Local MP’s bill on court-ordered rehabilitation passes second reading
Posted Jun 2, 2026 04:29:57 AM.
Last Updated Jun 2, 2026 04:31:00 AM.
A private members’ bill coming from a local MP looks to be tougher on fentanyl traffickers in Canada and allow court-ordered rehabilitation for offenders.
Kitchener Centre MP Kelly DeRidder’s Bill C-240 passed second reading unanimously in the House of Commons, now going to committee to be studied.
“As someone who has personally experienced addiction and recovery, I know firsthand that recovery is possible when people are given the right support and accountability,” said MP DeRidder.
“There is a big beautiful, happy life on the other side of addiction.”
DeRidder added she knows firsthand that recovery is possible with right support and accountability.
“Bill C-240 is about helping break cycles of addiction and crime, improving public safety and giving more Canadians a chance at rebuilding their lives,” said DeRidder
“I was an addict sleeping in Victoria Park in Kitchener, Ontario. I slept in the streets, and at the women’s’ shelter on Frederick Street, Mary’s Place. And now I’m a member of parliament representing that very same area.”
Bill C-240 now moves to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
If passed, it would include:
- Court-ordered rehabilitation measures for offenders, enabling courts to order additional rehabilitative measures during an offender’s custodial sentence, such as participation in educational, training, or treatment programs;
- Permit stricter penalties for fentanyl traffickers by introducing an aggravating factor in sentencing for individuals convicted of trafficking fentanyl in large quantities, leading to stricter penalties; and
- Include rehabilitation progress in parole decisions, requiring that parole boards consider an offender’s progress in completing court-ordered rehabilitation programs when making parole decisions.
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