We are calling on the Government of Ontario to introduce and pass The Watchman Act — Families First and Child Protection Reform Act.

This legislation would reform Ontario’s family court and child protection system to better protect children, support non-abusive parents, and ensure that families receive help before children are removed from their homes.

The Watchman Act would:

Establish a presumption of shared parenting where safe

Prevent children from being removed due to poverty alone

Require kinship placement before foster care

Create stricter barriers for verified abusive parents seeking custody

Require rehabilitation and risk assessments before abusive parents gain unsupervised access

Provide support services to families before child apprehension

Increase oversight and transparency in child protection agencies

Set time limits so children do not grow up in foster care without permanent homes

This petition calls on Members of Provincial Parliament to support family and child services reform that protects children while preserving safe and loving families.

Children deserve safety.
Good parents deserve fairness.
Families deserve support.
Ontario deserves accountability.

Sign this petition to support The Watchman Act.