On June 18, 2026 Bill C-16 received Royal Assent and became law in Canada.

Bill C-16 offers significant reforms to Canada’s Criminal Code and other pieces of legislation to address modern and emerging threats like deepfakes, non-consensual image sharing, and sextortion. It is one of the most important legal changes in generations to protect victims of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and to better safeguard children and youth.

“As threats evolve, we will keep strengthening Canada’s laws, keep our kids safe from predators, and ensure those who exploit or abuse children face serious consequences.”

The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Daughter Project’s Recommendations

1. Strengthen ‘intimate image’ definition to reflect a harm-reduction standard

2. Platform/ISP shared responsibility regarding online exploitation

3. National prevention programming

4. National data collection & reporting

Committee Response

1. Partial — AI explicitly named, but threshold language unchanged

2. Partial — ISP notification tightened, proactive measures absent

3. Not addressed

4. Not addressed

“Every child deserves to grow up safe from exploitation, abuse, and violence. The Protecting Victims Act strengthens Canada’s response to those who prey on children, including online predators and those who seek to exploit young people for criminal activity. These reforms send a clear message: protecting children and supporting victims and survivors will always be a priority. By strengthening our laws and giving law enforcement and prosecutors better tools to act, we are helping build safer communities for children, women, and families across Canada.”

The Honourable Rechie Valdez
Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)