FederalBill C-275First Reading
Bill C-275: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sexual assault material)
Sponsor: Burton BaileyIntroduced April 28, 2026Last checked August 28, 2026
Read the official text on parl.caOfficial version — LEGISinfo, Parliament of Canada
What this bill does
This bill amends the Criminal Code to create new criminal offences related to making, distributing, possessing, or accessing visual recordings that depict non-consensual sexual activity (termed 'sexual assault material'), with penalties including up to 14 years imprisonment and fines up to $100,000.
Plain-language summary by Legisail.
Business impact
Compliance
This bill primarily affects businesses involved in content creation, distribution, and hosting — including online platforms, social media companies, adult entertainment producers, web hosting services, and internet service providers operating in Canada. Any business that publishes, distributes, transmits, or makes visual content available could face serious criminal liability if that content depicts non-consensual sexual activity, even in realistic fictional depictions. For-profit offences carry aggravated sentencing, which specifically targets businesses monetizing such material. Film and media production companies would need to exercise heightened due diligence, as a belief that depicted activity was consensual is not a defence unless all reasonable steps were taken to verify consent and ensure the material does not depict activity as non-consensual.
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Where this bill is
First ReadingApril 28, 2026
Next: Second Reading debate
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