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Canada Introduces AI Strategy and Digital Safety Bills, Sets Age Restrictions on Social Media
In Ottawa, the Liberal government announced a suite of measures aimed at regulating artificial intelligence, protecting children online, and reshaping the Canadian digital economy. The package includes a new national AI strategy, Bill C‑34 that would block access to social‑media platforms for users under 16, Bill C‑36 that expands privacy protections, and a directive to the Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to reduce the financial burden on streaming services.
Bill C‑34, introduced on 10 June, requires large social‑media platforms to prevent users younger than 16 from accessing their services. The bill allows an exemption if a platform can demonstrate that it has “sufficient safeguards” in place, but the definition of safeguards is not yet fixed. The government said the Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission of Canada, a new regulator created by the bills, will decide whether age‑verification methods are effective and whether a platform qualifies for an exemption. The bill does not specify a verification method; the minister of culture, Marc Miller, said the government would negotiate with platforms to balance privacy and safety.
The legislation does not impose a blanket ban on chat‑bots. Instead, the privacy bill, Bill C‑36, introduced on 15 June, imposes a duty on companies that operate AI chat‑bots to act “responsibly.” The duty includes reducing the risk of harmful content and establishing crisis‑intervention protocols for self‑harm, suicide or violence. The bill also gives individuals the right to request deletion of personal information, a provision that the government said would cover deepfakes.
Bill C‑36 also strengthens privacy rights. It recognises privacy as a fundamental right and requires organisations to obtain meaningful consent and provide plain‑language explanations for the use of personal data. The bill imposes higher standards for children’s data and mandates transparency for automated decision‑making that has a significant impact on a person. The Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission will enforce the bill, with the power to issue binding orders and levy fines up to $25 million or five per cent of global revenue for serious violations.
The bills also address content removal. The digital‑safety bill would require platforms to delete within 24 hours content that sexually victimises a child or re‑victimises a survivor, and non‑consensual intimate images. Platforms would also have a duty to label synthetically generated content and to provide tools for users to flag and block harmful material.
In a separate move, the government directed the CRTC to abandon a proposal that would have tripled the financial contributions that streaming services such as Netflix must make toward Canadian content. Instead, Ottawa will provide $600 million in annual funding directly to the sector. The decision followed pressure from the Motion Picture Association and a U.S. ambassador who criticised the original plan.
The AI strategy, unveiled on 4 June, allocates $2.3 billion in new and expanded funding. It includes a literacy initiative that would offer entry‑level AI training to all Canadians and a plan to give post‑secondary students access to trusted AI agents. The strategy projects the creation of up to 90 000 AI‑related jobs for young people and up to 250 000 new jobs through AI adoption by 2031.
All three bills were introduced before Parliament’s summer recess, which began on 21 September. They will need committee studies and votes in the House of Commons and Senate before becoming law. Even after passage, the Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission is expected to take 18 months to be fully operational, meaning the provisions will not be fully enforceable until 2028.
The government has framed the bills as a response to growing concerns about online harms, privacy, and the role of AI in society. The measures also aim to support Canada’s ambition to be a leader in responsible AI development.
The bills remain subject to parliamentary debate and potential amendments. Key questions that remain include the specific list of platforms covered by the age ban, the exact age‑verification methods that will be accepted, and the timeline for the Commission’s establishment.
In summary, Canada is moving forward with a comprehensive regulatory framework that covers AI, privacy, and digital safety, while also investing heavily in AI research and workforce development. The full impact of these measures will unfold over the next several years as the bills move through the legislative process and the new regulator is set up.
Bill C‑34, introduced on 10 June, requires large social‑media platforms to prevent users younger than 16 from accessing their services. The bill allows an exemption if a platform can demonstrate that it has “sufficient safeguards” in place, but the definition of safeguards is not yet fixed. The government said the Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission of Canada, a new regulator created by the bills, will decide whether age‑verification methods are effective and whether a platform qualifies for an exemption. The bill does not specify a verification method; the minister of culture, Marc Miller, said the government would negotiate with platforms to balance privacy and safety.
The legislation does not impose a blanket ban on chat‑bots. Instead, the privacy bill, Bill C‑36, introduced on 15 June, imposes a duty on companies that operate AI chat‑bots to act “responsibly.” The duty includes reducing the risk of harmful content and establishing crisis‑intervention protocols for self‑harm, suicide or violence. The bill also gives individuals the right to request deletion of personal information, a provision that the government said would cover deepfakes.
Bill C‑36 also strengthens privacy rights. It recognises privacy as a fundamental right and requires organisations to obtain meaningful consent and provide plain‑language explanations for the use of personal data. The bill imposes higher standards for children’s data and mandates transparency for automated decision‑making that has a significant impact on a person. The Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission will enforce the bill, with the power to issue binding orders and levy fines up to $25 million or five per cent of global revenue for serious violations.
The bills also address content removal. The digital‑safety bill would require platforms to delete within 24 hours content that sexually victimises a child or re‑victimises a survivor, and non‑consensual intimate images. Platforms would also have a duty to label synthetically generated content and to provide tools for users to flag and block harmful material.
In a separate move, the government directed the CRTC to abandon a proposal that would have tripled the financial contributions that streaming services such as Netflix must make toward Canadian content. Instead, Ottawa will provide $600 million in annual funding directly to the sector. The decision followed pressure from the Motion Picture Association and a U.S. ambassador who criticised the original plan.
The AI strategy, unveiled on 4 June, allocates $2.3 billion in new and expanded funding. It includes a literacy initiative that would offer entry‑level AI training to all Canadians and a plan to give post‑secondary students access to trusted AI agents. The strategy projects the creation of up to 90 000 AI‑related jobs for young people and up to 250 000 new jobs through AI adoption by 2031.
All three bills were introduced before Parliament’s summer recess, which began on 21 September. They will need committee studies and votes in the House of Commons and Senate before becoming law. Even after passage, the Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission is expected to take 18 months to be fully operational, meaning the provisions will not be fully enforceable until 2028.
The government has framed the bills as a response to growing concerns about online harms, privacy, and the role of AI in society. The measures also aim to support Canada’s ambition to be a leader in responsible AI development.
The bills remain subject to parliamentary debate and potential amendments. Key questions that remain include the specific list of platforms covered by the age ban, the exact age‑verification methods that will be accepted, and the timeline for the Commission’s establishment.
In summary, Canada is moving forward with a comprehensive regulatory framework that covers AI, privacy, and digital safety, while also investing heavily in AI research and workforce development. The full impact of these measures will unfold over the next several years as the bills move through the legislative process and the new regulator is set up.
