Canada makes femicide first-degree murder as all three major Criminal Code reforms become law

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Department of Justice Canada

Jun 19, 2026, 18:37 ET

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One of the most consequential updates to Canada's Criminal Code in generations to better protect victims and survivors is now law

OTTAWA, ON, June 19, 2026 /CNW/ - "Victims and survivors called for stronger protections from intimate partner violence and gender-based violence. Those protections are now law," said the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. The Protecting Victims Act (Bill C-16) received Royal Assent yesterday, as the Government of Canada continues to move with urgency to better protect victims and survivors, ensure abusers face the full force of the law, and deliver on its commitment to strengthen the Criminal Code.

This is one of the most consequential reforms of the Criminal Code in a generation to protect victims and survivors of sexual violence, gender-based violence, and intimate partner violence. These changes confront the rise in coercive control, respond to the growing violence women are facing, make femicide first-degree murder, strengthen victims' rights, respond to modern threats like non-consensual sexual deepfakes, and address long-standing concerns about court delays that can leave victims without resolution. The law also includes new measures to keep kids safe from predators and strengthen mandatory minimum penalties.

Stop intimate partner violence and femicide

The law gives the justice system stronger tools to intervene earlier to sexual violence, gender-based, and intimate partner violence before that violence turns fatal. More specifically, the changes:

  • make femicide first degree murder, the most serious homicide offence
  • create a new offence of coercive control in intimate relationships, targeting patterns of threats, isolation, or manipulation before violence escalates
  • update criminal harassment provisions to make them easier to prove in court
  • make it a crime to threaten to distribute non-consensual intimate images, including sexual deepfakes
  • increase the maximum penalty for sexual assault on summary conviction, non-consensual distribution of intimate images, and voyeurism

Strengthen victims' rights and give clear guidance on court delays

For many victims and survivors, the court process itself can be overwhelming and retraumatizing. When cases drag on or are stayed because of procedural delays, victims are left without closure and justice is not served. These changes will help victims feel safer in court, reduce trauma, and ensure they are treated with dignity throughout a process they should never have to endure. More specifically, the changes:

  • give courts clearer guidance on how to manage and address court delays, including in sexual assault cases
  • strengthen victims' rights to be treated with respect and have their interests in a timely trial considered
  • improve victims' access to information about their case
  • make testimonial aids more accessible so victims and survivors can participate in the justice process with better support
  • strengthen all Mandatory Minimum Penalties (MMPs) of imprisonment in the Criminal Code

In less than a year, Canada's new government has delivered one of the most ambitious criminal justice reform agendas in recent memory, with three major bills to strengthen protections against hate crimes, make bail laws stricter and toughen sentences, better protect victims and survivors, and keep kids safe from predators.

As threats evolve, the Government of Canada will continue to move with urgency to strengthen Canada's laws and keep Canadians safe.

Quotes

"Victims and survivors called for stronger protections from intimate partner violence and gender-based violence. Those protections are now law.

Canada's new government is delivering on its promise with urgency, and we are strengthening the Criminal Code to help the legal system intervene before violence becomes fatal. The Protecting Victims Act makes femicide first-degree murder, responds to court delays, and gives victims and survivors a clearer voice in the criminal justice process.

This is one of the most consequential reforms of the Criminal Code in a generation, and the third major criminal justice bill we've delivered to better protect Canadians.

At the heart of this work are the voices of victims and survivors, whose strength has shaped every step of this effort. We will keep listening to them, keep adapting to emerging threats, and keep strengthening Canada's laws to keep people 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

"Canadians deserve strong, coordinated action to protect lives and respond to modern threats. Yesterday's passage of the Protecting Victims Act strengthens our response to gender‑based violence, addresses emerging threats such as AI‑enabled image abuse, and tackles long‑standing challenges in the justice system. Together, these measures better protect victims and survivors while helping to rebuild trust in a system Canadians can rely on."

