Bill 35 – Ontario Captive Wildlife Protection Act

This proposed legislation is much overdue. Humane Initiative applauds Liberal MPP’s Lucille Collard and Karen McCrimmon for spearheading this.

Ontario has lagged behind every province in having protections for wild animals kept in captivity. No licensing, no oversight, no inspections, no anccountability…animals suffering in horrendous and inhumane conditions.

Let none of us ever forget MARINELAND! The poor creature are STILL SUFFERING there !!!

This Bill passing is critically important…but it appears to be stalled – why?

It calls for something that is massively important to animal advocates – LICENSING.

THE PUPS ACT:

Doug Ford refuses to bring in licensing for commercial dog breeders. He has no appetite for this level of oversight, no appetite to tax the $millions of undeclared income, no inspections – the PUPS Act is worthless without licensing.

BILL 35:

https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-44/session-1/bill-35

Sponsored By:

1. Lucille Collard: lcollard.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
2. Karen McCrimmon: kmccrimmon-co@liberal.ola.org

Current Status:

First Reading (May 29, 2025). Ordered for second reading (yet to be scheduled)

Why is this stalled? Perhaps because the Ontario Legislative Assembly is barely in session???

Under the Captive Wildlife Protection Act, no person shall establish, operate, or maintain a zoo without a licence. 

The Act creates a formal provincial licensing scheme with conditions set by the Registrar, annual inspections, and the ability to suspend or revoke licences. 

Bill 35/236 – is proposed legislation to create provincial oversight, licensing, and strict standards for keeping wild animals in Ontario, aiming to improve animal welfare and public safety by:

• Mandatory licensing
• Annual inspections
• zoo specific care standards
• Emergency plan in place 
• banning entertainment uses (like rides, photo ops)

Would be overseen by Ministry of the Solicitor General (as of now)

Under Bill 35 a “zoo” is defined as:

• a garden, park or other establishment where a wild animal is kept for any purpose, including for the purpose of exhibition, education or entertainment. (“zoo).

Sec 5 – Licensing – the license is NON-TRANSFERABLE

• Except under the authority of a licence, no person shall establish, operate or maintain a zoo.

• Except under the authority of a licence to operate a zoo, no person shall acquire, possess, trade, breed or use a wild animal unless the animal is a member of a prescribed species used for a prescribed activity.

• The license must be renewed annually and the facility must be inspected prior.
  • The license shall not be renewed if there are orders pending, not complied with
  • There are strong powers given to permit the Registrar to refuse renewal 

Sec 6 – Application 

• The standards with respect to formal education, professional credentials, training and experience that the staff of the zoo will be expected to meet
• An inventory of every animal with specific information about each
• Detailed site plan as well as a clear emergency plan for the animals in case of escape, attack, natural disaster, substantial loss of power, spread of an infectious disease

Sec 13 – Annual Inspections

• To be conducted under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services 
• AWS Inspectors will possess the same powers in this Act like those of the PAWS Act

Sec 18 – Annual Reporting

• Statistics must be published annually:
  • Inventory and location of each zoo
  • Number of animals
  • Inspections done
  • Health & Safety concerns