Ontario is developing measures that would require impaired drivers who kill a parent or guardian to provide ongoing child support, the Ministry of the Attorney General says.
The proposal would expand on the Safer Roads and Communities Act, 2024, and add to existing civil liabilities for impaired drivers. Attorney General Doug Downey said the goal is to ease the financial and emotional burden on children left behind after fatal impaired-driving crashes.
“No child should have to bear the weight of losing a parent to impaired driving,” Downey said. “The devastating impact reaches far beyond the immediate loss—it can leave children struggling emotionally and financially.”
Impaired driving remains the leading cause of road-related deaths in Ontario. In 2021, 182 people were killed in impaired-driving crashes involving alcohol or drugs.
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the change would add to what he called some of the toughest penalties in North America. The province is reviewing examples from other jurisdictions, including a Texas law requiring offenders convicted of intoxication manslaughter to pay child support until a child turns 18 or finishes high school.
MADD Canada CEO Steve Sullivan said the organization supports exploring additional measures to hold impaired drivers accountable and to better support victims, especially minors.
