C-22Lawful Access Act, 2026
An Act respecting lawful access
Government bill, introduced in the House of Commons on March 12, 2026
- Status
- At second reading in the Senate since June 18, 2026
What it does
Bill C-22 updates rules for police and CSIS to get data and information during investigations, creates a provider framework, and sets a parliamentary review.
What it does
- Amends the Criminal Code to make it easier to get basic information, subscriber information, tracking data, transmission data and computer data during investigations.
- Clarifies when peace officers and public officers can use information that is voluntarily provided, publicly available, or obtained in exigent circumstances.
- Allows judges and justices to authorize requests to foreign telecom providers for transmission data or subscriber information they hold.
- Amends the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act so the Minister of Justice can authorize enforcement of certain foreign production decisions in Canada.
- Amends the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act to help CSIS get basic information and to clarify response times for production orders.
- Enacts the Supporting Authorized Access to Information Act, which sets a framework for electronic service providers to help authorized persons exercise access powers under the Criminal Code and the CSIS Act.
Who it affects
- Telecommunications service providers
- Electronic service providers
- Peace officers
- Public officers
- Canadian Security Intelligence Service
- Judges and justices
- People whose data may be requested
- Foreign telecom providers
Background
Bill C-22 was introduced in the House of Commons on 12 March 2026 and received first reading. Part 3 provides for parliamentary review of Parts 1 and 2.
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 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.
LiberalSean Fraser· April 13, 2026
“First of all, I believe it is essential to understand the context of this debate and the importance of this bill.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeFrank Caputo· April 13, 2026
“What brings us here today is Bill C-22, but we have to look at the past to inform how we got here. Bill C-2 was heralded as a cure-all, a panacea, if we will, to all the things that ailed the justice system.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocRhéal Fortin· April 13, 2026
“I was rather pleased when I reviewed Bill C-22, because I think it is better than what was proposed in Bill C-2 last year. However, I am not sure that it meets all of the necessary conditions for it to come into force.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPJenny Kwan· April 20, 2026
“Bill C-22, the so-called lawful access act, is being presented as a necessary modernization of investigative powers in the digital age. To be clear, there is some truth in that framing.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caGreenElizabeth May· April 17, 2026
“I am grateful for the chance to speak to Bill C-22. I do not have lengthy parliamentarian experience compared to other members, but I have been a member of Parliament for nearly 15 years, and I have never seen anything like what the government has done in the area of the legislation that we now have before us.”
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.