OntarioPassed44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 25 explained in plain English

Emergency Management Modernization Act, 2025

Public Safety & Security Justice & the Law Social Services & Income Support

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

44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill number

Bill 25

Full title

Emergency Management Modernization Act, 2025

Current status

Passed

Latest event

Royal Assent received

Last updated

Dec 3, 2025

Sponsor

Jill Dunlop

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.

Chamber

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Current Stage

Royal Assent received

Latest Activity

Dec 3, 2025

Sponsor

Jill Dunlop

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

This Act modernizes Ontario's emergency management framework by updating governance, roles, and responsibilities, and grants the Minister of Community and Social Services authority to issue and enforce directives to certain funded organizations.

What It Means

Bill 25, the Emergency Management Modernization Act, 2025, updates Ontario's laws related to emergency management. It aims to improve coordination and preparedness across the province. The Act also gives the Minister of Community and Social Services new powers to issue directives to certain funded organizations and to enforce compliance with these directives. Changes include redefining roles, establishing new advisory bodies, and updating requirements for emergency plans and programs at municipal and provincial levels. It also amends the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act to allow the Minister to issue directives and orders to specific service providers.

What This Bill Does

It amends the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to modernize emergency management in Ontario.
It updates definitions, roles, and responsibilities related to emergency management at the provincial and municipal levels.
It establishes a provincial emergency management strategy and a provincial emergency management planning framework.
It creates new roles and advisory committees, including the Commissioner of Emergency Management and a Cabinet advisory committee.
It renames "emergency plans" to "emergency management plans" and updates requirements for their development and implementation.
It repeals the requirement for emergency plans to be submitted to the Chief, Emergency Management Ontario, and instead requires submission to the Minister.
It allows the Minister to issue directives and guidelines regarding emergency management programs and plans.
It amends the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act to give the Minister the power to issue directives and compliance orders to certain publicly funded community and social service providers.
It establishes an offence for knowingly contravening an order issued by the Minister under the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act.

Who Is Affected

The Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response
The Commissioner of Emergency Management
Municipalities
Ministers of the Crown and designated government entities in Ontario
Entities providing community and social services funded by the Minister of Community and Social Services
Critical infrastructure entities
The public of Ontario
Indigenous communities
Organizations in the public and private sectors
Federal, provincial and territorial governments
International organizations

Rights, Duties, Or Obligations

Municipalities are required to develop and implement emergency management programs and plans that conform to the provincial planning framework.
Ministers of the Crown and designated government entities must develop and implement emergency management programs and plans.
Prescribed critical infrastructure entities must develop and implement emergency management programs or plans.
Regulated entities must submit copies of their emergency management plans and revisions to the Minister.
Regulated entities must provide further information on their emergency management programs or plans when requested by the Minister.
Entities receiving directives under the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act must comply with them.
Municipalities or the Crown have a right of action against persons who caused an emergency to recover money or costs expended.
The head of council of a municipality must consult the emergency management plan and be satisfied that action is necessary before declaring an emergency.
The head of council must report regularly to the public and report to council every 30 days on the necessity of a declared emergency.
The head of council must provide a written report to the Minister after an emergency is terminated.
The Commissioner of Emergency Management must establish an advisory committee.
The Minister must develop and make available a provincial emergency management strategy and annual reports.
The Lieutenant Governor in Council must develop and issue a provincial emergency management planning framework.
The Minister may issue guidelines respecting emergency management programs and plans.

Important Dates

The Act received Royal Assent on December 3, 2025.
The Act, except for specific provisions in its Schedules, came into force on the day it received Royal Assent (December 3, 2025).
Certain provisions in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 come into force on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

Financial Or Tax Impacts

Funding provided to entities under the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act may be reduced or terminated at the Minister's discretion if the entity fails to comply with a compliance order.
An offence provision under the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act may result in fines for individuals (up to $5,000) or other entities (up to $25,000) for knowingly contravening a Minister's order.

Enforcement Or Penalties

The Minister may issue a directive requiring modifications to an emergency management program or plan if it does not meet the Act's requirements.
The Minister may issue an order requiring an entity to take action to achieve compliance with a directive or to submit and implement a compliance plan.
Failure to comply with an order from the Minister of Community and Social Services may lead to reduction or termination of funding.
Knowingly contravening an order from the Minister of Community and Social Services is an offence liable to fines.

