C-295An Act to amend the Criminal Code (neglect of vulnerable adults)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on June 20, 2022
- Status
- At second reading in the Senate since December 7, 2023
What it does
Adds Criminal Code rules for long-term care facility owners and officers who fail to provide residents with the necessaries of life.
What it does
- Creates a Criminal Code offence for owners and officers of long-term care facilities who fail to ensure residents get the necessaries of life.
- Defines long-term care facilities and officers for this rule, covering facilities for three or more adults who need care because of age, illness, mental disorder, disability or frailty.
- Lets courts ban convicted owners or officers from jobs or volunteer roles that put them in charge of, or in a position of trust over, vulnerable adults.
- Requires courts to consider any provincial penalty or protective measure when deciding on that ban.
- Adds an organisation’s failure to meet a legal duty owed to vulnerable adults as an aggravating factor at sentencing.
- Sets the bill to come into force 30 days after royal assent.
Who it affects
- Long-term care facilities
- Facility owners
- Facility officers
- Residents
- Vulnerable adults
- Courts and judges
Topics
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
Current stage. Now here
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
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-295, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (neglect of vulnerable adults)
Vote 479,
Passed
309 yeato0 nay · 14 paired
Party breakdown for vote 479 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 147 0 11 Conservative Yea 109 0 8 Bloc Yea 27 0 5 NDP Yea 24 0 1 Green Yea 1 0 1 Independent Yea 1 0 2 Total 309 0 2nd reading of Bill C-295, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (neglect of vulnerable adults)
Vote 265,
Passed
321 yeato0 nay · 2 paired
Party breakdown for vote 265 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 150 0 8 Conservative Yea 112 0 3 Bloc Yea 32 0 0 NDP Yea 23 0 2 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 2 0 0 Total 321 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.
LiberalHedy Fry· June 20, 2022
“Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-295, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (neglect of vulnerable adults). I rise to introduce my private member's bill, an act to amend the Criminal Code regarding neglect of vulnerable adults, and I want to thank the member for Alfred-Pellan for seconding the bill.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeLarry Maguire· November 29, 2022
“It is with that in mind we can turn our attention to the provisions contained in Bill C-295. I welcome the debate and attention on amending the Criminal Code to protect those who live in long-term care facilities.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocRhéal Fortin· November 29, 2022
“We will have to take a closer look at the bill. There are some aspects that could easily go off the rails.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPDon Davies· November 29, 2022
“Bill C-295, an act to amend the Criminal Code, targeted at the neglect of vulnerable adults, would do two things. First, it would: [amend] the Criminal Code to create a specific offence for long-term care facilities, their owners and their managers to fail to provide the necessaries of life to residents of the facilities.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: At second reading in the Senate. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.