Re: Ruben Stolove
ORB File No: 7590
Hearing held on: Thursday, February 5, 2026
Place of hearing: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. M.D. Segal
Members: Dr. G.A. Chaimowitz Dr. H. Moulden Hon. N. Kozloff Mr. S. Duffy
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Ruben Stolove Counsel: Mr. S. Gehl
The person in charge of hospital: Counsel: Ms. M. Warner
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Mr. C. Coughlan
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated March 9, 2026)
Introduction
Ruben Stolove, age 30, was on August 20, 2019, found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder on charges of assault, assault causing bodily harm, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, all contrary to the Criminal Code.
Mr. Stolove is subject to a Detention Order with privileges up to and including to attend on hospital and grounds accompanied by staff or a person approved by the person in charge.
On February 5, 2026, Mr. Stolove appeared before the Ontario Review Board (the “Board”) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (the “hospital”). Mr. Stolove’s father attended.
The Board had before it as Exhibit 1 the Hospital Report dated January 15, 2026.
When he came under Board supervision, Mr. Stolove was a resident of the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Provincial Forensic Division. On May 21, 2025, Mr. Stolove was transferred to the hospital where he was placed on a secure forensic unit.
In preliminary positions, all counsel agreed that significant threat was made out and that the disposition should be expanded so that Mr. Stolove remain on a Detention Order but in the Forensic Service with hospital and ground privileges, indirectly supervised, community privileges escorted, accompanied or indirectly supervised, and the ability to live in the community in approved accommodation. If entering the community, reporting should be not less than once a week. By the conclusion of the hearing, the Board agreed that significant risk to the safety of the public was present and that the jointly proposed conditions be added to the Disposition, a Detention Order on the Forensic Service.
Diagnoses
- • Schizophrenia
- Substance use Disorder (cannabis)
Index Offence
- The circumstances of the index offences have been taken from the previous Reasons for Disposition, as follows:
“On September 27, 2015, the 27-year-old female victim had exited the Eglinton Avenue West subway station and began walking north along a particular walkway. She noticed the accused approximately 10 metres or so north of her, lurking in the darkness. As the victim continued up the path, the accused now began quickly running towards her with what the victim described as a “sickly smile” on his face. The accused continued to run directly at her, knocking her to the ground. He then immediately grabbed her, brandishing a sharp bladed object and began furiously and repeatedly slashing at the victim’s neck and face. The accused said nothing as he viciously continued to attack the victim. The victim, still in shock at what was happening, grabbed at the accused’s hands, and tried to cover her neck. She could feel what she believed to be the triangular blade of a boxcutter or utility knife.
She could also now feel the blood flowing from her neck. To save herself and stop the attack, the victim tried to grab and punch the accused in his groin, at the same time screaming for help. The accused eventually stopped and fled from the scene on foot northbound up the walkway.
After a media release, the accused father contacted police to report that his son’s grandmother had informed them that the accused said that he had just stabbed someone in the Marlee Avenue area. After investigation by the police, the accused was eventually arrested.”
Background
The Hospital Report contains a significant amount of information relating to Mr. Stolove’s background and psychiatric history and need not be reviewed here beyond the following material points. As noted in last year’s reasons, Mr. Stolove is a 30-year-old man who was born and raised in Toronto. His parents separated and he and his sisters resided with his mother until he was eight. His mother reportedly was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. At that time, he and his siblings were put into foster care for approximately one year until his grandmother applied for guardianship, which was granted when he was 9 years of age.
Mr. Stolove struggled academically in school and was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He was able to complete a partial year of Grade 10. However, at that time he began using marijuana and began experiencing psychotic symptoms. His cannabis usage gradually increased, to the point where he would use approximately a half ounce over a four-day period. He also used other illicit substances, such as cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, and considerable amounts of alcohol.
Mr. Stolove’s first contact with psychiatric serves was in July 2012 when he was admitted to CAMH. He was experiencing paranoia and active auditory hallucinations. He was treated with antipsychotic medication and referred to the North York General Hospital Youth and Adolescent Program. He did not follow up with this service. Within a month, Mr. Stolove was returned to CAMH by his father who reported that his son had pulled a knife on him. Mr. Stolove described increasing psychotic symptoms and believed that people were trying to kill him. This belief caused him to carry a knife in his pocket.
Between July 2012 and September 2015 (the time of the index offence) Mr. Stolove had multiple psychiatric admissions to hospital. He was observed to become increasingly paranoid towards others, remained medically noncompliant, and was using significant amounts of illicit substances. In April 2015, Mr. Stolove threatened to kill his grandmother and grabbed her wrists, which led to bruising. During a visit with her, he put his hands around her neck but responded to staff direction. He assaulted numerous co-patients and required multiple restraints.
Following the commission of the index offences, Mr. Stolove was found unfit to stand trial and became subject to the jurisdiction of the Board. After several assaults against co-patients while at CAMH, Mr. Stolove was transferred to Waypoint. In November 2017, Mr. Stolove was approved for and started on a trial of clozapine. He also began working with the psychometrist who provided fitness coaching. Mr. Stolove ultimately was found fit to stand trial and, upon being found not criminally responsible, was readmitted to Waypoint.