The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree 
Minister of Public Safety

"Our government is taking action to better protect victims and survivors of intimate partner violence and gender-based violence. The Protecting Victims Act strengthens our response by criminalizing coercive control, addressing emerging forms of technology-facilitated abuse, and treating femicide with the seriousness it deserves. Safety is the foundation for participation in our communities and economy, and these reforms are an important step toward building a safer Canada for women, girls, and gender-diverse people."

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

"Bill C-16 strengthens the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and introduces important reforms to improve victims' experiences with police, courts and corrections. The measure of success will be whether these changes are consistently implemented and accessible to victims across Canada."

Benjamin Roebuck
Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime

"The passage of Bill C-16 is a historic moment. This legislation exists because for decades, survivors, advocates, and communities across Canada refused to be silent. Naming femicide in law, criminalizing coercive and controlling behaviour, and centring victim/survivor rights and trauma-informed approaches throughout the justice system reflects a significant shift in understanding: that gender-based violence is systemic, patterned, and too often invisible to the law, and the work of implementing true accountability begins now."

Nneka MacGregor, LL.B.
Executive Director, WomenatthecentrE

"This is a major step in prioritizing the rights and safety of Canadian children. The risks of online sexual violence against children continue to rise in frequency and intensity and we need legislation now more than ever to help protect our most vulnerable population."

Lianna McDonald
Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Child Protection

"Kelowna has been a consistent voice calling for bail reform, and we commend the Government of Canada for legislative changes that respond directly to communities across the country.  These reforms are critical to restoring confidence in a justice system that has struggled to keep pace with the realities on our streets. Together, Bills C-14, C-16, and C-225 will help address repeat offending, better protect victims, and put public safety first. We also recognize the impact of Bailey McCourt here in Kelowna, whose story has helped shape national conversations and action. Today's progress shows what's possible when strong advocacy and all levels of government work together to build safer communities."

Tom Dyas
Mayor, City of Kelowna

"Children, youth, and families impacted by abuse and violence deserve a justice system that supports their healing and promotes accountability. Bill C-16 advances these goals and reflects a commitment to responding to emerging harms while strengthening protections for victims."

Leah Zille
Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, Child & Youth Advocacy Centres of Canada

Quick Facts

  • Most of these changes will come into force after 30 days, on July 18, 2026.
  • The Protecting Victims Act works in concert with Bill C-225, Bailey's Law, which also aims to strengthen Canada's Criminal Code response to intimate partner violence. Bill C-225 enacts stronger criminal measures to address intimate partner violence by:
    • treating murders that occur within a pattern of coercive or controlling behaviour toward an intimate partner as murders in the first degree
    • requiring courts to consider life imprisonment, with parole ineligibility of 10 to 25 years, when manslaughter is committed against an intimate partner in the context of such a pattern
    • creating a new offence for violent, threatened, or attempted violence against an intimate partner
    • extending the maximum period for detaining seized items
  • The Protecting Victims Act fulfills recommendations in the Mass Casualty Commission's final report, the Renfrew County inquest, the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime's report entitled Rethinking Justice for Survivors of Sexual Violence: A Systemic Investigation, and various parliamentary reports.
  • The 2026 Spring Economic Statement announced an investment of $105.5 million over five fiscal years and $21.1 million per year thereafter through Justice Canada to support victims and survivors of gender-based violence. This includes funding to provide independent legal advice and independent legal representation to survivors and victims of sexual violence and intimate partner violence, to support victims of intimate partner violence navigating the family justice system, and to support provinces and territories to deliver supervised parenting time services in cases of separation and divorce.
  • On October 29, 2025, the Government of Canada committed $660.5 million over five years for the Department for Women and Gender Equality to ensure sustained progress toward equality and safety for women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. This includes $44.7 million to strengthen federal action in response to gender-based violence in support for populations that are at risk of GBV or underserved when they experience these forms of violence.

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SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

Contacts: For more information, media may contact: Joannie Fogue, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, 613-297-2431, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]

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