On October 2nd, 2008 I had the honour of standing in the Ontario Legislature to introduce my first Private Members Bill, Bill 106 the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, 2008 (SCAN).

As your candidate in the last provincial election, I heard from voters on their doorsteps about the importance of having SCAN in Ontario. It was then that I made a promise to the voters of Ottawa Centre to introduce SCAN legislation in Ontario. As your MPP, I am proud to have delivered on this promise; proud to have introduced this legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with our community to ensure that SCAN becomes law in Ontario.

Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Legislation is about just that: making our neighbourhoods and communities safer. SCAN is a provincial, civil law which aims to lessen the impact on neighbourhoods of entrenched crime, such as drugs, prostitution or illegal liquor sales based out of homes and businesses. It improves community safety by going after real property that has been habitually used for criminal activity because it provides a mechanism to deal with these properties quickly and efficiently.

Unlike the criminal justice system, SCAN is a fast and efficient tool because it targets properties, not people. SCAN also provides concerned citizens the opportunity to make anonymous complaints, protecting the safety of themselves and their families. We can, and must, clean up our neighbourhoods without the fear of vengeance, the hassle of lengthy criminal investigations or costly court battles.

The purpose of SCAN is to work with homeowners and landlords to ensure that their properties are being used for their intended purposes. The first step in processing a SCAN complaint is for the SCAN director to work with the homeowner to see if an informal resolution can be reached. This places the onus on communities to work together to find solutions to their local problems. It also gives neighbourhoods the flexibility to react to their unique needs and circumstances.

SCAN legislation was first passed by the Manitoba Legislature in 2001, and became law in February 2002. Over the last six years, other provinces throughout Canada have adopted SCAN legislation modeled on Manitoba. Though SCAN has a proven track record in other jurisdictions, I felt very strongly that we needed a made-in-Ontario solution for our communities. That is why, since last October I have been working with community groups and law enforcement officials to ensure that Bill 106 addresses the unique needs of Ontario’s neighbourhoods.

SCAN has passed first and second reading and is now waiting to be scheduled for third reading in the Legislature. I encourage you to follow the legislative process of Bill 106 on the Legislative Assembly website at www.ontla.on.ca.

I would also like to hear your views on this legislation, so please feel free to write to me or email your thoughts and suggestions. I welcome your input!

Together, we are building a safer, greener and healthier Ottawa Centre.

Bill 106 Information
See Bill 106