Canada’s child advocates urge Ottawa to pass online safety legislation before year-end as online exploitation and cyberbullying rates surge nationwide.
Advocates Demand Swift Federal Action on Child Online Safety
Growing Pressure From National Child-Focused Groups
A national coalition of child-advocacy organizations, major health-care institutions and telecom leader Telus is urging the federal government to reintroduce online-harms legislation before midnight on Dec. 31. The groups say years of delays have left Canadian children vulnerable to cyberbullying, exploitation and abuse.
Urgency Behind the Year-End Deadline
The coalition argues that the government must move faster after two previous attempts — Bill C-36 in 2021 and Bill C-63 in 2024 — died on the order paper due to federal elections. Calling the situation a “national emergency,” members warn that ongoing inaction continues to expose minors to escalating online threats.
Voices Calling for Immediate Protection
Leaders within the coalition, including the Canadian Medical Association, SickKids, CHEO, Children First Canada and the Amanda Todd Legacy Society, say legislative protections can no longer wait. “Protecting children online isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ — it’s who we choose to be as a country,” CMA president Dr. Margot Burnell said. Children First Canada CEO Sara Austin added that entering 2026 without new protections would be “a legacy of inaction.”
Historical Attempts Stalled by Elections and Debate
Previous proposals sought to curb hate propaganda, child sexual exploitation, and bullying online. Bill C-63, introduced last year, attempted to regulate harmful content while amending the Criminal Code and Canadian Human Rights Act, but critics raised concerns about free-speech implications. The government later announced plans to split the bill into two parts, separating child-protection measures from hate-speech provisions, but the spring election halted all progress.
New Campaign Aims to Force Government’s Hand
The coalition has launched a 40-day campaign, the Countdown for Kids, pressuring Ottawa to retable a renamed Online Safety Act. Their demands include an independent regulator with enforcement powers and a binding duty of care obligating tech platforms to prevent and respond to online harms. A public countdown clock to New Year’s Eve is part of the campaign’s push to convey urgency.
Evidence of Rising Online Threats
Recent Statistics Canada data shows police-reported online child sexual exploitation incidents climbed to 19,516 in 2023 — a 59% jump from 2022. The coalition also cites research showing 31% of Canadian youth have experienced cyberbullying, calling the trend unacceptable. Members argue these statistics underscore the need for swift legislative change.
Next Steps and Political Commitments
Justice Minister Sean Fraser has said the government has not yet decided whether to rewrite or reintroduce the previous bill. During the spring election campaign, the Liberals promised to criminalize non-consensual deepfake distribution, introduce broader child-protection legislation, and strengthen law-enforcement tools to pursue online exploitation.
