Legislation that strengthens the immigration system and border security receives Royal Assent

OTTAWA, ON, March 27, 2026 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is firmly committed to doing whatever it takes to keep our border secure.

On March 26, 2026, the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act (Bill C-12), received Royal Assent, strengthening our immigration and asylum systems and providing law enforcement agencies with more tools to keep our borders secure, combat transnational organized crime, illegal fentanyl, and illicit financing.

The Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act:

• Improves asylum claim processing and introduces new ineligibility rules to protect the asylum system against sudden increases in claims. In addition, it introduces new tools to manage immigration documents and related applications and improves how Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shares information domestically.
• Strengthens the Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) ability to examine goods that are destined for export, to match authorities already available for imported goods.
• Allows the Canadian Coast Guard to conduct security patrols and collect, analyze and disseminate information and intelligence for security purposes.
• Enhances the ability of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to share information collected on registered sex offenders.
• Reinforces Canada's ability to combat transnational organized crime and illegal fentanyl by amending the accelerated scheduling pathway under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that allows the Minister of Health to control precursor chemicals that can be used to produce illegal drugs.
• Strengthens Canada's anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime, including tougher penalties and enhanced supervisory collaboration among federal agencies with financial sector responsibilities to target the illicit funds that enable organized crime.

These measures build on the significant progress Canada has already made in strengthening its border through investments in personnel, advanced AI technologies, aerial surveillance, and stronger partner coordination. By modernizing asylum processing and expanding intelligence‑sharing and financial‑crime authorities, the Act bolsters our strong and layered border approach that protects Canadians while upholding privacy and Charter rights.

Quotes

"The increasing complexity of transnational organized crime means that our law enforcement and intelligence agencies must constantly adapt. This Bill is crucial to providing our law enforcement agencies with more tools and authorities that they need to combat transnational organized crime and keep Canada and everyone who lives here safe and secure."

- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety

"With the passage of Bill C-12, we're strengthening the practical tools that keep our immigration and asylum systems fair, efficient and working as intended. These changes maintain access to protection and due process, while improving our ability to function effectively under sustained pressure."

- The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

"The expanded authorities granted to the Canadian Coast Guard under Bill C-12 will enhance the Defence Team's operational presence and responsiveness, particularly in the North. This marks a significant step in safeguarding Canada's sovereignty and bolstering our capacity to monitor and protect our territorial waters."

- The Honorable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence

Quick Facts

• Through Canada's Border Plan, the Government of Canada is investing $1.3 billion in concrete action to keep communities safe on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.
• Budget 2025 also provides for the hiring of 1000 additional CBSA personnel to strengthen border management and enforcement capacity, and 1000 new RCMP personnel to increase federal policing capacity across Canada to combat crime – including online fraud, money laundering, online child sexual exploitation, and organized criminal networks that threaten Canada's economic and national security.
• The Border Plan provides $200 million to Public Safety Canada and the Communications Security Establishment Canada to support enhanced intelligence gathering on transnational organized crime and illegal fentanyl, and to improve information sharing with law enforcement partners across Canada and the United States.
• It also provides $743.5 million over five years, including $159.5 million ongoing, to support the stability and integrity of Canada's asylum system, increasing processing and decision-making capacity.
• In recent years, the Government has invested close to $379 million to strengthen the effectiveness of Canada's Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) Regime. These efforts include legislative and regulatory changes such as providing new tools to law enforcement, adding new criminal offences and strengthening penalties, enhancing information sharing, expanding the Regime to new sectors at risk of money laundering, and providing the CBSA with new authorities to pursue trade-based money laundering.

Associated Links

• New immigration and asylum measures from Bill C-12 (the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act) have become law
• Building the Canadian Coast Guard's role in National Security

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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]; Laura Blondeau, Director of Communications, Minister's Office, 343-550-4808, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]; Media Relations, People and Communications Sector, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-952-1650, [email protected]