A report released Friday on youth violence in Ontario says too many young people are being caught up in violence fuelled by poverty and racism.

The Roots of Youth Violence report, authored by former cabinet minister Alvin Curling and former Ontario chief justice Roy McMurtry, was ordered by Premier Dalton McGuinty following the May 2007 shooting death of Jordan Manners.

Manners, 15, was shot and killed inside C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute.

"We strongly believe Ontario is at a crossroads in dealing with the roots of violence involving youth," said McMurtry. "Our report presents the government with a comprehensive framework to address the serious trends we have identified and that will have serious consequences if allowed to continue unchecked."

The Curling-McMurtry report makes 30 recommendations — key among them is a call for increased mental health care for Ontario children, as well as a controversial suggestion to gather race-based statistics.

Although the report points to "deeply troubling trends" when it comes to youth violence in Ontario, it also attempts to provide some solutions.

One of the primary suggestions is for $200 million to provide improved mental health care for students, and social workers and counsellors in communities where potentially troubled youth can access them.

Race-based statistics needed: McMurtry

The report also calls for the collection of race-based statistics in areas like education and health.

McMurtry told a news conference at Queen's Park that without those statistics there is no way to fix the problems.

"The community now wants these statistics, and I've spoken with [Toronto police] Chief Bill Blair and he is not opposed to the idea," said McMurtry.

But Blair's boss, Mayor David Miller, who attended the news conference, does not support the idea.

The race-based statistics, called "floor targets" in the report, are necessary so that "racial and other relevant differences [may] be tracked as the province measures progress towards outcome goals," the authors said in a prepared statement.

"The province should commit to measuring and publishing progress towards defined outcome goals as a central part of its approach to the roots agenda. To the greatest extent possible, the outcome goals should include minimum standards of achievement, a level below which no institution or community should fall," said the report.

The statistics could be used to track education and health trends.

The report also took aim at so-called zero tolerance in schools. Curling said too many students are being driven away for minor infractions.

"Many young people are being criminalized. They have a record at a very young age — that itself has to be looked at and how we can deal with that," he said.

Toronto District School Board chair John Campbell says maintaining discipline and safety is not easy.

"I can't say that is always the case, or it's a frequent occurrence, but principals are in a position where they have to keep their schools safe," he said.

Progressive Conservative critic Julia Munro said the report's main goal seems to have been to gather information, and it includes no quick fixes.

Munro said the Ministry of Children and Youth Services was created to help deal with issues brought up in the report, which leaves her wondering why it hasn't been addressing them.