Bill 15, Fairness for Road Users Act (Contraventions Causing Death or Serious Bodily Harm), 2023

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Highway Traffic Act. If a person causes or contributes to causing an accident which causes death or serious bodily harm, and at the time the person was contravening the Highway Traffic Act or its regulations, then the person is guilty of an offence. The court may sentence the person to a fine of up to $50,000, or to imprisonment for up to two years, or to both. The court may also suspend the person’s driver’s licence or permit.

Bill 15 2022

An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act to create an offence of contravention causing death or serious bodily harm

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

1 The Highway Traffic Act is amended by adding the following Part:

PART X.0.1
CONTRAVENTIONS CAUSING DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY HARM

Contraventions causing death or serious bodily harm

191.0.2  Every person who, while contravening this Act or the regulations, causes, or contributes to causing, an accident that causes the death of a person or serious bodily harm to a person is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $2,000 and not more than $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years, or to both, and in addition the person’s driver’s licence or permit may be suspended for a period of not more than five years.

Commencement

2 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3 The short title of this Act is the Fairness for Road Users Act (Contraventions Causing Death or Serious Bodily Harm), 2022.