The Ontario government has reintroduced its Protection of Public Participation Act, legislation aimed at preventing Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). The law had been introduced previously but died when a provincial election was called. If passed, the Protection of Public Participation Act would give Ontario courts a more effective process for identifying and dealing with strategic lawsuits. The proposed law would minimize the time and resources wasted by plaintiffs, defendants and the courts on meritless claims, while allowing legitimate complaints to proceed in a timely manner.
“Anti-SLAPP legislation will ensure Ontarians who engage in the democratic process are protected from meritless lawsuits intended to silence them from voicing their concerns on matters of public interest,” said Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur.
