As part of a sweeping omnibus crime bill to be tabled today, the Ontario government wants to make it easier for victims of certain crimes to sue offenders for emotional distress without reliving the experience in the courts.
The Enhancing Access to Justice Act, announced Thursday by Solicitor General Michael Kerzner and Attorney General Doug Downey, would also ban cannabis cultivation in homes offering childcare services and revamp how coroners investigate construction-related deaths.
As the cornerstone of the bill, amendments to the Victims’ Bill of Rights will make it easier for victims to sue offenders in civil court for emotional distress and bodily harm, including human trafficking offences, terrorism and hate crimes targeting places of worship.