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Ontario Assembly Bill

Ontario Bill 41

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
December 04, 2023
Protection from Coerced Debts Incurred in relation to Human Trafficking Act, 2023
  • This is a summary of Bill 41, which has been enacted as Chapter 16 of the Statutes of Ontario in 2023. The bill amends the Consumer Reporting Act and the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017. The Consumer Reporting Act is amended to prohibit the inclusion of information about coerced debts in consumer reports. The Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017 is amended to add a new Part IV, which introduces the concept of coerced debts. Coerced debts are debts incurred as a result of the debtor being subjected to human trafficking. The new provisions in Part IV prohibit the collection of coerced debts and prohibit entities from considering them when deciding whether to provide credit services or products to the debtor. In case of a dispute between a creditor and a debtor regarding whether a debt is coerced, either party can apply to a prescribed individual or group of individuals for a determination. The bill also includes regulations that govern the application of these provisions and the criteria for establishing coerced debts. The Crown is bound by these provisions. The Act comes into force on a date to be determined by the Lieutenant Governor and is titled the Protection from Coerced Debts Incurred in relation to Human Trafficking Act, 2023.
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