OntarioDid Not Pass43rd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 47 explained in plain English

Protecting Human Rights in an Emergency Act (Emergency Power Generators), 2023

Housing Public Safety & Security Consumer Protection

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

How This Type of Bill Becomes Law Official source

At a glance

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Legislature / Parliament

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Session

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill number

Bill 47

Full title

Protecting Human Rights in an Emergency Act (Emergency Power Generators), 2023

Current status

Did Not Pass

Latest event

Lost on division

Last updated

Feb 23, 2023

Sponsor

Chandra Pasma

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 43rd 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

Lost on division

Latest Activity

Feb 23, 2023

Sponsor

Chandra Pasma

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

Bill 47 requires landlords and condominium corporations in Ontario to install and maintain emergency power generators in residential buildings capable of running elevators, powering hallway and exit lights, and providing water access for at least two weeks during power outages.

What It Means

Bill 47, titled the Protecting Human Rights in an Emergency Act (Emergency Power Generators), 2022, makes two main changes to Ontario residential property laws: For rental buildings: The bill adds a new responsibility for landlords. They must ensure their buildings have emergency power generators that can: - Run at least one elevator (if the building has elevators) - Power lights in all hallways, corridors, stairways, exits, and any powered elevator - Ensure residents can access water in their units These generators must be able to operate for a minimum of two weeks during a power outage and must be turned on within a time period set by future regulations. For condominiums: Condominium corporations receive the same requirement. They must ensure their buildings have emergency power generators that can run elevators, power common area lights (hallways, corridors, stairways, exits), and provide water access to units for at least two weeks during power outages, turning on within a prescribed timeframe. Additional change: The bill prevents landlords from applying to the Landlord and Tenant Board to recover costs related to complying with the new emergency generator requirement through tenant rent increases. The law comes into force six months after it receives Royal Assent.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new obligation to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 requiring landlords to install and maintain emergency power generators in residential buildings
Specifies that emergency generators must be capable of running at least one elevator (if present), powering hallway and exit lights, and ensuring water access for residents for a minimum of two weeks during power outages
Requires emergency generators to be turned on within a time period to be prescribed by regulation
Adds a new obligation to the Condominium Act, 1998 requiring condominium corporations to install and maintain emergency power generators with the same capabilities as required for rental buildings
Prevents landlords from applying to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an order to recover emergency generator compliance costs
Authorizes the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations prescribing the time period for turning on emergency generators

Who Is Affected

Landlords of residential buildings subject to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
Condominium corporations managing residential condominium buildings
Residents of rental buildings and condominiums who will benefit from emergency power access during outages
The Landlord and Tenant Board (procedural impact related to applications)
Government regulators who will prescribe timelines for turning on emergency generators

Rights, Duties, Or Obligations

Landlords must ensure their buildings have emergency power generators capable of running at least one elevator (if present), powering hallways/corridors/stairways/exits and powered elevators, and providing water access in residential units
Condominium corporations must ensure their buildings have emergency power generators with the same capabilities as required for rental properties
Emergency generators must be capable of operating for a minimum of two weeks during a power outage
Landlords cannot apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an order to recover costs incurred to comply with emergency generator requirements (preventing rent increase applications for this purpose)
Emergency generators must be turned on within a time period to be prescribed by regulation

Important Dates

The Act comes into force six months after it receives Royal Assent

Financial Or Tax Impacts

Landlords must bear the cost of installing and maintaining emergency power generators without being able to recover these costs through the Landlord and Tenant Board
Condominium corporations must bear the cost of installing and maintaining emergency power generators

Enforcement Or Penalties

The bill text does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance with the emergency generator requirements
Enforcement would likely occur through existing remedies under the Residential Tenancies Act and Condominium Act, but these are not detailed in the bill text provided

Uncertainties Or Limits

The specific time period within which emergency generators must be turned on during power outages is not specified in the bill and will be determined by future regulation
The bill does not specify the cost responsibility or cost-sharing arrangements between landlords and tenants, or between condominium corporations and unit owners
The bill does not define what constitutes an acceptable emergency power generator or specify technical standards beyond the functional requirements listed
The bill does not specify what happens if a landlord or corporation fails to comply with these requirements, as enforcement mechanisms and penalties are not detailed
The bill applies only to buildings with one or more elevators for the elevator-running requirement; buildings without elevators would still need generators to power lights and water access but not elevators
The bill text does not clarify how 'water access in residential units' should be achieved or maintained during power outages

Laws Or Regulations Affected

Residential Tenancies Act, 2006

amended by adding section 21.1

New legal duty created for landlords to provide emergency power generators meeting specified standards in residential buildings

Source: Section 1 of Bill 47

Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 - Section 126

amended by adding subsection (1.1)

Landlords are prohibited from applying to the Landlord and Tenant Board to recover costs incurred to comply with emergency generator requirements

Source: Section 2 of Bill 47

Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 - Section 241.1

amended by adding paragraph 3.1

Regulations can be made to prescribe the time period within which emergency generators must be turned on during power outages

Source: Section 3 of Bill 47

Condominium Act, 1998

amended by adding section 88.1

New legal duty created for condominium corporations to provide emergency power generators meeting specified standards in residential buildings

Source: Section 4 of Bill 47

Condominium Act, 1998 - Section 177(2)

amended by adding paragraph 8.1

Regulations can be made to prescribe the time period within which emergency generators must be turned on during power outages in condominium buildings

Source: Section 5 of Bill 47

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

Nov 23, 2022

Step 2

Second reading

Feb 23, 2023

Step 3

Committee review

Not reached yet

Step 4

Third reading

Not reached yet

Step 5

Royal assent

Not reached yet

Vote Summary

Yes

Abstain

Absent / Other

Final recorded vote

Feb 23, 2023

96 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.

