Protecting Victims Rights Act (Government of Canada Bill C-16)

The federal government has introduced the Protecting Victims Rights Act (Bill C-16), one of the most significant updates to Canada’s Criminal Code in generations. This legislation focuses on protecting women and children, criminalizing AI-generated sexual deepfake photos and video, strengthening victims’ rights, and reducing court delays.

The Protecting Victims Rights Act (Bill C-16) responds to rising levels of gender-based and intimate partner violence, online sexual exploitation of children, and growing public concern about delays in the justice system. In 2024 alone, 187 women were violently killed in Canada, while police report that child sexual exploitation offences are now more than twelve times higher than in 2008. The government says the reforms are designed to intervene earlier, act faster, and deliver stronger protection for victims and survivors.

MP John-Paul Danko, Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas speaking in support of Bill C-16 the Protecting Victims Act in the House of Commons on February 2nd, 2026

Four Pillars of Reform

Tackling gender-based and intimate partner violence

The Protecting Victims Rights Act (Bill C-16) introduces a new Criminal Code offence targeting patterns of coercive and controlling conduct toward an intimate partner - behaviours widely recognized as precursors to lethal violence.

This bill recognizes femicide as automatic first degree murder, including cases involving coercive control, sexual violence, trafficking, or hate. This bill modernizes criminal harassment laws and expands offences related to the non-consensual distribution of intimate images to include AI-generated sexual deepfakes.

Protecting children from predators

The Protecting Victims Rights Act (Bill C-16) strengthens Canada’s response to child sexual exploitation, both online and offline. It restores mandatory minimum penalties for serious child sexual offences, with a constitutional “safety valve,” expands child luring and sextortion offences, criminalizes new forms of online grooming, and creates a new offence for recruiting youth under 18 into criminal activity. It also strengthens reporting and data-preservation obligations for online service providers.

Enhancing victims’ rights

The Protecting Victims Rights Act (Bill C-16) reinforces a victim-centred, trauma-informed justice system by strengthening the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. Victims would receive information proactively, gain expanded access to testimonial aids, and have clearer rights to present impact statements at sentencing, parole, and corrections stages. The bill also improves information-sharing under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

Addressing court delays

To combat court delays that have allowed serious cases to collapse, this legislation requires courts to consider alternatives before staying proceedings, introduces a new framework for assessing unreasonable delay that accounts for case complexity, and streamlines procedures in sexual offence trials.

Broad support from stakeholders

Women’s organizations, police, provinces, municipalities, and child protection advocates have broadly welcomed Protecting Victims Rights Act (Bill C-16).

The Coalition Féministe contre la Violence envers les Femmes called Bill C-16 “a major step forward” in recognizing and preventing femicide, noting that criminalizing coercive control “makes visible a form of violence that is often invisible but deeply dangerous.”

Kelly Favro, co-founder of Beyond the Verdict, said the bill “strengthens protections for survivors,” adding that “survivors don’t have time to wait.”

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection said online sexual violence against children has reached “unprecedented levels,” noting that the amendments represent “an urgent need to take action.”

British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma described the bill as “landmark legislation” that reflects provincial priorities on intimate partner violence, child protection, and court delays. “Together, we will create a safer and more responsive justice system for all victims and survivors,” she said.

Police organizations also voiced strong support. Canadian Police Association President Tom Stamatakis said the bill “reinforces confidence that the system can adapt when needed to protect the most vulnerable,” while the Toronto Police Association urged Parliament to work together to pass the legislation quickly.

Taken together, the Protecting Victims Rights Act (Bill C-16) represents sweeping action to modernize Canada’s criminal justice system, protect victims, hold offenders accountable, and respond to today’s most serious threats.

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