December 23, 2014 · 0 Comments
On December 4th, my private member’s bill, Bill 36 the Respecting Private Property Act passed second reading in the Legislature and has been referred to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy for further debate and public consultation.
My bill received support from residents and a wide range of stakeholders, including the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Peel Federation of Agriculture.
If enacted, my bill would amend the Trespass to Property Act by creating a minimum fine of $500 for trespassing and by increasing the maximum compensation for damages to $25,000. Currently the Trespass to Property Act has no minimum fine for those who trespass, and has a maximum limit of $1,000 on compensation for damages.
We cannot expect property owners to be responsible for the bill when trespassers caused the damage. In addition, we cannot allow trespassers to get away without facing a penalty for committing a crime.
We need to ensure property owners are fairly compensated for destruction to their property, and we need to signal that trespassing is a serious issue and will not be taken lightly.
I would like to hear your thoughts on Bill 36 the Respecting Private Property Act and would appreciate your support. If you are interested in reading the bill or have any questions, please visit: www.sylviajonesmpp.ca
By Sylvia Jones, MPP Dufferin–Caledon
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