UPDATE (Sept 21): Thanks to several of our readers for the heads up about the applicable age. Sgt. Maria Keen of the Ottawa Police Youth Services Section clarifies: “The Child and family services act is under 16 years of age. Under this act, no parent of a child less than 16 years of age shall permit the child to loiter in a public place between midnight and 6 a.m. Therefore officers will use this as one of their enforcement tools in order to encourage more parental responsibility. Officers have been directed to issue warnings and charges to parents who breach this section of the act. It is punishable by up to a $1,000 fine.”
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(via Shad Qadri’s weekly newsletter)
Ottawa Police officers are placing more emphasis on enforcing the curfew provisions of the Child and Family Services Act. If you are 16 years of age or under, you are not permitted to hang around (loiter) in a public area (parks, parking lots, schoolyards, sidewalks, bus stop/stations etc) between midnight and 6AM. Under this law, youth will be escorted home by police and parents would receive a warning or a fine up to $1000. Officers use this as one of their enforcement tools in order to encourage more parental responsibility.
Under the Parental Responsibility Act, parents are held financially responsible for property loss, damage or destruction intentionally caused by their children who are under 18 years of age.
If you feel your child needs intervention or you have a question or would like to speak to someone in the Youth Section, please contact the Ottawa Police at 613-236-1222 ext 5355 or phone any of these help lines:
Child, Youth & Family Crisis Line for Eastern Ontario 613-260-2360 (24/7 crisis line)
Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region 613-238-3311 (24/7 crisis line for ages 16+)
Youth Services Bureau 613-260-2360 (24/7 Crisis Line)
http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/safety-and-crime-prevention/Parent-Responsibility-Act.asp
I think Shad might have made a mistake, because on the OPS website it says this only applies to youth who are “less than 16 years of age” as opposed to his “16 years of age or under”