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Police access to electronic data

C-22 Lawful Access Act, 2026: An Act respecting lawful access

Helps police and security agencies obtain subscriber data and electronic information from telecommunications providers during investigations.

What Bill C-22 would do

The bill would update rules across federal laws to allow peace officers and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to obtain subscriber information and transmission data from telecommunications and electronic service providers. It would create court orders and demands for service confirmation, shorten review times for production orders, and clarify powers to examine computer data or act in urgent situations. It would also create a legal framework to ensure electronic service providers can assist authorized officials in accessing data.

Official text

Official summary

Part 1 amends various Acts to modernize certain provisions respecting the timely gathering and production of data and information during an investigation. It, among other things, (a) amends the Criminal Code to, among other things, (i) facilitate access to basic information that will assist in the investigation of federal offences through confirmation of service demands given to telecommunications service providers or judicial production orders for the production of subscriber information, (ii) expedite the response to production orders by shortening the review process and clarify the ability of peace officers and public officers to receive and act on certain information that is voluntarily provided to them and to obtain and act on information that is publicly available, (iii) specify certain circumstances in which peace officers and public officers may obtain evidence, including subscriber information, in exigent circumstances, (iv) allow a justice or judge to authorize, in a warrant, a peace officer or public officer to obtain tracking data or transmission data that relates to any thing that is similar to a thing in relation to which data is authorized to be obtained under the warrant and that is unknown at the time the warrant is issued, (v) provide and clarify authorities by which computer data may be examined, and (vi) allow a justice or judge to authorize a peace officer or public officer to make a request to a foreign entity that provides telecommunications services — or that provides services by a means of telecommunication — to the public to produce transmission data or subscriber information that is in its possession or control; (b) makes a consequential amendment to the Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act ; (c) amends the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act to allow the Minister of Justice to authorize a competent authority to make arrangements for the enforcement of a decision made by an authority of a state or entity that is empowered to compel the production of transmission data or subscriber information that is in the possession or control of a person in Canada; (d) amends the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act to, among other things, (i) facilitate access to basic information that will assist the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in the performance of its duties and functions under section 12 or 16 of that Act through confirmation of service demands given to telecommunications service providers and judicial orders against those providers, and (ii) clarify the response time for production orders; and (e) amends the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Cannabis Act to provide and clarify authorities by which computer data may be examined.

Part 2 enacts the Supporting Authorized Access to Information Act . That Act establishes a framework for ensuring that electronic service providers can facilitate the exercise, by authorized persons, of authorities to access information conferred under the Criminal Code or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act . It also makes related and consequential amendments to the Intelligence Commissioner Act . Part 3 provides for the parliamentary review of Parts 1 and 2.

The government's summary, printed at the front of the bill as introduced.

Kind
Government bill
Sponsor
Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety (Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park)
Introduced
in the House of Commons
Last activity

Where it stands

  1. ProposedMar 12
  2. Being debated
  3. Almost lawsince Jun 18 Exact stageAt consideration in committee in the Senate · Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs · since October 22, 2026The elected House of Commons has passed it; the Senate is reviewing it.
  4. Law

Passed the House; now in the Senate, in committee there

  1. First reading in the House done

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

  2. Second reading in the House done

    Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security

    Before the House on 4 sitting days, to

    2nd reading and referral to committee - SECU: agreed to on division,

  3. Committee in the House done

    Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

  4. Report stage in the House done

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

  5. Third reading in the House done

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

    3rd reading: agreed to,

  6. First reading in the Senate done

    Before the Senate on 1 sitting day,

  7. Second reading in the Senate done

    Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs

    Before the Senate on 4 sitting days, to

  8. Committee in the Senate now

    Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs

  9. Report stage in the Senate not yet

  10. Third reading in the Senate not yet

  11. Royal assent not yet

Exact procedural stages

Officially: At consideration in committee in the Senate · Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs · since October 22, 2026.

  1. House
  2. Senate
  3. Royal assent

Debates in the House 4

Time allocation, closure and other motions on the bill 4

  1. Government Business No. 13—Proceedings on Bill C‑22

    · Sitting 138 · Motion on how the bill proceeds · 18 statements · 1 graded

    14 members spoke

  2. Government Business No. 13—Proceedings on Bill C‑22

    · Sitting 138 · Motion on how the bill proceeds · 82 statements · 71 graded

    22 members spoke

  3. Government Orders

    · Sitting 138 · Motion on how the bill proceeds · 3 statements

    3 members spoke

  4. Government Orders

    · Sitting 138 · Motion on how the bill proceeds · 1 statement

    1 member spoke

Also raised in 46

Question Period, members' statements and other debates where the bill came up.

Show 46

  1. Safe Social Media Act

    · Government Orders · named 6 times

  2. Safe Social Media Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  3. Routine Proceedings

    · Routine Proceedings · named 2 times

  4. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  5. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  6. Spring Economic Update 2026 Implementation Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  7. Business of the House

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  8. Spring Economic Update 2026 Implementation Act

    · Government Orders · named 2 times

  9. Arab Heritage Month Act

    · Government Orders · named 2 times

  10. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 2 times

  11. Democratic Institutions

    · Oral Questions · named 2 times

  12. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 5 times

  13. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 2 times

  14. Combatting Hate Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  15. Combatting Hate Act

    · Government Orders · named 3 times

  16. Public Safety

    · Statements by Members · named 1 time

  17. Democratic Institutions

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  18. Privacy

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  19. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 3 times

  20. Government Accountability

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  21. Points of Order

    · Oral Questions · named 6 times

  22. Government Business No. 11—Proceedings on Bill C‑26

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  23. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  24. Government Business No. 12—Proceedings on Bill C-30

    · Government Orders · named 2 times

  25. Government Business No. 12—Proceedings on Bill C-30

    · Government Orders · named 2 times

  26. Combatting Hate Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  27. Combatting Hate Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  28. Bail and Sentencing Reform Act

    · Government Orders · named 3 times

  29. Indigenous Affairs

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  30. Adjournment Proceedings

    · Adjournment Proceedings · named 1 time

  31. Government Orders

    · Government Orders · named 2 times

  32. Instruction to Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security

    · Routine Proceedings · named 18 times

  33. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  34. Protecting Victims Act

    · Government Orders · named 4 times

  35. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 2 times

  36. Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  37. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  38. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  39. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  40. Justice

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  41. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  42. Military Justice System Modernization Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  43. Canadian Space Launch Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  44. Government Business No. 9—Changes to the Standing Orders

    · Government Orders · named 2 times

  45. Public Safety

    · Oral Questions · named 2 times

  46. Government Orders

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

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Status, stages and votes from LEGISinfo. Debates are linked from the House's own record of what was before it. Grades are the site's analysis of each statement.