Canada’s Bill C-22 Lawful Access Act moves to Senate amid privacy concerns

Canada’s Bill C-22, known as the Lawful Access Act, has passed the House of Commons and moved to the Senate following a vote on June 18, 2026. The legislation grants law enforcement and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) expanded powers to access data from telecommunications and online companies. Under the bill, providers may be required to build systems that facilitate such access and retain user metadata for up to six months.

Civil society organizations, including Access Now, are urging the European Commission to intervene, arguing that the bill threatens end-to-end encryption and global privacy standards. Critics contend that because the bill applies to service providers operating outside of Canada, it could allow Canadian authorities to compel European-based companies to provide customer data without sufficient oversight or transparency. Access Now has called on EU leadership to initiate a dialogue with Canada to protect the digital sovereignty and privacy of European citizens and businesses.