OntarioBill 53First Reading
Bill 53: Dignity and Mental Health in Jails Act, 2025
Sponsor: Collard, LucilleIntroduced June 5, 2025Last checked August 28, 2026
Read the official text on ola.orgOfficial version — Legislative Assembly of Ontario
What this bill does
This Ontario bill amends correctional services legislation to ban solitary confinement (defined as restricting an inmate's movement and association for 22+ hours per day), prohibit cruel or inhumane treatment of inmates, require that at least 20% of beds in new or renovated correctional institutions be in mental health support units, and establish Independent Review Panels for inmates in restrictive confinement.
Plain-language summary by Legisail.
Business impact
Compliance
This bill primarily affects the Ontario provincial government and its correctional institutions rather than private businesses. However, companies that design, build, or renovate correctional facilities in Ontario — such as construction firms, architects, and correctional infrastructure contractors — will need to account for the new requirement that at least 20% of inmate beds be in dedicated mental health support units, which could affect project scope and design specifications. Organizations providing contracted correctional services, mental health staffing, or healthcare services to Ontario jails may see increased demand for mental health professionals and programming. Correctional staff and superintendents face new personal liability, including fines up to $100,000 or imprisonment up to two years, for violations of the prohibited treatment provisions.
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Where this bill is
First ReadingJune 5, 2025
Next: Second Reading debate
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