Legislative summaries

  1. Legislative Summary of Bill S-5: An Act respecting the interoperability of health information technology and to prohibit data blocking by health information technology vendors

    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    pv_45-1-s5-e.pdf (473.9 KB)
    Bill S-5 (short title, Connected Care for Canadians Act) seeks to: enable access to and use and exchange of electronic health information; and prohibit data blocking by health information technology vendors. The preamble recognizes several key issues and objectives related to the accessibility and interoperability of health information in Canada. It acknowledges a context of increasing mobility among Canadians and health care professionals and a growing use of digital health tools, notably in rural and remote areas. Against this backdrop, the preamble highlights the need for easy, complete and secure access to health information for patients and health care professionals alike, to promote patient safety, improved health outcomes, equitable care and innovation. Finally, the preamble expresses Parliament’s desire to foster cooperation among governments and stakeholders to establish standards for a connected health system.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Access to information
    Data protection
    Electronic information
    Health care industry
    Health care system
    Health records
    Information sharing
    Legislation
    Telehealth

  2. Legislative Summary of Bill C-3: An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act (2025)

    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    45-1-c3-e.pdf (725.72 KB)
    Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025), is the latest of a series of bills put forward in recent decades to address issues relating to “lost Canadians,” a term referring to persons who, due to the evolution of the Citizenship Act over time, ceased to be Canadian citizens against their will or without their knowledge, or to individuals who thought they were Canadian citizens but legally never were. Bill C-3, like Bill C-71 before it, responds to a 19 December 2023 Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision which declared unconstitutional the Citizenship Act’s limitation of citizenship by descent to the first generation born abroad provided under section 3(3)(a) of the Act. Bill C-3 amends the Citizenship Act.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Canadian citizens
    Citizenship
    Legislation
    Loss of citizenship
    Renunciation of citizenship
    Statutes

  3. Legislative Summary of Bill C-15: An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025

    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    45-1-c15-e.pdf (1.03 MB)
    The bill has five parts: Part 1 implements various income tax measures through amendments to the Income Tax Act and related statues and regulations, including exempting the Canada Disability Benefit from income, extending the full credit rates for the Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage investment tax credit to 2035, and providing immediate expensing for new additions of property in respect of productivity-enhancing assets (clauses 2 to 125). Part 2 repeals the Digital Services Tax Act and the Digital Services Tax Regulations and makes consequential amendments to other legislation (clauses 126 to 158). Part 3 clarifies that supplies of osteopathic services rendered by non-osteopathic physicians are taxable under the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax, extends the Enhanced (100%) Goods and Services Tax Rental Rebate to qualifying cooperative housing corporations and student residences, allows input tax credits for redeemed coupons to be available for payments made exclusively in the course of commercial activities, eliminates the underused housing tax and the luxury tax for aircraft and vessels (clauses 159 to 176). Part 4 establishes an opt-in framework under the First Nations Goods and Services Tax Act for interested Indigenous governments to levy a value-added sales tax, under their own laws, on fuel, alcohol, cannabis, tobacco and vaping products within their reserves or settlement lands. It also makes process-type improvements and machinery-of-government changes to streamline the administration of taxes under the Act (clauses 177 to 190). Part 5, which is divided into 45 divisions, implements various measures. It amends numerous existing Acts that cover many areas of law. It also enacts the National School Food Program Act and the Stablecoin Act (clauses 191 to 606).

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Excise taxes
    Federal budget
    Federal taxes
    Goods and services tax
    Income taxes
    Statutes

  4. Legislative Summary of Bill C-10: An Act respecting the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation

    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    pv_45-1-c10-e.pdf (590.74 KB)
    Bill C-10, An Act respecting the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation, was introduced in the House of Commons by the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations on 25 September 2025. This bill provides for the appointment of a Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation. The commissioner is mandated to assess whether the modern treaty implementation activities of a government institution are consistent with certain objectives such as fulfilling the Government of Canada’s obligations under modern treaties. Bill C-10 also provides for the establishment of the Office of the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation to assist the commissioner in exercising their functions and duties. The following sections provide background information on modern treaties and their implementation along with a discussion of recent federal initiatives.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Crown-Indigenous modern treaties
    Indigenous peoples
    Indigenous policy
    Legislation
    Officers of Parliament

