Queens Park Updates

Bill 224 – Safer Driving Tests Act (Ending the Privatization Failure)
 

Ontario is the only province in Canada that allows private companies to award commercial and personal driver licenses. In the Auditor General of Ontario's 2023 report, our driver licensing system was examined and we found that we are not getting a better service or improving road safety with these costly contract. Bill 224, if passed, will end the private contracts for driver examination services in Ontario. It will make sure that all driver examinations are carried out by an employee of the MTO who is subject to government oversight and accountability. 

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Bill 13 – Northern Health Travel Grant Advisory Committee Act 
 

Bill 13, if passed, will establish a committee to review the Northern Health Travel Grant and make it work for Northerners. Too many people in Algoma-Manitoulin and across Northern Ontario are struggling to access essential health care services because of the cost of travel and accommodations. Bill 13 would create a committee composed of patients, healthcare professionals, and community members from a wide array of backgrounds to make recommendations to the Minister of Health on how to improve the Northern Health Travel Grant. 

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Bill 17 – Abuse Prevention Week Act 
 

Also known as Loverin’s Law, after Charmaine Loverin the proponent of this legislation. Bill 17, if passed, would establish a committee composed of educators and experts to create a curriculum for all Ontario students on abuse prevention. Ontario currently has no curriculum to educate students on abuse prevention even though 93 percent of abuse is perpetrated against children and young people. The proposed curriculum changes will be presented to the Legislative Assembly 6 months after the committee is formed and the Minister of Education will issue curriculum guidelines based on their report.

 

Bill 105 – Assessing Fitness to Drive Act
 

The Assessing Fitness to Drive Act stemmed from a series of Toronto Star investigative reports that identified systematic issues in Ontario Medical Condition Reporting Program. Mainly, that Ontario medical professionals were required under the Highway Traffic Act to submit a report to the Ministry of Transportation including a patients symptoms or medical condition even in instances where their condition to not impair their fitness to drive. This has resulted in hundreds of unjustified drivers' license suspensions. Bill 105, will give medical professionals greater discretion over when to report a driver and bring Ontario's system in line with other Canadian provinces.