Canada introduces new tools for law enforcement to investigate threats and keep Canadians safe

MONTREAL, March 16, 2026 /CNW/ - From street crime to national security threats, criminal activity is increasingly being enabled by digital, globalized, and sophisticated crime networks. To keep Canadians safe, Canada's new government is strengthening the Criminal Code and giving law enforcement and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) the tools they need to disrupt crime, investigate serious threats, and protect our communities.

To better protect Canadians – as announced on March 12, 2026 by the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, and the Honorable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada – Minister Anandasangaree reiterated new measures in the Government's introduction of an act to keep Canadians safe (Bill C-22). This proposed legislation, informed by extensive consultations, would bring Canadian laws in line with our major allies including the Five Eyes, all of whom have lawful access regimes. In an increasingly dangerous world, the important tools in Bill C-22 will make our country safer and more secure.

New technologies make communication faster and more accessible, but they can also be misused. Criminals and those who pose a threat to Canada's security use the digital environment in many ways to commit serious crimes, such as: child sexual exploitation, extortion, human trafficking, and money laundering, often through organized crime networks. It is also a place where threats to Canada can be planned, coordinated, and financed, including terrorist attacks, violent extremism, and foreign interference.

New tools for law enforcement to investigate threats and keep Canadians safe

Our laws must keep pace with this rapidly evolving digital environment. This Act will help law enforcement and CSIS investigate threats more efficiently, act faster in urgent situations, and provide basic information early in an investigation, a critical step in obtaining a production order or warrant from a judge. It would also improve cooperation with international partners in responding to serious transnational crime and threats.

A strong Canada means strong protections for our communities. That means a Criminal Code and regulatory framework that respond to emerging threats and keeps Canadians safe. This legislation builds on recent action by Canada's new government to strengthen protections in the face of rising hate, bring in stricter bail laws and tougher sentences for repeat violent offenders, strengthen our borders to combat human trafficking and the flow of illegal drugs, and advance measures to help stop intimate partner violence before it turns deadly and keep child predators behind bars.

Quotes

"Technology has fundamentally changed the nature of crime and how criminal organizations operate. Threat actors exploit this digital environment for criminal activities in ways that are becoming increasingly more complex and sophisticated. This proposed legislation would strengthen Canadian laws dedicated to tackling these threats and ensure people in Montreal and across our country are protected by equipping our law enforcement agencies such as the Sûreté du Québec, the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal, and CSIS with the essential tools they need to do their job."

- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety

"Globalized crime networks are using increasingly sophisticated online methods that pose serious risks to public safety. To respond effectively, law enforcement needs modern tools to quickly investigate digital threats swiftly, disrupt organized crime, and prevent further harm. Our government is advancing measures to strengthen Canada's laws, enhance investigative capabilities, and provide front-line officers with the support they need to keep communities safe."

- The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Associated Links

• Lawful Access
• Proposed changes to laws on timely access to information (Bill C-22 - Part 1)
• How the new Criminal Code tools in Bill C-22 would work
• Securing Access to Information (Bill C-22 - Part 2)

Stay connected

Follow Public Safety Canada on X, LinkedIn and YouTube
Follow Don't Drive High on Facebook and Instagram

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

Contacts: Simon Lafortune, Deputy Director of Communications and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]