Bill 96 explained in plain English
Anti-Human Trafficking Act, 2017
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
The Anti-Human Trafficking Act, 2017 enacts the Human Trafficking Awareness Day Act, 2017 and the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017, to establish an awareness day and provide legal remedies for victims of human trafficking.
This bill enacts two new Acts in Ontario: the Human Trafficking Awareness Day Act, 2017, and the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017. The first Act proclaims February 22nd each year as Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The second Act defines human trafficking for the purposes of the Act, establishes a process for obtaining restraining orders to protect victims of human trafficking, and creates a civil legal claim (tort) for victims of human trafficking.
- Enacts the Human Trafficking Awareness Day Act, 2017, which proclaims February 22nd each year as Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
- Enacts the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017.
- Defines human trafficking for the purposes of the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017, by referring to specific sections of the Criminal Code (Canada).
- Establishes a process for victims of human trafficking, or those acting on their behalf, to apply for restraining orders from the Ontario Court of Justice.
- Outlines the conditions and powers of the court when issuing a restraining order, including prohibitions on contacting the victim or attending certain locations, and potential conditions related to weapons.
- Specifies that restraining orders have an expiry date, which can be extended up to three years at a time, and can be made without notice in cases of immediate danger.
- Provides for appeals of restraining orders to the Superior Court of Justice and potentially the Court of Appeal.
- States that court fees are not generally payable for applications or appeals related to restraining orders under this Act, unless regulations specify otherwise.
- Creates a civil legal claim (tort) allowing a victim of human trafficking to sue any person who engaged in the human trafficking, without needing to prove damages.
- Grants courts the power to award damages, order an accounting of profits, and issue injunctions in civil actions for human trafficking.
- Victims of human trafficking
- Individuals alleged to have engaged in human trafficking
- The Ontario Court of Justice
- The Superior Court of Justice
- The Court of Appeal
- Victims have the right to apply for restraining orders.
- Victims have the right to bring a civil action for human trafficking without proof of damage.
- Courts have the power to issue restraining orders and award damages in civil actions.
- Respondents may be prohibited from contacting victims or attending certain locations as per a restraining order.
- Respondents may be required to surrender weapons if a restraining order is issued.
- The Act (Anti-Human Trafficking Act, 2017) came into force on May 30, 2017, the date it received Royal Assent.
- The Human Trafficking Awareness Day Act, 2017, came into force on May 30, 2017.
- Parts I and III of the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017, came into force on May 30, 2017.
- Part II of the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017 (restraining orders) came into force on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.
- Court fees are not payable for applications or appeals under Part II of the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017, unless regulations specify otherwise.
- The specific date Part II of the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017, comes into force is not specified in the bill text, as it is subject to proclamation.
- The full scope of 'prescribed' persons who can apply for restraining orders, and 'prescribed' procedures, will be detailed in regulations not included in this bill text.
- Whether court fees will be payable for applications or appeals related to restraining orders is subject to future regulations.
- The bill text does not specify the penalties for violating a restraining order.
This Act establishes February 22 of each year as Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
This Act defines human trafficking, provides for restraining orders to protect victims, and creates a civil cause of action for human trafficking.
In case of conflict between the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017 and the Courts of Justice Act, the former prevails to the extent of the conflict.
Fees are not payable under the Administration of Justice Act for applications or appeals under Part II of the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017, unless regulations state otherwise.
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 does not have a published recorded division in the current official sources, so representative-by-representative vote counts are not shown.
No published representative vote breakdown
The current official sources do not publish a recorded division breakdown for this bill, so there is no representative-by-representative table to show.
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