By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady
Being about law and order, I voted for government Bills 6 and 10. Bill 6 is The Safer Municipalities Act, 2025 and Bill 10 is The Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, 2025.
Bills 6 and 10 ostensibly address the concerns I’ve heard from many of you since taking office in 2022. We have an illicit drug problem; you’ve told me to do something.
Bill 6, The Safer Municipalities Act, in the government’s own words, “will provide municipalities and police with the enhanced tools they need to end encampments and clean up our parks and public spaces. (It) will put protecting the safety of all residents first by helping clear public spaces and end the public use of illegal drugs.”
Bill 6 will hopefully mitigate the problem I hear time and time again: Parents walking down the sidewalk with their children and seeing someone doing drugs, or equally unsettling, finding needles littering local parks.
I’ve read dissenting comments from community workers who feel Bill 6 will punish those without access to affordable housing because the homeless might be mistaken for drug abusers involved in criminal acts. The workers say it’s more accurate to assume encampments are home to a cross-section of the population who simply can’t afford housing.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), says Bill 6 should be addressing issues like the dearth of affordable housing, mental health and addictions services, and income support.
We all understand those with addiction issues and those suffering from mental health crises need help and guidance to get them back on their feet as healthy, productive members of society. Most of us feel they should not be left on sidewalks, in parks, or in dumpsters. It is my sincere hope Bill 6 can help authorities get those suffering the help they need.
Bill 10, The Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, again in the government’s words, will work by “making Ontario safer by improving the tools available to police to fight crime and curb illicit drug activities. Protecting Ontarians and their communities from intimate partner violence and other forms of violence. Strengthening our justice system, including enhancing the judicial appointments process, and improving the surety process, as well as bail collection and administration.”
Bill 10 has multiple schedules amending previous Acts and enacted Schedule 8, The Measures Respecting Premises with Illegal Drug Activity Act, 2025.
For today’s column, I’ll comment on Schedule 8 of Bill 10, which prohibits a landlord from allowing a premises to be knowingly permitting illegal drug trafficking or production. In short, it makes landlords criminally liable for drug activity on their premises.
Again, I support law and order and any landlord knowingly enabling criminality is anathema to me. I applaud the Bill’s focus on public safety and combatting illegal activities. I’ve heard from seniors who live in rent-geared-to-income housing who are fearful because they have drug dealers living next door.
AMO also chimed in on Bill 10, emphasizing they support its overarching theme to better protect tenants and cut into illegal activities, but they also worry it could place undue burden and increase risks for landlords.
Still others worry Bill 10 could also hurt Main Street vibrancy and tourism. It may discourage landlords from renting to nightlife businesses and deaden an already struggling industry; it’s understandable why. Bill 10’s penalties range from a fine of $10,000 to $250,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day, or both. It’s hard to know what someone might be doing in the washroom of a club in your building.
Of course, the devil is in the details. How will these Bills be enforced? Will they hurt the folks they’re supposed to help? Will they place too much burden on landlords? But overall, your concerns must be addressed and Bills 6 and 10, if properly enforced are good places to start.
Bobbi Ann Brady is the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk