C-48An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform)
Government bill, introduced in the House of Commons on May 16, 2023
- Status
- Became law on December 5, 2023 · S.C. 2023, c. 30
What it does
Changes Criminal Code bail rules for some serious violent and firearms offences, and adds a review of the new and amended provisions.
What it does
- Creates a reverse onus rule for people charged with a serious violent offence involving a weapon if they were convicted in the last five years of a similar offence.
- Adds certain firearms offences to the existing reverse onus rules.
- Expands the intimate partner violence reverse onus rule so it also applies when the accused was previously discharged for that offence.
- Requires courts to consider any previous convictions involving violence and to record that community safety and security were considered.
- Provides for a parliamentary review of the new and amended provisions to begin on the fifth anniversary of royal assent, or as soon as possible after that.
Who it affects
- People charged with serious violent offences
- People charged with firearms offences
- People accused of intimate partner violence
- Courts
- Parliament
Background
The bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 16 May 2023 and had first reading. It amends the Criminal Code and makes consequential amendments to other Acts.
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.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Completed.
Introduced by a cabinet minister on behalf of the government. Government bills get set time for debate, so they are the most likely to become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
No recorded votes yet
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalArif Virani· September 18, 2023
“Bill C-48 will strengthen Canada's bail laws to address the public's concerns relating to repeat violent offending and offences involving firearms and other weapons. It is a response to direct requests we have received from provinces, territories and law enforcement.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeRaquel Dancho· September 18, 2023
“This past summer, on July 7, a mother of two young children, Karolina Huebner-Makurat, was fatally shot by a stray bullet from a gunfight between drug dealers near a so-called safe injection site in Leslieville, just east of downtown Toronto. The alleged suspect responsible for her death was out on bail at the time.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocRhéal Fortin· September 18, 2023
“Here we are, at any rate, with this bill before us today. It will not fix everything, but it somewhat does address the issue of offenders who are out on bail and who are not always adequately supervised.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPRandall Garrison· September 18, 2023
“I am extremely pleased to rise in support of Bill C-48 today. I did not think we would get the bill to this stage as quickly as we have in this Parliament.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caGreenElizabeth May· September 18, 2023
“I know that the public is very alarmed by people being released on bail who go on to commit violent crimes, but we know that the bill by itself could actually make things worse given the institutional biases and racism in our system of justice.”
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.