A protection order or restraining order is a serious legal tool meant to protect individuals from harassment, abuse, or threats. If someone violates that order, they can be held in contempt of court — a legal finding that may lead to fines, a criminal charge, or even jail time.

Here’s how to report and enforce a breach of a protection order in Ontario, and what you need to file to hold the respondent accountable.

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Contempt of court refers to when someone deliberately disobeys a legally binding court order. In the case of restraining orders or protection orders, this can include:

• Calling or messaging the protected person

• Showing up at their home or workplace

• Harassing them online

• Violating a no-contact or distance clause

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Yes. In Ontario:

• Breaching a civil restraining order can lead to civil contempt proceedings

• Breaching a criminal peace bond or protection order may result in criminal charges under the Criminal Code of Canada

The police may arrest the person immediately if a protection order is violated.

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If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Even if the breach is non-violent, it should still be reported to local police.

Keep copies of:

• Text messages or emails

• Voicemails or call logs

• Surveillance or eyewitness statements

If the order was issued through family or civil court, you may also take the person to court for civil contempt.

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• ✅ Form 14 – Notice of Motion

• ✅ Form 14A – Affidavit (General)

• ✅ Form 6B – Affidavit of Service

You must explain:

• What the original protection order said

• How the other party violated it

• When and how you found out

• Any ongoing impact or threats

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If the court finds the respondent in contempt for breaching a protection order, the judge may:

• Impose fines or costs

• Require apologies or corrective action

• Place the respondent on probation

• Sentence them to jail time (in serious or repeated breaches)

Contempt findings stay on record and may impact future court orders, including custody or visitation rights.

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• ✅ Violating a restraining or protection order can lead to civil or criminal contempt

• ✅ Call the police for immediate enforcement

• ✅ Document everything (messages, photos, call logs)

• ✅ File a motion for contempt using Form 14 and Form 14A

• ✅ A judge may issue fines, probation, or jail time for contempt

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• Legal Aid Ontario – 1-800-668-8258

• Victim Support Line – 1-888-579-2888

• Family Law Information Centres (FLIC) – Support with motions and affidavits

• Community Legal Clinics – Free legal support for eligible applicants

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Being in contempt of court means you have intentionally disobeyed a direct order from a judge. When it comes to a protection order, any violation of its conditions—from making a phone call to coming too close to a protected address—can be considered contempt.

Yes. You should report every single breach to the police, no matter how small it seems. This creates an official paper trail that demonstrates a pattern of disrespect for the court order, which is crucial evidence for a contempt motion.

Yes. Violating a restraining order is a criminal offence under the Criminal Code of Canada. When you call the police to report a breach, they can lay a criminal charge against the person, which is a separate process from the court's finding of contempt.

You need to file two key forms: Form 14: Notice of Motion, which tells the court what you're asking for, and Form 14A: Affidavit, which is your sworn statement detailing the evidence of how the order was breached.

You must prove three things beyond a reasonable doubt:

1. The order was clear and unambiguous.
2. The person knew about the terms of the order.
3. They intentionally did something (or failed to do something) that violated the order.

Yes. While it is usually reserved for serious or repeated violations, a judge has the power to sentence a person to jail time for contempt of court to punish them for their defiance and to compel them to obey the order in the future.