Uncertainties Or Limits

The specific entities and extraordinary matters that may be prescribed by regulations under the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act are not detailed in the bill.
The precise requirements for emergency management programs and plans, beyond conforming to the provincial planning framework, will be set out in regulations.
The bill does not specify the exact content of the provincial emergency management planning framework, other than its general components.
The bill indicates that some provisions of Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 come into force on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, meaning their commencement is not yet set.
The effectiveness of the delegation of powers by the Minister or the Commissioner of Emergency Management is subject to any conditions set out in the delegation.
The bill does not specify the exact composition or operational details of the advisory committee for the Commissioner of Emergency Management.
The bill states that 'Part III (Regulations) of the Legislation Act, 2006 does not apply' to the provincial emergency management strategy and emergency management plans under section 6, suggesting these are not regulations in the typical sense but may be subject to different administrative processes.

Laws Or Regulations Affected

Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act

amends

Updates the Act with new purposes, definitions, governance structures, roles (Minister, Commissioner of Emergency Management, provincial emergency management organization), and requirements for emergency management programs and plans at provincial and municipal levels. It also renames 'emergency plans' to 'emergency management plans' and introduces a provincial planning framework.

Source: Schedule 1

Ministry of Community and Social Services Act

amends

Authorizes the Minister to issue directives to prescribed entities receiving funding for community and social services regarding extraordinary matters. It also establishes powers to issue compliance orders for non-compliance with directives and creates an offence for knowingly contravening such orders.

Source: Schedule 2

Local Services Boards Act

amends

The definition of 'local services board' in the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act is updated to refer to the 'Northern Services Boards Act' instead.

Source: Schedule 1, Section 1(6)

Northern Services Boards Act

amends

This Act is referenced in an amendment to the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, specifically concerning the definition of 'local services board'.

Source: Schedule 1, Section 1(6)

Executive Council Act

amends

The definition of 'Minister' in the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act is updated to refer to the Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response or another member of the Executive Council assigned administration of the Act under this Act.

Source: Schedule 1, Section 1(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 text