  5. Legislative Summary of Bill S-4: An Act to amend the Energy Efficiency Act

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    pv_45-1-s4-e.pdf (529.46 KB)
    Bill S-4 amends the Energy Efficiency Act, which allows Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to regulate the energy efficiency standards of energy-using products that are bought and sold in Canada. It also allows NRCan to collect data on energy use and set requirements around labels that inform consumers about how much energy a product uses (commonly known as the EnerGuide label). Bill S-4 amends the Act in: ensuring that online retailers are subject to many of the same rules as physical stores selling energy-using products; expanding the definition of an energy efficiency standard to allow NRCan to set regulations on more aspects surrounding energy-using products; enabling the Minister of Natural Resources to provide exemptions from the Act for the purpose of fostering innovation; and increasing existing quasi-criminal fines and introducing two new administrative compliance and enforcement options.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Energy conservation
    Energy efficiency
    Energy use
    Government standards
    Legislation
    Product labelling
    Regulations

  6. Legislative Summary of Bill C-14: An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the National Defence Act (bail and sentencing)

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    pv_45-1-c14-e.pdf (623 KB)
    Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the National Defence Act (bail and sentencing) (short title: Bail and Sentencing Reform Act) amends many aspects of criminal law and procedure, primarily in the areas of judicial interim release (i.e., bail) and sentencing. Its stated objective is to establish “stricter bail laws to address violent and repeat offending, and organized crime” and “tougher sentencing laws for serious and violent crimes.” The bill adopts several measures recently advanced by police organizations and premiers. It is part of a broader community safety strategy, which also involves investments in front line law enforcement and in long-term crime prevention.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Bail
    Judicial interim release
    Legislation
    Legislative reforms
    Organized crime
    Recidivism
    Sentences
    Sentencing
    Violent offenders
    Young offenders

  7. Legislative Summary of Bill C-12: An Act respecting certain measures relating to the security of Canada's borders and the integrity of the Canadian immigration system and respecting other related security measures

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    45-1-c12-e.pdf (886.26 KB)
    On 8 October 2025, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (Minister of Public Safety), tabled Bill C-12, An Act respecting certain measures relating to the security of Canada’s borders and the integrity of the Canadian immigration system and respecting other related security measures (short title: Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act). Bill C-12 incorporates many elements of Bill C-2, including measures to combat transnational organized crime, stop the illegal flow of fentanyl, crack down on money laundering, dismantle criminal networks and improve the integrity of the immigration system. According to the Government of Canada’s news release, Bill C-12 would allow Parliament to pass priority measures to protect Canadians, while allowing more time to review the other measures initially announced under Bill C-2. Some measures proposed in Bill C-2 were withdrawn from Bill C-12, including provisions to facilitate law enforcement’s access to basic information and subscriber data to identify online criminals, introduce the Supporting Authorized Access to Information Act and enable collaboration with Canada Post to curb the circulation of fentanyl and other drugs through the mail.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Border security
    Drug-related crime
    Financial crime
    Immigration
    Law enforcement
    Legislation
    Narcotic control
    Refugee protection
    Refugees

  8. Legislative Summary of Bill C-11: An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    pv_45-1-c11-e.pdf (682.83 KB)
    Bill C-11 amends certain provisions of the National Defence Act (NDA) that relate to the military justice system. Among other changes, it removes the jurisdiction of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to investigate and prosecute sexual offences under the Criminal Code. In addition, the bill exempts military judges from being charged under summary hearings, expands the eligibility requirements to be appointed as a military judge and modifies the appointment process for three key military justice authorities: the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM), the Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) and the Director of Defence Counsel Services (DDCS). Some of the amendments to the NDA seek to implement the recommendations made by former Supreme Court Justice Morris J. Fish in his independent review of certain provisions of the NDA, and by former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour in her independent external review of sexual misconduct and harassment in the CAF.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Armed forces
    Judges
    Jurisdiction
    Legislation
    Military court system
    Military offences
    Sexual offences

  9. Legislative Summary of Bill C-9: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places)

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places), amends the Criminal Code to address hate crimes. Specifically, Bill C-9 creates a new offence that applies when another offence is motivated by hatred, a new prohibition on promoting hatred through the display of certain terrorism and hate symbols, and new offences relating to intimidation, obstruction or interference with access to places of worship and certain other places.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Criminal law
    Ethnic minorities
    Freedom of expression
    Hate crimes
    Hate propaganda
    Legislation
    Racial minorities
    Religious minorities
    Sexual and gender minorities
    Visible minorities

  10. Legislative Summary of Bill C-9: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places)

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    45-1
    pv_45-1-c9-e.pdf (513.24 KB)
    Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places), amends the Criminal Code to address hate crimes. Specifically, Bill C-9 creates a new offence that applies when another offence is motivated by hatred, a new prohibition on promoting hatred through the display of certain terrorism and hate symbols, and new offences relating to intimidation, obstruction or interference with access to places of worship and certain other places.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Criminal law
    Ethnic minorities
    Freedom of expression
    Hate crimes
    Hate propaganda
    Legislation
    Racial minorities
    Religious minorities
    Sexual and gender minorities
    Visible minorities