Multiple shooter-for-hire attacks in the Greater Toronto Area last year allegedly trace back to Toronto Police Constable Timothy Barnhardt, who investigators say repeatedly used police databases to leak information to suspected organized crime figures, according to warrant applications that led to the Project South takedown.
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that → trace → takedown
The newly released materials allege that while he was being surveilled by authorities, Constable Barnhardt accepted money from criminal figures in exchange for making “numerous” licence plate queries.
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Barnhardt → release → queries
Those criminal figures went on to relay addresses linked to the plate searches to hired gunmen, who were paid to intimidate people and settle scores, the warrant applications allege.
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applications → go → scores
“Barnhardt routinely abused his position as a police officer by selling confidential database information to criminal associates in exchange for cash,” wrote police Constable Antonio D’Onofrio, who signed an affidavit related to the 2025 search-warrant application materials.
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who → abuse → materials
“Barnhardt explicitly expressed indifference to the potential harm caused by the misuse of this information.”
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Barnhardt → express → information
The additional details of the allegations against Constable Barnhardt, who has been named as a central figure in Project South, were released in court documents this week following an application in Ontario Superior Court by a consortium of media partners, including The Globe and Mail.
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who → name → Globe
Those files included what are known as information to obtain documents, which investigators use to get judicial authorization to conduct searches and make arrests.
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investigators → include → arrests
While some of the content of those documents was released in July, portions were placed under a publication ban as the Crown and media outlets argued over whether their release should be shielded to protect fair trial rights.
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release → release → rights
Project South was sparked by the alleged attempted murder of a corrections officer at his home in June, 2025.
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South → spark → June
The warrants, which authorized police search efforts, were issued after that attack and before raids in February that led to charges against seven serving Toronto Police officers including Constable Barnhardt, one retired officer and nearly 20 civilians.
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that → authorize → Barnhardt
Investigators have alleged that Constable Barnhardt was paid to use police databases to leak information about the corrections officer to alleged organized crime figure Brian Da Costa.
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Barnhardt → allege → figure
Both Constable Barnhardt and Mr. Da Costa are in jail awaiting trial on an array of charges.
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Barnhardt → await → charges
Justice Laura Bird ruled Wednesday that some transcripts of key recordings that led to the Project South takedown will remain under a publication ban, concluding that inflammatory comments attributed to Constable Barnhardt would “deeply offend” the public and create an indelible impression on potential jurors.
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comments → rule → jurors
However, Justice Bird lifted the ban on previously unreported evidence investigators gathered against Constable Barnhardt, including details of his alleged interactions with Mr. Da Costa, who police say is the key civilian figure in Project South.
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police → lift → South
The ITO materials allege that Constable Barnhardt did many of his licence plate searches at the behest of Mr. Da Costa, an accused drug dealer.
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Barnhardt → allege → Costa
The warrant materials allege the two were often spotted on surveillance together, at times exchanging documents, capturing images on their phones or even sitting inside a police cruiser that had a data terminal inside of it.
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that → allege → it
“While Barnhardt explained the meaning of the police query results, Da Costa ultimately handed Barnhardt multiple $100 Canadian bills which he placed in the front pocket of his police vest,” the newly released documents say.
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documents → explain → vest
Toronto lawyers Jason Dos Santos, who represents Constable Barnhardt, and Craig Bottomley, who represents Mr. Da Costa, declined to comment on the case.
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who → represent → case
The information to obtain documents contain unproven allegations that have not been tested in court.
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that → obtain → court
ITOs don’t necessarily result in criminal charges and several of the people named in the documents do not face charges.
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several → result → charges
Constable Barnhardt’s alleged search of the corrections officer’s licence plate “was not his only improper query,” Constable D’Onofrio wrote.
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D’Onofrio → allege → plate
“The investigation revealed that he has conducted numerous such queries, for payment, at the request of various people in the criminal underworld.
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he → reveal → underworld
In many instances, the person who was queried was victimized in serious offence (e.g. shootings, extortions) shortly after the query.
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who → query → query
In the summer of 2025, authorities got authorizations to run wiretaps and surveillance on Constable Barnhardt; they also monitored his computer usage.
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they → get → usage
On July 17, he allegedly did another plate search.
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he → do → search
Three days later, shots were fired at a home linked to the plate at 3 a.m., with a man awakened “by the sounds of gunshots,“ the released records say, adding that a bullet casing was on the floor.
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casing → fire → floor
The released materials describe the shocked resident as a man who owed money to “Italian Organized Crime, Hells Angels, and the Towing Industry.”
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who → release → Crime
Constable Barnhardt allegedly searched more plates in September.
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Barnhardt → search → September
The released materials say that on Sept. 6, shooters “fired at the vehicles, front door and windows” of a Vaughan home.
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shooters → release → home
On Sept. 10, another gunman, later arrested, fired 13 rounds through the front door of another house.
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gunman → arrest → house
And on Sept. 24, another gunman discharged six bullets into another residence.
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gunman → discharge → residence
More shootings and other crimes came to light.
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shootings → come → light
The released materials say police “completed a duty to warn” and conducted safety planning with some of the perceived targets, including people who newly moved into homes that gangsters were targeting based on outdated information.
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gangsters → release → information
In recent months, Toronto police have increasingly expressed concern about alleged shooters-for-hire networks.
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police → express → networks
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw is petitioning Parliament for new laws to enable police data searches of devices seized from suspected criminals.
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Demkiw → petition → criminals
Police say that an early-morning police raid in June that left a Toronto police officer dead, and that targeted suspects linked to a shooting at the U.S. consulate in the city, is connected to a wider probe into a network of shooters-for-hire.
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that → say → hire
A source with knowledge of the investigation previously told The Globe this network is also responsible for shooting at buildings that belong to Canadian waste giant GFL Environmental, as well as private residences and tow-truck companies.
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that → tell → Environmental
The Globe did not name the source because they were not authorized to discuss the case.
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they → name → case
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