C-231An Act to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on September 19, 2025
- Status
- At third reading in the House of Commons since October 6, 2026
What it does
Bill C-231 would let youth justice officials use treatment program conditions and, in some cases, delay sentencing so a young person can attend treatment.
What it does
- Requires police, in some drug or cannabis cases, to consider referring a young person to a problematic substance use treatment program, with the young person’s consent.
- Allows an extrajudicial sanction, a response kept outside court, to require a young person to attend a problematic substance use treatment program or another treatment program.
- Allows a youth justice court, with the consent of the Attorney General and the young person, to delay sentencing so the young person can attend treatment.
- Lets a youth sentence order a young person to attend an approved non-residential program, including a treatment program, for up to 240 hours over no more than six months.
- Adds treatment program attendance as a possible condition in certain orders and in conditional supervision orders.
Who it affects
- Young people in the youth justice system
- Young people charged with drug or cannabis offences
- Police officers
- Youth justice courts
- Prosecutors
- Provincial directors
Topics
Background
The bill amends the Youth Criminal Justice Act. It also includes a coordinating amendment that would apply if Bill C-16 becomes law.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Current stage. Now here
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
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
2nd reading of Bill C-231, An Act to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act
Vote 96,
Passed
327 yeato0 nay · 10 paired
Party breakdown for vote 96 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 165 0 9 Conservative Yea 134 0 6 Bloc Yea 21 0 1 NDP Yea 6 0 0 Green Yea 1 0 0 Total 327 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.
LiberalJessica Fancy-Landry· December 8, 2025
“I want to begin by acknowledging my colleague, the member for Mégantic—L'Érable—Lotbinière, for his courage in bringing forward Bill C-231, the friends of David act. His openness in sharing his family's tragic experience reminds us that every policy discussion in this House must remain centred on real people, real families and, unfortunately, sometimes real loss.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeLuc Berthold· December 8, 2025
“This bill is not going to change anything about his own journey, the choices he made or the great void he leaves behind.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocMarie-Hélène Gaudreau· December 8, 2025
“For those who did not hear his speech, I will try to explain what Bill C-231 is all about. The bill seeks to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act to clarify the measures governing addiction treatment programs for young persons.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: At third reading in the House of Commons. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.