Sections of Ontario’s panhandling law have been struck down as unconstitutional.
The Safe Streets Act prohibits soliciting in an aggressive manner and soliciting a captive audience, including people waiting to use an A-T-M or public transit.
The Fair Change legal clinic argued in its constitutional challenge that the law violates freedom of expression and other charter rights.
While the Superior Court didn’t accept all of their arguments, it did rule that most of the ways the law defines aggressive solicitation violate the presumption of innocence.
The court added that banning panhandling in certain places violates freedom of expression rights.
CANADIAN PRESS