Summary#
Bill 43, the Consent Awareness Week Act, 2025, would create a new Ontario law; it does not amend another Act. It would officially designate a week each September, with the stated goal of encouraging awareness and conversations about consent.
- The week beginning on the third Monday in September would be proclaimed Consent Awareness Week each year.
- The Act would take effect on the day it receives Royal Assent.
- The bill does not require any person or organization to hold events or take other action during that week.
What it means for you#
- Ontarians: The week would have an official designation. The bill does not create a new legal right or change the rules about consent.
- Post-secondary institutions, schools, employers and other organizations: The bill does not require them to run activities, teach about consent or change their policies.
- General public: Taking part in Consent Awareness Week would not be mandatory.
Money#
No cost information is in the available material.
- The bill does not authorize spending, staffing, grants or a new program.
- Any costs of activities organized by others are not addressed in the bill.
What is unclear#
- The bill does not say who, if anyone, would organize or promote activities for the week.
- It does not provide funding, set expectations for participation or require reporting on activities or results.
- The bill uses the term “consent” but does not define it.
Case for#
- A possible argument for the bill is that an annual designation could give people and institutions a regular prompt to discuss consent.
- The preamble says the week is intended to encourage conversations about consent, boundaries, bodily autonomy and respect.
- A province-wide designation could recognize the activities some post-secondary institutions already hold, as described in the preamble.
Case against#
- The bill creates no duties, funding or delivery plan, so activities may vary or not take place.
- It does not explain how the designation would lead to lasting awareness or change. The bill requires no evaluation of its effect.
- One possible trade-off is that an official week may raise awareness, but the bill does not itself change consent education, institutional policies or protections.