Bill 25: Emergency Management Modernization Act, 2025

Two main groups of businesses in Ontario are affected. First, operators of critical infrastructure — such as energy utilities, telecommunications providers, water treatment facilities, and transportation companies — may be prescribed by regulation to develop and implement formal emergency management programs and plans that conform to a new provincial planning framework, potentially requiring dedicated staff time, training exercises, and documentation. Second, non-profit organizations and agencies in Ontario that receive provincial funding to deliver community and social services (such as shelters, developmental services agencies, children's aid societies, or community mental health providers) now face binding ministerial directives on extraordinary matters related to their service delivery, with non-compliance potentially leading to compliance orders, funding reductions or termination, and fines of up to $5,000 for individuals or $25,000 for organizations. Size matters significantly: smaller community service agencies with limited administrative capacity will feel the compliance burden more acutely, while larger critical infrastructure operators likely already have emergency planning processes but may need to align them with new provincial standards.