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OntarioDid not become law (session ended)42nd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 65 explained in plain English

Protecting Our Pets Act, 2019

Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

At a glance

Jurisdiction
Ontario Legislature
Legislature / Parliament
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Session
42nd Parliament, 1st Session
Bill number
Bill 65
Full title
Protecting Our Pets Act, 2019
Current status
Did not become law (session ended)
Latest event
Ordered referred to Standing Committee (Standing Committee on Justice Policy)
Last updated
Mar 7, 2019

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.

Chamber
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Current Stage
Ordered referred to Standing Committee (Standing Committee on Justice Policy)
Latest Activity
Mar 7, 2019
Plain-language explanation
In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing
Short Version

The Protecting Our Pets Act, 2018 establishes a committee to review and recommend improvements to the care of companion animals kept for commercial or breeding purposes.

What It Means

This bill establishes the Companion Animal Wellness Review Committee. The committee will study and make recommendations on the care of companion animals, such as dogs and cats, kept for breeding, exhibition, boarding, or sale. The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services is responsible for establishing the committee, which must report its findings and recommendations within eight months of being formed. The Minister must then inform the Ontario Legislative Assembly about which recommendations will be implemented within three years.

What This Bill Does
  • Establishes the Companion Animal Wellness Review Committee within 90 days of the Act receiving Royal Assent.
  • Requires the committee to inquire into and report on the quality of care for companion animals kept for breeding, exhibition, entertainment, boarding, hire, or sale.
  • Specifies the composition of the committee, including individuals with animal care experience, professionals, and representatives from animal welfare organizations.
  • Mandates that the committee submit its report and recommendations to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services within eight months of its establishment.
  • Requires the Minister to publish the committee's report on the Ministry's website.
  • Requires the Minister to inform the Legislative Assembly of which recommendations will be implemented within three years, either directly, through proposed legislation, or by recommending them to the Government.
Who Is Affected
  • Persons who keep companion animals (defined as dogs, cats, or other prescribed animals kept for companionship) for the purpose of breeding, exhibition, entertainment, boarding, hire, or sale.
  • The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
  • Members of the Ontario Legislative Assembly.
  • Veterinarians and other professionals providing support to companion animals.
  • The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
  • Animal shelters.
Rights, Duties, Or Obligations
  • The Minister is obligated to establish the committee within 90 days of Royal Assent.
  • The committee is obligated to report its findings and recommendations within eight months of establishment.
  • The Minister is obligated to publish the committee's report.
  • The Minister is obligated to inform the Legislative Assembly of implementation plans for the recommendations.
Important Dates
  • The Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
  • The committee must be established within 90 days of the Act receiving Royal Assent.
  • The committee must report within eight months of being established.
  • The Minister must inform the Legislative Assembly within 60 days of receiving the committee's report.
  • Recommendations are to be implemented within three years.
Financial Or Tax Impacts
  • The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by regulation, prescribe remuneration and reimbursement of expenses for committee members.
Uncertainties Or Limits
  • The specific animals that can be prescribed by regulation for the definition of 'companion animal' are not detailed in the bill text.
  • The specific remuneration and expenses for committee members will be determined by regulation.
  • The bill does not specify the exact actions the Minister will take if recommendations require legislation for implementation, beyond stating the Minister will 'propose legislation'.
Laws Or Regulations Affected
Companion Animal Wellness Review Committee
creates

This bill establishes a new advisory committee focused on companion animal welfare.

Source: Section 2(1)

Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
references

The committee's report may include recommendations for changes to legislation and regulations related to this Act, and educational campaigns may be developed to inform those who contravene this Act.

Source: Section 2(4)(b) and (d)

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 text

Process Snapshot

Step 1
First reading
Dec 5, 2018
Step 2
Second reading
Mar 7, 2019
Step 3
Committee review
Mar 7, 2019
Step 4
Third reading
Not reached yet
Step 5
Royal assent
Not reached yet

Vote Summary

No published recorded division

This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.

Sponsor
Christine Hogarth
Sponsor party or district not listed
Jurisdiction
Ontario Legislature

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