Protecting Victims Act (S.C. 2026, c. 19)
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Assented to 2026-06-18
2011, c. 4; 2024, c. 23, subpar. 12(a)(i)An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child sexual abuse and exploitation material by persons who provide an Internet service (continued)
182 Section 11 of the Act is replaced by the following:
Marginal note:Limitation period
11 A prosecution for an offence under this Act cannot be commenced more than five years after the time when the act or omission giving rise to the prosecution occurred.
183 (1) Paragraph 12(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(a) specifying the services included in the definition Internet service in subsection 1(1);
(a.1) designating an organization for the purpose of section 2;
(2) Section 12 of the Act is amended by adding the following after paragraph (c):
(c.1) designating a law enforcement body for the purpose of section 3;
(3) Section 12 of the Act is amended by adding the following after paragraph (d):
(d.1) requiring the law enforcement body designated under paragraph (c.1) to submit to the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness an annual report in relation to the information that it receives under this Act;
(d.2) specifying the form and content of the annual report referred to in paragraph (d.1), as well as the time and manner of its submission;
1995, c. 39Firearms Act
184 Section 6.1 of the Firearms Act is replaced by the following:
Marginal note:Protection orders, etc.
6.1 Subject to section 70.3 and the regulations, an individual is not eligible to hold a licence if
(a) they are subject to a protection order;
(b) they have been convicted of an offence in the commission of which violence was used, threatened or attempted against their intimate partner or any member of their family; or
(c) a chief firearms officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that the individual may have engaged in an act of domestic violence, as defined in subsection 70.1(2), or stalking.
185 Subsections 72(4) and (5) of the Act are replaced by the following:
Marginal note:Disposal of firearms, etc.
(4) A notice given under subsection (1) in respect of a licence must specify that the applicant for or holder of the licence must deliver to a peace officer or a firearms officer or a chief firearms officer any firearm, prohibited weapon, restricted weapon, prohibited device or prohibited ammunition that the applicant for or holder of the licence possesses within 24 hours or, if that is not possible, within an extended period established by the chief firearms officer. Sections 91, 92 and 94 of the Criminal Code do not apply to the applicant or holder in relation to such a firearm, prohibited weapon, restricted weapon or prohibited device or such prohibited ammunition during that period.
Marginal note:Disposal of firearms — registration certificate
(5) A notice given under subsection (1) in respect of a registration certificate for a prohibited firearm or a restricted firearm must specify that the applicant for or holder of the registration certificate must deliver to a peace officer or a firearms officer or a chief firearms officer the firearm to which the registration certificate relates within 24 hours or, if that is not possible, within an extended period established by the chief firearms officer. Sections 91, 92 and 94 of the Criminal Code do not apply to the applicant or holder in relation to such a prohibited firearm or restricted firearm during that period.
1992, c. 20Corrections and Conditional Release Act
Amendments to the Act
186 Subsection 2(1) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:
- historical information
historical information means information about a person who was, but is no longer, in the care and custody or under the supervision of the Service; (renseignement historique)
187 Section 17.1 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (4):
Marginal note:Conditions — protection of victim
(4.1) If the victim or a person referred to in subsection 26(3) or 142(3) has provided a statement describing the harm, property damage or loss suffered by them as a result of the commission of the offence or its continuing impact on them — including any safety concerns — or commenting on the possible release of the inmate, the Parole Board of Canada or the institutional head, as the case may be, must impose any conditions on the temporary absence of the inmate authorized under subsection (1) that it considers reasonable and necessary in order to protect the victim, including a condition requiring that the inmate abstain from having any contact, including communication by any means, with the victim or from going to any specified place.
188 The Act is amended by adding the following after section 23:
Marginal note:Victim statement
23.1 (1) Before placing the offender in a penitentiary, the Service must take reasonable steps to enable the victim or a person referred to in subsection 26(3) to submit a statement of the harm, property damage or loss suffered by them as a result of the commission of the offence or its continuing impact on them and any concerns they may have about the location of the penitentiary in which the offender is confined.
