TORONTO — The federal government has introduced new legislation it says will modernize Canada’s lawful access framework and help police identify individuals suspected of committing crimes or threatening national security online.Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree tabled Bill C-22 on Thursday, describing it as an effort to update laws he said are outdated compared with those of Canada’s allies.“Bill C-22 balances the needs of law enforcement with the privacy and civil rights that Canadians demand,” Anandasangaree said. “It is not about surveillance of Canadians going on about their daily lives. It is about keeping Canadians safe in the online space.”The bill is the government’s latest attempt to expand lawful access powers after a previous proposal, Bill C-2, drew criticism from civil liberties groups last spring over concerns it granted excessive authority to police..According to government officials, the proposed law would allow police and security agencies to request limited identifying information from telecommunications providers.Under the legislation, companies such as Bell and Rogers could be compelled to confirm whether a suspected individual uses their services. Officials said the response would be limited to a yes-or-no answer.If investigators seek additional details — such as a person’s phone number, email address or home address — they would still need to obtain a warrant from a court by demonstrating that a crime has occurred or is likely to occur.Officials said the bill would not grant authorities access to individuals’ browsing histories or private social media activity.The legislation also outlines a formal process for Canadian authorities to request information from foreign technology companies, including social media platforms such as Meta and artificial intelligence firms like OpenAI..Government officials said the framework is designed to encourage companies to respond to requests for identifying information related to suspected criminal activity, such as IP addresses tied to accounts using false identities.The bill would not require these companies to report suspicious activity to Canadian authorities.Another provision would require “core providers” — a category expected to include telecommunications companies — to maintain the technical capacity to track the geographic location of devices using their services. The government said the definition of core providers will be determined through consultations.Officials noted that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service already has the ability to obtain a warrant to track a suspect’s cellphone location, but service providers are not currently required to maintain systems capable of tracking users..Under the proposed rules, investigators with a warrant could request access to location data through providers’ tracking systems.Officials said the change could reduce the need for resource-intensive physical surveillance and allow security agencies to conduct more investigations. They also said it could help emergency services locate injured or missing individuals more quickly.Justice Minister Sean Fraser said the legislation aims to ensure authorities can identify individuals responsible for online threats.“This is going to help us catch up with most of our allies across the world, but most importantly it’s going to help the officers on the front line do more to keep communities safe,” Fraser said.Bill C-22 must pass through Parliament before becoming law. Opposition parties and civil liberties advocates are expected to scrutinize the proposal as it moves through the legislative process.