Mr. Stolove initially resided on Beckwith B, a highly supervised and structured unit within the High Secure Forensic Program at Waypoint. At times, he was not compliant with his oral medication and experienced a deterioration in his mental state. He was threatening and assaultive towards staff and co-patients and displayed sexually inappropriate behaviour. He frequently required periods of seclusion.
In 2021, Mr. Stolove only once refused to take his clozapine. In addition, staff noted a reduction in his anger and irritability when zuclopenthixol was introduced. He was transferred to the Beausoleil Program, which is the most privileged unit within the High Secure Forensic Program. Since that transfer, there has been a gradual and sustained improvement in his mental state, with a reduction in his voicing thoughts of violence and thoughts related to drug use.
Evidence at Hearing
Dr. C. Arnold, who had been Mr. Stolove’s psychiatrist from July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, testified. Dr. Arnold had consulted with the team and read the clinical record from January 1, 2026, onward before testifying.
Dr. Arnold described the transition as successful. Mr. Stolove was now psychiatrically stable. The administration of medication had been simplified. There were no psychotic symptoms. Mr. Stolove quickly moved up the privilege ladder reaching his maximum at level 2 in August 2025. If not for the Disposition, he would have continued to move up the ladder. Mr. Stolove’s use of his passes has been perfect. He uses his passes daily or every second day.
Mr. Stolove has been adherent to medications. He has been abstinent of substances. All screens have been negative.
Mr. Stolove has been actively involved in programming. There is not much he does not show interest in. He has attended core programming, a concurrent disorders group, an illness recovery group, DBT and CBT. He works well with the occupational therapist to address his vocational skills.
Mr. Stolove has a good relationship with staff. The friction with staff that was evident at Waypoint is not present.
In the upcoming year, emphasis will be placed on insight and emphasizing the benefits of medication. Sometimes Mr. Stolove had raised the possibility of lowering the dose of clozapine. Following discussions, Mr. Stolove was comfortable with the hospital’s advice that his current dose of clozapine was appropriate. The forensic team will also pursue further engagement focussing on the role that substances played at the time of the index offences. The doctor noted that work must also be done to address Mr. Stolove’s adaptive skills. Dr. Arnold observed that Mr. Stolove has borderline to mild cognitive deficits. This will require high support in the community. One of the goals this year is a transfer to a general unit in the hospital.
Mr. Stolove has worked with a social worker and is focusing on the development of skills to prepare for a future transfer. Transfer to the community in the upcoming year it would be unlikely. Independent living may be out of reach. Mr. Stolove is eager to progress. Adaptive deficits hamper progression.
Mr. Stolove can consent to treatment. He is receptive to people. An earlier resistance to clozapine on the part of the family is no longer present. Clozapine did produce some somatic side-effects, but Mr. Stolove is satisfied with the hospital’s recommendation about its advantages.
Mr. Stolove has made a lot of progress. At Waypoint, the question would typically be whether Mr. Stolove was still in seclusion. At CAMH the future is much more hopeful.
In final submissions it was noted that Mr. Stolove had to wait a long time to be transferred to CAMH. The patient was stable and fully engaged. It is time to increase his liberty.
Analysis
- The Board adopts the Assessment of Risk found in the hospital report:
“Given the aforementioned factors, and his risk assessment scores, it is our opinion that Mr. Stolove continues to meet the threshold for significant threat as defined in Section 672.5401 of the Criminal Code. Mr. Stolove’s index offence occurred in the context of substance use and symptoms of psychosis, including paranoid delusional beliefs and auditory hallucinations. In the absence of external monitoring and controls, he would be at elevated risk of using substances and disengaging from psychiatric treatment. If Mr. Stolove were to reoffend, it would likely be in the context of the above, leading to disturbed perceptions and paranoid and persecutory delusions, increasing his of misperceiving the behaviour of others. His impaired insight into his symptoms and behaviours is longstanding, and as a result, he is likely to again engage in impulsive, agitated, and threatening behaviour. Behaviour could range from minor to serious threats and physical violence.”
The hospital will focus on psychiatric monitoring, optimization of pharmacological treatment, participation in psychotherapeutic and rehabilitative treatment to strengthen insight, coping skills and sustained behavioural regulation.
The transition to CAMH has gone well. There were some isolated incidents early on. There were brief times when Mr. Stolove endorsed auditory hallucinations, in most cases without significant behavioural disturbance. Mr. Stolove has had morning drowsiness, slurred speech, euthymic affect, and tangential thought processes.
It is clear significant threat to the safety of the public is present. There is a clear need to approve housing with support and monitoring. The joint submission to expand privileges makes sense in view of Mr. Stolove’s successes to date. We wish Mr. Stolove well in the upcoming year.
DATED this 9^th^ day of March, 2026, at the City of Toronto, in the Region of Toronto.
Mr. M.D. Segal
Alternate Chairperson
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Office of the Registrar
Ontario Review Board