Marginal note:Subparagraph 26(1)(c)(iv)
(2) If the Commissioner discloses information under subparagraph 26(1)(c)(iv), the Service must take reasonable steps to enable the victim or a person referred to in subsection 26(3) to submit a statement of the harm, property damage or loss suffered by them as a result of the commission of the offence or its continuing impact on them and any concerns they may have about the location of the penitentiary in which the offender is confined before the Commissioner makes a decision in respect of the offender’s transfer request, unless it is not practicable to do so.
189 Section 25 of the Act is replaced by the following:
Marginal note:Service to give information to parole boards, etc.
25 (1) The Service must give, at the appropriate times, to the Parole Board of Canada, provincial governments, provincial parole boards, police and any body authorized by the Service to supervise offenders, all information, including historical information, under its control that is relevant to release decision-making or to the supervision or surveillance of offenders.
Marginal note:Notice to police
(2) Before the release of an inmate on an unescorted temporary absence, parole or statutory release, the Service must notify the police.
Marginal note:Service to give information to police
(3) If the Service has reasonable grounds to believe that an offender whose sentence or long-term supervision order is about to expire poses a threat to any person, the Service must, prior to the expiry and on a timely basis, take all reasonable steps to give the police all information under its control that is relevant to that perceived threat.
Marginal note:Arrangement — component of criminal justice system
25.1 (1) The Service may enter into an arrangement with another component of the criminal justice system in order to disclose information about offenders.
Marginal note:Information disclosure
(2) The Service may, in accordance with an arrangement referred to in subsection (1), disclose to the component of the criminal justice system information, including historical information, about an offender if the Service is satisfied that
(a) the information requested is relevant to the mandate and responsibilities of that component of the criminal justice system; and
(b) the purpose of the disclosure is to further the proper functioning of the criminal justice system by
(i) facilitating the functions of a coroner or a medical examiner,
(ii) facilitating the carrying out of a fatality inquest or inquiry,
(iii) facilitating the process for a request for extradition,
(iv) supporting the functions of the components of the criminal justice system that track high-risk offenders and coordinate information sharing about those offenders,
(v) enabling Crown attorneys to make an application under Part XXIV of the Criminal Code for a finding that a person is a dangerous offender or a long-term offender, or
(vi) carrying out any other prescribed matter.
Marginal note:Information disclosure — correctional authorities
25.2 The Service may, for the purpose of furthering the proper functioning of the criminal justice system, disclose to the correctional authorities of a province
(a) information, including historical information, related to activities that jeopardize the safety of any person or the security of a correctional facility, including the identities, capabilities and intentions of the persons involved in those activities and the methods they use to carry them out;
(b) information, including historical information, related to the care and custody of a person who is or is to be in the lawful custody of that correctional authority; and
(c) information, including historical information, related to a security threat group identified in accordance with the Commissioner’s Directives, including information related to the persons associated with the group, its structure, its activities — including recruitment activities — and its internal dynamics, as well as its relationships with one or more such groups.
Marginal note:Information disclosure — police
25.3 The Commissioner or a staff member designated by the Commissioner may disclose to the police
(a) information related to activities that jeopardize the safety of any person or the security of a penitentiary, including the identities of persons involved in those activities, their intentions and capabilities with respect to those activities and their methods of carrying them out, for the purpose of preventing or mitigating the harm resulting from those activities;
(b) information related to a security threat group identified in accordance with the Commissioner’s Directives, including information related to the persons associated with the group, its structure, its activities — including recruitment activities — and its internal dynamics, as well as its relationships with one or more such groups, for the purpose of managing risks to the safety of any person or to the public or to the security of a penitentiary;
(c) information related to an activity of an offender, for the purpose of protecting a victim in accordance with the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights;
(d) information related to an offender for whom a warrant of apprehension referred to in subsection 137(1) is issued, including data from a monitoring device, for the purpose of locating and apprehending the offender;
(e) information related to an offender who is at risk of non-compliance with a condition of their unescorted temporary absence, parole, statutory release or long-term supervision, for the purpose of supervision or surveillance of the offender;
(f) information related to an offender, for the purpose of supporting the consideration of their temporary absence request or release plan for parole or of planning for their statutory release or long-term supervision;
(g) information related to a person, if
(i) the Commissioner or the staff member designated by the Commissioner is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person has committed a criminal offence, and
(ii) the Service obtained the information in the course of exercising its powers or performing its duties and functions under this Act or any other Act of Parliament; and
(h) information related to any other prescribed matter.
