Bill 6 "Safer Municipalities Act" - the new legislation and your rights

Curious what the Province's new Bill 6 "Safer Municipalities Act" might mean for you? Our partners at the Encampment Justice Coalition and Réseau Access Network have helped create this flyer to help understand the legislation and your rights.

The Encampment Justice Coalition and Réseau Access Network compiled this information for sharing. Please feel free to print out and distribute to anyone who might be helped by this information about Bill 6, the "Safer Municipalities Act".

We've created a tri-fold flier using the information provided. There are downloadable copies below, saved as JPEG and PDF files. A copy of the text is included below the downloadable copies.

***Updated to add:

This flier was created before the Mayor's declaration of an emergency.

It is our understanding that this declaration does not override provincial (or federal) legislation, nor change the information provided by the EJC.

Downloadable Copies

JPEG version (updated re: emergency declaration)

Outer page:

Inner page:

PDF version (updated re: emergency declaration)

Bill 6 Trifold - emergency update.pdf

Download PDF • 218KB

Text of the Flier:

Bill 6:

Safer Municipalities Act, 2025

What This New Law Might Mean For You

⚖️

What is this law?

Bill 6 includes two parts:

• Schedule 1: Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act, 2025

• Schedule 2: Changes to the Trespass to Property Act

🚨 Under Schedule 1, Police Can Now:

🚫 Stop you from using illegal drugs in public

• You cannot consume illegal substances in public places — including tents and other structures being used as shelter if not legally allowed.

• The only exceptions are:

  • Inside a supervised consumption site

  • If you're legally allowed to possess the substance

  • If you’re calling 911 or helping in an emergency (like an overdose)

👮 Give you directions

• If police believe you're using illegal drugs in public, they can:

  • Tell you to stop using

  • Tell you to leave the area or a structure (like a tent)

  • Ask for your full name, date of birth and address

⚠️ Charge you if you don’t comply

• If you don’t follow police directions, you can be:

  • Fined up to $10,000

  • Jailed for up to 6 months

  • Or both

🔗 Arrest you on the spot

• Police can arrest you without a warrant if they reasonably believe you broke the law by:

  • Using drugs in public

  • Refusing to leave

  • Refusing to provide ID

🧪 Seize and destroy substances

• Police can take and destroy any illegal drugs they find near you

• They can also send them to a lab to confirm what they are

🚷 Under Schedule 2, There Are Now More Penalties for Trespassing

• Courts can now give bigger fines (up to $10,000) if:

  • You stay longer than 24 hours after being told to leave a property

  • Or the court believes you're likely to trespass again

⁉️ What You Can Do if You’re Approached By Police Under Bill 6:

🔍 Why am I being approached?

• Police or bylaw officers may come up to you if they believe:

  • You’re using drugs in a public place, including tents or structures set up in parks or on sidewalks

  • You may have illegal substances nearby

✅ What should I do?

• 1. Stay calm

  • Don’t run. Running or arguing may make the situation worse. Breathe and try to stay grounded.

• 2. Listen to the officer’s directions

  • They may legally tell you to:

    • Stop using drugs

    • Leave the area

    • Give your name, date of birth, and address

    • If you don’t follow their direction, they can fine or arrest you

• 3. Give your name, date of birth, and address if asked

  • You don’t need to say anything else. You have the right to remain silent beyond that.

• 4. Ask for clarification if you don’t understand.

• You can ask:

  • “Am I being detained or arrested?”

  • “Am I allowed to leave?”

  • “Can you explain what you’re charging me with?”

❌ What happens if I don’t follow the direction?

• You may be fined up to $10,000, or

• Arrested on the spot without a warrant, and jailed for up to 6 months

• Police can also destroy or test any drugs they find

🆘 You are protected in emergencies

• You CANNOT be charged under this law if:

  • You’re calling 911 for yourself or someone else

  • You stay at the scene to help or get help

  (Even if drugs are present *personal amount* – this protection is part of the law.)

💡 Know your safer options

• If police are offering to take you to a shelter, health service, or addiction service instead of charging you,

  you can ask:

  • “Is this voluntary or will I be arrested if I say no?”

📋 After an Interaction

• Ask if you’re being charged, and for what?

• Write down what happened as soon as possible:

• Who, what, where, when, and any witnesses.

• Contact a legal clinic, harm reduction service, or outreach worker for support.

📞 Free legal help (Ontario):

• Legal Aid Ontario: 1-800-668-8258

• HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO): 416-340-7790

Created with assistance from the Encampment Justice Coalition, and Réseau Access Network.