Bill 79

Bill 792000

An Act to amend

the City of Ottawa Act, 1999

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1.The City of Ottawa Act, 1999 is amended by adding the following section:

Bilingual Services

Bilingual administration of city

12.1 (1)The administration of the city shall be conducted in both English and French.

Bilingual by-laws

(2)All municipal by-laws made by the city shall be made in both English and French.

Bilingual services

(3)All municipal services to the public shall be available in both English and French and all public communications made on behalf of the municipality, whether written, oral or electronic, shall be made in both English and French.

Right to services

(4)A person has the right to communicate in English or in French with, and to receive available services in English or in French from, any office of a municipal agency.

By-laws exempting services

(5)The city may make by-laws exempting services from the application of subsections (3) and (4) if all reasonable efforts have been made to comply with those provisions and if, in the opinion of the city council, it is not possible to do so and the exemption does not derogate from the general purpose and intent of this section.

Annual review

(6)Each year, the city council shall review each exemption given under subsection (5) to determine whether it should be discontinued.

Ombudsman

(7)The city council shall designate a person to act as ombudsman for bilingual services, and shall refer members of the public to the ombudsman for assistance with any complaints relating to their rights, or the city's duties, under this section.

Commencement

2.This Act comes into force on January 1, 2001.

Short title

3.The short title of this Act is the City of Ottawa Amendment Act, 2000.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The purpose of the Bill is to ensure that municipal services in the City of Ottawa are provided in both English and French after January 1, 2001.