Sponsor

Chandra Pasma

New Democratic Party of Ontario | Ottawa West—Nepean

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Representative Voting Breakdown

Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.

Representative	Role	Riding	Party	Vote	Notes
Chandra PasmaSponsor MPP	MPP	Ottawa West—Nepean	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Bhutila Karpoche MPP	MPP	Parkdale—High Park	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine Fife MPP	MPP	Waterloo	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Chris Glover MPP	MPP	Spadina—Fort York	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Doly Begum MPP	MPP	Scarborough Southwest	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
France Gélinas MPP	MPP	Nickel Belt	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Guy Bourgouin MPP	MPP	Mushkegowuk—James Bay	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jamie West MPP	MPP	Sudbury	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jeff Burch MPP	MPP	Niagara Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens MPP	MPP	St. Catharines	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer K. French MPP	MPP	Oshawa	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jessica Bell MPP	MPP	University—Rosedale	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jill Andrew MPP	MPP	Toronto—St. Paul's	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Joel Harden MPP	MPP	Ottawa Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Vanthof MPP	MPP	Timiskaming—Cochrane	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Kristyn Wong-Tam MPP	MPP	Toronto Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lise Vaugeois MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Superior North	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lucille Collard MPP	MPP	Ottawa—Vanier	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Marit Stiles MPP	MPP	Davenport	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mary-Margaret McMahon MPP	MPP	Beaches—East York	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mike Schreiner MPP	MPP	Guelph	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Monique Taylor MPP	MPP	Hamilton Mountain	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peggy Sattler MPP	MPP	London West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peter Tabuns MPP	MPP	Toronto—Danforth	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sol Mamakwa MPP	MPP	Kiiwetinoong	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephen Blais MPP	MPP	Orléans	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Ted Hsu MPP	MPP	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Terence Kernaghan MPP	MPP	London North Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Teresa J. Armstrong MPP	MPP	London—Fanshawe	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Wayne Gates MPP	MPP	Niagara Falls	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Amarjot Sandhu MPP	MPP	Brampton West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrew Dowie MPP	MPP	Windsor—Tecumseh	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Anthony Leardi MPP	MPP	Essex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Aris Babikian MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Agincourt	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Pang MPP	MPP	Markham—Unionville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Riddell MPP	MPP	Cambridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Saunderson MPP	MPP	Simcoe—Grey	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Christine Hogarth MPP	MPP	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Daisy Wai MPP	MPP	Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Dave Smith MPP	MPP	Peterborough—Kawartha	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Dawn Gallagher Murphy MPP	MPP	Newmarket—Aurora	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Deepak Anand MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Malton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Goldie Ghamari MPP	MPP	Carleton	Independent	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hardeep Singh Grewal MPP	MPP	Brampton East	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Andrea Khanjin MPP	MPP	Barrie—Innisfil	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams MPP	MPP	Brampton Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. David Piccini MPP	MPP	Northumberland—Peterborough South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Donna Skelly MPP	MPP	Flamborough—Glanbrook	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Downey MPP	MPP	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Ernie Hardeman MPP	MPP	Oxford	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. George Pirie MPP	MPP	Timmins	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graham McGregor MPP	MPP	Brampton North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graydon Smith MPP	MPP	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Greg Rickford MPP	MPP	Kenora—Rainy River	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Jill Dunlop MPP	MPP	Simcoe North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Kevin Holland MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Atikokan	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Kinga Surma MPP	MPP	Etobicoke Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Laurie Scott MPP	MPP	Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Lisa M. Thompson MPP	MPP	Huron—Bruce	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael Parsa MPP	MPP	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael S. Kerzner MPP	MPP	York Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Mike Harris MPP	MPP	Kitchener—Conestoga	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Neil Lumsden MPP	MPP	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nina Tangri MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Streetsville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nolan Quinn MPP	MPP	Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Paul Calandra MPP	MPP	Markham—Stouffville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy MPP	MPP	Pickering—Uxbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho MPP	MPP	Scarborough North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Rob Flack MPP	MPP	Elgin—Middlesex—London	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stan Cho MPP	MPP	Willowdale	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stephen Lecce MPP	MPP	King—Vaughan	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Steve Clark MPP	MPP	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Todd J. McCarthy MPP	MPP	Durham	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Trevor Jones MPP	MPP	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Rouge Park	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jess Dixon MPP	MPP	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Jordan MPP	MPP	Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Yakabuski MPP	MPP	Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Kaleed Rasheed MPP	MPP	Mississauga East—Cooksville	Independent	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Laura Smith MPP	MPP	Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Logan Kanapathi MPP	MPP	Markham—Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Lorne Coe MPP	MPP	Whitby	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Matthew Rae MPP	MPP	Perth—Wellington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Merrilee Fullerton MPP	MPP	Kanata—Carleton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Natalie Pierre MPP	MPP	Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Parm Gill MPP	MPP	Milton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Patrice Barnes MPP	MPP	Ajax	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Ric Bresee MPP	MPP	Hastings—Lennox and Addington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Rick Byers MPP	MPP	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Robert Bailey MPP	MPP	Sarnia—Lambton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Robin Martin MPP	MPP	Eglinton—Lawrence	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Ross Romano MPP	MPP	Sault Ste. Marie	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Rudy Cuzzetto MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Sheref Sabawy MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Vincent Ke MPP	MPP	Don Valley North	Independent	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Will Bouma MPP	MPP	Brantford—Brant	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.

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