Chances are you didn’t even know this act existed, like many others that are amongst all levels of Governments. These acts are supposed to be the roadmaps set in place for how our different government levels conduct themselves. Many of these acts are in enforceable but could be what you might say, gathering dust.
It would seem that the Ontario Government is blowing the dust off the Strengthening and Improving Government act and are proposing some amendments to it. These would be applicable to 15 of the laws contained within it.
It might help to understand how our provincial laws actually come into law in the first case. Usually they are introduced as Bills. These bills outline what the law pertains to. They go through various readings or stages of parliament, where they must get passed and then move onto the next level. Then after the third reading, if passed they must go to Royal Accent. If passed here, they then become law.
So the Strengthening and Improving Government Act is actually Bill 151, and it received Royal Accent in 2013.
Okay so what’s it all about?
It is a law that allows the Government to make changes to many of the other acts (laws) that are in place in a much quicker fashion. So now as of April 2015, the Ontario Government is proposing to re-introduce the act by making amendments to it.
Why should you care?
This re-introduction is being done supposedly to make things easier for families and businesses. So you are being used as the reason as to why it should be re-introduced.
How is this going to really benefit you if it goes through?
It would affect the following acts, so if any of these are important to you then you would have reason to be interested in this….
Highway Traffic Act
The Courts of Justice Act
The Family Law Act
The Provincial Offences Act
Occupational Health and Safety Act
City of Toronto Act
Municipal Act
Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act
The Employment Standards Act
Registered Human Resources Professionals Act
The Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act
Vital Statistics Act
City of Brantford Act
City of Hamilton Act
Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act
Making Ontario Roads Safer Act