Bill 129: Andre's Law (Bill of Rights for Residents of Supported Group Living Residences), 2026

This bill directly affects Ontario-based non-profit and private service agencies that operate supported group living residences for adults with developmental disabilities — think group homes run by community organizations or social service providers, often with small staff teams supporting a handful of residents. Day-to-day operations are touched significantly: staff must now formally respect and promote an extensive list of resident rights covering care, privacy, freedom from restraint, and tenure security, and agencies must establish or assist in forming Residents' Councils and Family Councils, respond to their concerns in writing within 10 days, and consult with them at least quarterly. Agencies that receive government funding under agreements with the Crown are also bound by the fundamental principles in how those agreements are interpreted. Failure to uphold residents' rights is enforceable as a breach of contract, raising legal and financial exposure even for smaller operators.