Bill 116 explained in plain English
Safety and Accountability in Ontario Corrections Act, 2026
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 44th Parliament, 1st 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 bill amends Ontario's correctional services laws to require a plan for implementing transformation act schedules, introduces whistle-blower protections, and enhances the Inspector General's powers to gather information and make recommendations regarding correctional institutions.
Bill 116, the Safety and Accountability in Ontario Corrections Act, 2026, proposes amendments to Ontario's correctional services laws. It requires the Minister to create a plan to implement schedules from the Correctional Services Transformation Act, 2018. The bill also introduces whistle-blowing protections for individuals who report contraventions of certain acts, with provisions against reprisal and remedies for those affected. Additionally, it grants the Inspector General enhanced powers to compel information from managers and members of the Executive Council regarding correctional institution operations, safety, and employee well-being. The Inspector General will also be able to make recommendations on these matters and require public online disclosure of information about residents in correctional institutions. The bill specifies when certain provisions will come into effect.
- Requires the Minister to develop and table a plan to bring into force the Schedules of the Correctional Services Transformation Act, 2018.
- Amends the Correctional Services and Reintegration Act, 2018, to introduce whistle-blower protections.
- Prohibits reprisals against whistle-blowers and outlines actions and remedies for those affected.
- Ensures whistle-blowers are not civilly liable for disclosures.
- Establishes rules for confidentiality of whistle-blower identities, with specific exceptions.
- Grants the Inspector General the power to request or compel managers of correctional services employees to provide information on various aspects of correctional institution management, safety, and employee support.
- Grants the Inspector General the power to request or compel members of the Executive Council to provide information regarding their response to communications aimed at improving safety in correctional institutions.
- Allows the Inspector General to make recommendations to the Minister on matters related to correctional institution safety, staffing, employee well-being, communication, and standards of care.
- Requires the Minister to table a summary of the Inspector General's recommendations.
- Allows the Inspector General to require the Ministry to make information about the number of residents in residential correctional institutions publicly available online.
- Specifies when certain parts of the Act come into force.
- The Minister of Correctional Services
- The Inspector General
- Managers of correctional services employees
- Correctional services employees
- Members of the Executive Council
- Individuals who disclose alleged or intended contraventions of prescribed acts (whistle-blowers)
- Persons residing in residential correctional institutions
- The public (through access to information)
- The Minister has a duty to develop and table a plan for bringing the Schedules of the Correctional Services Transformation Act, 2018, into force.
- Individuals have the right to protection against reprisals for whistle-blowing.
- Whistle-blowers have the right to make complaints through arbitration or civil proceedings.
- The Inspector General has the right to request or compel information and to make recommendations.
- The Ministry is required to make information about residents in residential correctional institutions publicly available.
- Managers of correctional services employees have an obligation to provide information when requested or compelled by the Inspector General.
- Section 1 of the Act comes into force on the day the Act receives Royal Assent.
- The Minister must develop a plan to bring into force the Schedules of the Correctional Services Transformation Act, 2018, within six months after Section 1 of this Bill comes into force.
- The Minister must table the developed plan within 30 days after it is developed.
- Most of the Act comes into force on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
- Proceedings for reprisal offences cannot be commenced more than two years after the prescribed official became aware of the facts.
- The bill refers to the potential need for funding for supplies, equipment, medical supplies, and training to improve safety at correctional institutions, and for improving employee recruitment, retention, and compensation, which could have financial implications.
- Remedies for whistle-blowers may include payment of compensation, including two times the amount they would have earned and other losses, which could result in financial payouts.
- The bill mentions a 'prescribed amount' for fines related to reprisal offences, but this amount is not specified in the text.
- A person who contravenes the prohibition against reprisal against a whistle-blower is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine of the prescribed amount.
- Disclosures of whistle-blower identity by the prescribed official are restricted, with exceptions for consent or disclosure to law enforcement if an offence is suspected.
- Failure to comply with the Inspector General's requests for information from managers or Executive Council members may be subject to enforcement actions outlined in the Act.
- Proceedings for an offence of reprisal must be commenced within two years of the prescribed official becoming aware of the facts.
- The specific 'prescribed official' and 'prescribed Act' for whistle-blower purposes are not defined in this bill and would be set out in regulations.
- The 'prescribed amount' for fines related to reprisal offences is not specified and would be determined by regulation.
- The details and timelines for bringing the Schedules of the Correctional Services Transformation Act, 2018, into force are to be determined by the plan developed by the Minister.
- The precise timing for the commencement of certain provisions of the Act depends on an order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
- The bill refers to information that may be required to be updated 'at least every two months' regarding residents in correctional institutions, but the exact format and content are subject to the Inspector General's requirements.
Requires the Minister to develop a plan to bring into force the Schedules to the Correctional Services Transformation Act, 2018, and to table this plan in the Legislative Assembly.
Source: Section 1
Adds new provisions concerning whistle-blowing protection, including definitions, prohibitions against reprisals, remedies for whistle-blowers, and rules on confidentiality. It also enhances the Inspector General's powers to compel information from managers and members of the Executive Council, allows the Inspector General to make recommendations to the Minister, and requires public disclosure of information about residents in correctional institutions.
Source: Sections 2, 3, 4
The bill requires a plan to bring into force the Schedules of this Act.
Source: Section 1
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.
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Vote Summary
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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.
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