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Bill 113, Centering Youth in Pandemic Recovery Act, 2022

Stiles, Marit

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Debates

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Bill 113 Original (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

The

Bill enacts the Centering Youth in Pandemic Recovery Act,

2022 . The Act provides that the Premier of Ontario shall develop and

publish a Post-Pandemic Child & Youth Action Plan in consultation with

youth leaders and experts in education, child development and mental health.

The Premier shall review the plan every two years.

The

Bill also establishes the COVID-19 Recovery Youth Secretariat, which shall assist

the Premier with the development, revision and implementation of the

Post-Pandemic Child & Youth Action Plan and review legislation and

regulations to determine the potential effects on the well-being of children,

youth and youth adults.

The

Bill also provides that a standing committee shall be appointed to review the

development, revision and implementation of the Post-Pandemic Child and Youth

Action Plan every two years, review data and research conducted by the COVID-19

Recovery Youth Secretariat and report to the Legislative Assembly.

Bill 113 2022

Act respecting children, youth and young adults and the COVID-19 pandemic

recovery

Preamble

The

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the life, learning and well-being of Ontario’s

children, youth and young adults.

The

social and economic progress of Ontario depends on ensuring the well-being of

children and young people who have had their education, mental health and

opportunities waylaid by this pandemic. To mitigate these effects, we need a

whole-of-government approach as we seek to recover from COVID-19.

Young

people are the engines behind our future economy, one that must be fuelled by a

creative, healthy and resilient workforce. Their economic and social well-being

is directly linked to their health. Experts around the globe are already

flagging the long-term cost to our healthcare and social support systems. While

so many children, youth and young adults have been affected by the educational,

social and economic disruption caused by the pandemic, it is also well-established

that Black, Indigenous, low-income and other marginalized children, youth and

young adults have been disproportionately affected.

Ontario’s

policymakers need to place children, youth and young adults at the centre of

our work in upcoming COVID-19 recovery programs and in developing policies to

improve their economic and social well-being—for years to come. Only then will

our economic recovery truly be a just one.

Therefore,

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of

the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Post-Pandemic

Child & Youth Action Plan

(1) The

Premier of Ontario shall develop and publish a Post-Pandemic Child & Youth

Action Plan.

(2) The

Action Plan shall be developed in consultation with the following:

1. Youth

leaders, predominately from equity-seeking groups most harmed by the pandemic,

including those from communities referred to in paragraph 1 of subsection (3).

2. Experts

in education, child development and mental health.

(3) The

Action Plan shall include the following:

1. Ongoing

data collection related to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on

children, youth and young adults, including the disproportionate effects on,

i. Black

youth, Indigenous youth and other racialized youth,

ii. low-income

youth,

iii. LGBTQ2S+

youth,

iv. youth

with disabilities,

v. newcomer

and refugee youth, and

vi. youth

in care.

2. The

establishment of clear goals for mitigating the negative effects of the

pandemic, addressing structural inequalities, expanding opportunities and

supporting youth in achieving economic security and mental and physical well-being.

3. A

plan to coordinate programs and services across the Ontario government’s

ministries related specifically to addressing the disproportionate effect of

the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and the related effect on society, the environment,

the economy, and education and health in Ontario.

(4) The

Premier shall review the Action Plan every two years and consult with the standing

committee referred to in

section 3, the COVID-19 Recovery Youth Secretariat,

youth leaders and, subject to subsection (3), make any amendments to the plan

the Premier considers necessary.

COVID-19

Recovery Youth Secretariat

(1) The

COVID-19 Recovery Youth Secretariat is established.

Functions

(2) The

Secretariat shall perform the following functions:

1. The

Secretariat shall assist the Premier with the development, revision and

implementation of the Post-Pandemic Child & Youth Action Plan.

2. The

Secretariat shall review every piece of legislation introduced into the

Legislature and every new regulation made by government to determine the

potential effect of each piece of legislation and each regulation on the

well-being of children, youth and young adults in the Province.

3. The

Secretariat shall report to the standing committee referred to in

section 3

bi-annually and at other times as requested by the standing committee.

Standing

committee

(1) A

standing committee of the Legislative Assembly shall be appointed to perform

the functions set out in subsection (3).

Composition

(2) The

composition of the standing committee shall proportionately represent the party

identity of members of the Legislature.

Functions

(3) The

functions of the standing committee are as follows:

1. The

standing committee shall review the development, revision and implementation of

the Post-Pandemic Child and Youth Action Plan every two years.

2. The

standing committee shall review data and research conducted by the COVID-19

Recovery Youth Secretariat.

3. The

standing committee shall report to the Legislative Assembly every two years

regarding the standing committee’s work.

Commencement

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

Short

title

The

short title of this Act is the Centering Youth in

Pandemic Recovery Act, 2022 .

Date Bill stage Event Outcome Committee

April 11, 2022

First Reading

Vote

Carried

Debates and Progress

First Reading

April 11, 2022

Committee

Second Reading

Committee

Third Reading

Royal Assent

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