Marginal note:Principles
25.4 The principles that guide the Service in sharing information under sections 25.1 to 25.3 are as follows:
(a) an offender is expected not to reoffend or continue to be involved in criminal activity while under sentence or supervision;
(b) the Service furthers the protection of society and promotes offender accountability by sharing relevant information at the appropriate time with appropriate components of the criminal justice system;
(c) the Service furthers the rehabilitation and reintegration of an offender into society as a law-abiding citizen by sharing relevant information at an appropriate time with federal and provincial authorities so that those authorities can carry out their mandated duties in relation to that purpose;
(d) the Service discloses personal information in a reasonable and proportionate manner, with a view to minimizing negative impacts on, or risks to, the affected individual;
(e) the Service takes reasonable measures to limit the disclosure of any irrelevant personal information;
(f) the Service documents all disclosures of personal information, including the legal authority for, and the purpose and recipient of, the disclosure and maintains records in respect of those disclosures;
(g) the Service takes reasonable measures to ensure that any personal information it discloses is accurate, up to date and complete; and
(h) the Service is accountable in respect of the disclosure of personal information under this Act and it undertakes a transparent and ongoing review of its information disclosure practices, with a view to improving them.
Marginal note:Digital interface — required disclosure
25.5 (1) If the Service is authorized to disclose information about offenders under this Act or any other Act of Parliament and the Service intends to make the disclosure by providing access to a digital interface it administers, it must enter into an arrangement with the recipient of the information.
Marginal note:Arrangement
(2) An arrangement referred to in subsection (1) must include provisions requiring
(a) security measures for ensuring that only authorized users are able to access the digital interface for the intended purpose;
(b) measures for identifying a privacy breach and notifying the parties to the arrangement of that breach; and
(c) any other prescribed measure.
Marginal note:Definition of digital interface
(3) In this section, digital interface means a website, application or other electronic medium through which data or digital content is collected, viewed, consumed, delivered or interacted with.
190 (1) Subparagraphs 26(1)(b)(ii) to (ii.2) of the Act are replaced by the following:
(ii) the name and location of the penitentiary — and the security classification assigned under section 29.1 to the penitentiary or the area in the penitentiary — in which the sentence is being served,
(2) Subsection 26(1) of the Act is amended by striking out “and” at the end of subparagraph (c)(iii) and by adding the following after subparagraph (c)(iii):
(iv) in accordance with the Commissioner’s Directives, a request submitted by the offender for a transfer referred to in section 29,
(v) if the offender is transferred, a summary of the reasons for the transfer and the name and location of the penitentiary in which the sentence is being served,
(vi) the security classification that is assigned to the offender under subsection 30(1); and
(3) Subsection 26(1.1) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Marginal note:Timing of disclosure — release
(1.1) The Commissioner must disclose the information referred to in subparagraphs (1)(c)(i) to (iii) before the day on which the offender is released and, unless it is not practicable to do so, the Commissioner must disclose it at least 14 days before that day.
Marginal note:Timing of disclosure — transfer
(1.11) The Commissioner must disclose the information referred to in subparagraph (1)(c)(v) before the day on which the offender is transferred, unless it is not practicable to do so.
(4) Section 26 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (1.2):
Marginal note:Disclosure — explanation
(1.3) Any disclosure made under subparagraph (1)(a)(iv) or (1)(c)(i) must include an explanation of how the applicable dates are determined.
191 Section 28 of the Act is amended by striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (b), by adding “and” at the end of paragraph (c) and by adding the following after paragraph (c):
(d) the location of the penitentiary, if a victim has expressed concerns to the Service about the location of the penitentiary in which the sentence is being served.
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