Process Snapshot

Step 1

First reading

May 26, 2025

Step 2

Second reading

Oct 29, 2025

Step 3

Committee review

Not reached yet

Step 4

Third reading

Dec 2, 2025

Step 5

Royal assent

Dec 3, 2025

Vote Summary

Yes

Abstain

Absent / Other

Final recorded vote

Dec 2, 2025

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

Sponsor

Jill Dunlop

Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Simcoe North

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
Adil Shamji MPP	MPP	Don Valley East	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Amarjot Sandhu MPP	MPP	Brampton West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrea Hazell MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Guildwood	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrew Dowie MPP	MPP	Windsor—Tecumseh	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Anthony Leardi MPP	MPP	Essex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Aris Babikian MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Agincourt	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Bill Rosenberg MPP	MPP	Algoma—Manitoulin	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Denault MPP	MPP	Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Pang MPP	MPP	Markham—Unionville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Riddell MPP	MPP	Cambridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Saunderson MPP	MPP	Simcoe—Grey	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
David Smith MPP	MPP	Scarborough Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Dawn Gallagher Murphy MPP	MPP	Newmarket—Aurora	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Deepak Anand MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Malton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Effie J. Triantafilopoulos MPP	MPP	Oakville North—Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hardeep Singh Grewal MPP	MPP	Brampton East	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Andrea Khanjin MPP	MPP	Barrie—Innisfil	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Caroline Mulroney MPP	MPP	York—Simcoe	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams MPP	MPP	Brampton Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Downey MPP	MPP	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Ford MPP	MPP	Etobicoke North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Ernie Hardeman MPP	MPP	Oxford	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graham McGregor MPP	MPP	Brampton North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graydon Smith MPP	MPP	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Greg Rickford MPP	MPP	Kenora—Rainy River	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Jill Dunlop MPP	MPP	Simcoe North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Laurie Scott MPP	MPP	Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Lisa M. Thompson MPP	MPP	Huron—Bruce	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael A. Tibollo MPP	MPP	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael Parsa MPP	MPP	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael S. Kerzner MPP	MPP	York Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Mike Harris MPP	MPP	Kitchener—Conestoga	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta MPP	MPP	Mississauga Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Neil Lumsden MPP	MPP	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nina Tangri MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Streetsville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Paul Calandra MPP	MPP	Markham—Stouffville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy MPP	MPP	Pickering—Uxbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria MPP	MPP	Brampton South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho MPP	MPP	Scarborough North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sam Oosterhoff MPP	MPP	Niagara West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stan Cho MPP	MPP	Willowdale	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stephen Crawford MPP	MPP	Oakville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Steve Clark MPP	MPP	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Todd J. McCarthy MPP	MPP	Durham	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Trevor Jones MPP	MPP	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Zee Hamid MPP	MPP	Milton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jess Dixon MPP	MPP	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Fraser MPP	MPP	Ottawa South	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Jordan MPP	MPP	Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jonathan Tsao MPP	MPP	Don Valley North	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Joseph Racinsky MPP	MPP	Wellington—Halton Hills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Karen McCrimmon MPP	MPP	Kanata—Carleton	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Laura Smith MPP	MPP	Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lee Fairclough MPP	MPP	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Logan Kanapathi MPP	MPP	Markham—Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lucille Collard MPP	MPP	Ottawa—Vanier	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mary-Margaret McMahon MPP	MPP	Beaches—East York	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Matthew Rae MPP	MPP	Perth—Wellington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Michelle Cooper MPP	MPP	Eglinton—Lawrence	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mohamed Firin MPP	MPP	York South—Weston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Monica Ciriello MPP	MPP	Hamilton Mountain	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Natalie Pierre MPP	MPP	Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Paul Vickers MPP	MPP	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Ric Bresee MPP	MPP	Hastings—Lennox and Addington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Rob Cerjanec MPP	MPP	Ajax	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Robert Bailey MPP	MPP	Sarnia—Lambton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Rudy Cuzzetto MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sheref Sabawy MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stéphane Sarrazin MPP	MPP	Glengarry—Prescott—Russell	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephanie Smyth MPP	MPP	Toronto—St. Paul's	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephen Blais MPP	MPP	Orléans	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Steve Pinsonneault MPP	MPP	Lambton—Kent—Middlesex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Ted Hsu MPP	MPP	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Tyler Allsopp MPP	MPP	Bay of Quinte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Tyler Watt MPP	MPP	Nepean	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Will Bouma MPP	MPP	Brantford—Brant	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Aislinn Clancy MPP	MPP	Kitchener Centre	Green Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Alexa Gilmour MPP	MPP	Parkdale—High Park	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Bobbi Ann Brady MPP	MPP	Haldimand—Norfolk	Independent	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine Fife MPP	MPP	Waterloo	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine McKenney MPP	MPP	Ottawa Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Chandra Pasma MPP	MPP	Ottawa West—Nepean	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Chris Glover MPP	MPP	Spadina—Fort York	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Doly Begum MPP	MPP	Scarborough Southwest	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
France Gélinas MPP	MPP	Nickel Belt	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Guy Bourgouin MPP	MPP	Mushkegowuk—James Bay	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jamie West MPP	MPP	Sudbury	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens MPP	MPP	St. Catharines	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer K. French MPP	MPP	Oshawa	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jessica Bell MPP	MPP	University—Rosedale	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Vanthof MPP	MPP	Timiskaming—Cochrane	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Kristyn Wong-Tam MPP	MPP	Toronto Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Lisa Gretzky MPP	MPP	Windsor West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Lise Vaugeois MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Superior North	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Marit Stiles MPP	MPP	Davenport	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Mike Schreiner MPP	MPP	Guelph	Green Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Peggy Sattler MPP	MPP	London West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Peter Tabuns MPP	MPP	Toronto—Danforth	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Sandy Shaw MPP	MPP	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Terence Kernaghan MPP	MPP	London North Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Teresa J. Armstrong MPP	MPP	London—Fanshawe	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Tom Rakocevic MPP	MPP	Humber River—Black Creek	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Wayne Gates MPP	MPP	Niagara Falls	New Democratic 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