitoba, Alberta, and Ontario that have found needles and holes in their candy.
“We have not received any reports thus far of tampering with candy this Halloween,” said RPS.
Jennifer Anderson, a mother of two, said she made a point of inspecting her children’s Halloween candy when they were younger.
“I know there were reports last year. So then, after I had seen some of that, I did have another conversation with them. Like, if anything looks weird, if anything’s opened,” Anderson said.
Although her children are older now, Anderson said the reports still raise questions about why someone would deliberately tamper with Halloween candy.
“I don’t understand the underlying motive,” she said.
Anderson said she finds it difficult to imagine someone in her own neighborhood intentionally trying to harm others, noting that she would be more likely to believe a third party tampered with the candy than that someone local altered it deliberately.
“I can’t imagine any of my neighbors doing that,” Anderson said.
Parents in Regina have been long time concerned about the potential dangers in their child’s candy.
In an email, the Regina Police Service said: “However, we want to remind parents and guardians to continue to be vigilant and check their child’s candy prior to enjoying the sweet treats.”
A 2025 RPS media realse said it investigated a report after a parent found what appeared to be a thin piece of metal inside a chocolate bar collected while trick-or-treating in the Greens on Gardiner neighborhood. This followed another report from Northwest Regina’s Fairways West area about a parent finding a thin piece of metal inside a chocolate bar.
Across Canada, news stations such as Global News have reported on the needles and other foreign objects found in Halloween candy. Bringing renewed attention to the precautions parents take when their children return home from trick-or-treating
While some parents remain cautious, others question how much of the concern surrounding tampered Halloween candy is fuelled by social media.
Kristen Cowman, a mother of three, said she believes many of the reports may be exaggerated.
“I think a lot of it is actually a hoax. I think the internet likes to elevate these things,” Cowman said.
However, Cowman acknowledged that deliberate tampering can happen, adding that some incidents may be motivated by people seeking attention online.
“I think that there are some people who do it, but I think that a lot of times it’s for the clicks,” she said.
Despite questioning the reports, Cowman said checking whether candy has been opened or altered remains an important precaution for parents.
“What we really look for when we go through that stuff is like open packaging, packaging that looks like it’s been altered,” she said.
