Bill 57 explained in plain English
Katelynn's Principle Act (Decisions Affecting Children), 2016
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
This Ontario bill, Katelynn's Principle Act (Decisions Affecting Children), 2016, requires that Katelynn's Principle be applied when making decisions under Ontario legislation that affect children.
Bill 57, the Katelynn's Principle Act (Decisions Affecting Children), 2016, establishes 'Katelynn's Principle' as a guiding rule for decisions made under Ontario law that affect children. This principle requires that children be placed at the centre of decisions, that their rights be respected, their voices heard, and their views considered based on their age and maturity. It also mandates that children be given the opportunity to participate in decisions affecting them and that those providing services to children act as advocates. The Act defines a child as anyone under the age of eighteen.
- Enshrines Katelynn's Principle into law as a guiding principle for decisions affecting children under Ontario legislation.
- Defines 'child' as a person under the age of eighteen.
- Specifies that the Act applies to decisions made under Ontario legislation concerning child welfare services, the justice system, and the education system.
- Outlines the specific components of Katelynn's Principle, including placing the child at the centre of decisions, respecting their rights and voice, considering their heritage, enabling their free expression of views, giving due weight to their views according to age and maturity, and providing opportunities for participation and dialogue.
- States that individuals providing services to children or services affecting children are considered child advocates and must provide advocacy from the first point of contact continuously.
- Children under the age of eighteen in Ontario.
- Individuals making decisions under Ontario legislation that affect children (including in child welfare services, the justice system, and the education system).
- Individuals providing services to children or services affecting children.
- Any person making a decision under Ontario legislation affecting children has the obligation to apply Katelynn's Principle.
- Katelynn's Principle includes the rights of the child to be at the centre of decisions, to have their voice heard and respected, to have their views considered based on age and maturity, and to participate in decisions affecting them.
- Individuals providing services to children or services affecting children have the obligation to act as child advocates.
- The Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
- The bill does not specify what happens if Katelynn's Principle is not applied.
- The bill does not detail the specific mechanisms or processes for ensuring children's views are given 'due weight' or how they will 'participate' in decisions, beyond stating it should be in accordance with their age and maturity.
- The extent to which 'heritage' and 'diverse communities' must be considered is not precisely defined.
Decisions related to child welfare services under this Act must apply Katelynn's Principle.
Source: Section 2(a)
Any person making a decision under Ontario legislation that affects children must apply Katelynn's Principle.
Source: Section 2
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textProcess Snapshot
Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced