Conservatives are pushing to safeguard Canadians’ access to physical cash while moving to permanently block the creation of a central bank digital currency, arguing that financial privacy and reliability are at risk in an increasingly digital economy.Conservative MP Ted Falk introduced the Framework on the Access to and Use of Cash Act in Ottawa, a private members’ bill that would require the federal government to formally protect access to cash and prevent the Bank of Canada from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC).“Cash is freedom — it is private, reliable, and you don’t need an app or computer to use it,” Falk said. “Canadian customers should always have the option to use it.”The proposed legislation would direct the Minister of Finance to establish a national framework ensuring Canadians can still withdraw and deposit physical cash, while also supporting the long-term viability of cash infrastructure across the country. It would also remove restrictions on cash donations for charities and community groups.Falk argues cash remains essential for many Canadians, particularly seniors, low-income households, indigenous communities, and those living in rural or remote areas where digital banking access can be limited or unreliable.He also pointed to past banking disruptions as evidence of the need for a physical fallback system, referencing the Rogers network outage that temporarily left millions unable to use debit or credit cards.“Digital systems can fail,” Falk said. “Cash is the fallback that always works.”.Beyond infrastructure concerns, the bill also raises privacy issues tied to the potential development of a CBDC. Critics of digital currency systems argue they could allow governments to monitor or restrict individual transactions in ways not possible with physical cash.Falk said any major shift in Canada’s monetary system should require explicit democratic approval.“Parliament, not unelected institutions, must decide the future of our currency,” he said.The Conservative caucus has repeatedly expressed opposition to a central bank digital currency, warning it could undermine financial privacy, concentrate power within government institutions, and disrupt Canada’s existing banking system.The proposed legislation would effectively lock in cash access as a permanent feature of Canada’s financial system while ensuring no move toward a CBDC could proceed without legislative approval.The bill now moves forward as part of the private members’ process, where it will require broader parliamentary support to become law.
