C-294An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on June 17, 2022
- Status
- Became law on November 7, 2024 · S.C. 2024, c. 27
What it does
Lets people bypass certain technological protection measures on lawfully obtained software to make it work with other programs, devices or components.
What it does
- Allows people to bypass a technological protection measure on a lawfully obtained computer program to learn how to make it interoperable with other software, devices or components.
- Allows people to bypass that measure to make the program, or a device that contains it, interoperable with other software, devices or components.
- Allows a person who got that information to share it with someone else for the same interoperability purpose.
- Limits the use of the technology, device, component or information to interoperability work only.
- Denies the exception if the person also does an act that infringes copyright, and in one case if they break another federal or provincial law.
Who it affects
- People with lawfully obtained software
- Software developers
- Device makers
- People working on compatibility
- Copyright owners
Background
The bill changes subsection 41.12 of the Copyright Act. That section deals with when someone may circumvent a technological protection measure.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Senate
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Completed.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-294, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability)
Vote 374,
Passed
322 yeato0 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 374 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 149 0 7 Conservative Yea 115 0 0 Bloc Yea 30 0 2 NDP Yea 23 0 2 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 3 0 0 Total 322 0 Bill C-294, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability) (previous question)
Vote 373,
Passed
320 yeato0 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 373 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 148 0 8 Conservative Yea 115 0 0 Bloc Yea 30 0 2 NDP Yea 22 0 3 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 3 0 0 Total 320 0 2nd reading of Bill C-294, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability)
Vote 229,
Passed
318 yeato0 nay
Party breakdown for vote 229 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 148 0 10 Conservative Yea 113 0 5 Bloc Yea 30 0 2 NDP Yea 23 0 2 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 2 0 0 Total 318 0
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalWilson Miao· October 6, 2022
“Bill C-294 tackles a public policy challenge of importance to Canadians. I believe that we need to do more to facilitate the interoperability of products.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeJeremy Patzer· June 17, 2022
“Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-294, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability). Today I am here in support of Canadian consumers as well as the countless innovators who work in our industry across the country.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocSébastien Lemire· October 6, 2022
“I am pleased to speak today to the bill that would amend the Copyright Act. The sponsor of this bill, the member for Cypress Hills—Grasslands, will be pleased to know that the Bloc Québécois supports what is proposed in his bill.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPAlistair MacGregor· October 6, 2022
“I am pleased to be able to rise to join debate on Bill C-294. I would like to congratulate the member for Cypress Hills—Grasslands on bringing forward a bill for debate.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Royal assent received. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.