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Canada Pushes Sweeping Surveillance Bill Forcing Mass Collection of All Citizens’ Data

March 23, 2026

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Canada’s Liberal government is facing backlash after introducing a sweeping surveillance proposal that would force companies to collect and store sensitive data on every Canadian, regardless of whether they are suspected of any crime.

Bill C-22, the Lawful Access Act (2026), mandates that electronic service providers retain user metadata for up to one year, making it accessible to law enforcement and intelligence agencies with a warrant.

The metadata includes location data, device information, and other digital identifiers.

Critics warn the legislation effectively treats the entire population as pre-emptive suspects, building a massive database of personal information ready for government access.

Government Defends Mass Data Retention

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree defended the bill as a necessary modernization of outdated laws.

“Canada is woefully behind our most important allies,” he said.

“Technology has moved forward; our laws are stuck in the previous century.”

Justice Minister Sean Fraser stood alongside law enforcement officials as the proposal was unveiled.

RCMP senior deputy commissioner Bryan Larkin argued the expanded powers would improve policing outcomes.

“There’s an actual series of tools here that will eventually lead to greater success, greater efficiencies in police investigations, greater solvency in crime, and, quite frankly, improving the safety of Canadians and, more importantly, addressing the concerns of victims,” Larkin said.

Despite the sweeping scope of the bill, Anandasangaree insisted it does not constitute mass surveillance.

“I want to be clear what C-22 is not,” he said.

“It is not about surveillance of Canadians going on about their daily lives.

“It is about keeping Canadians safe in the online space.”

Critics Warn of “Build the Haystack” Surveillance Model

Privacy advocates say the government’s assurances do not match the reality of the legislation.

The bill creates a mandatory data retention regime, requiring companies to warehouse sensitive information on all users in advance.

However, critics warn that this is a “collect everything first, investigate later” model.

Even without storing browsing history or social media content, the metadata alone is highly revealing.

Location data can expose where individuals live, work, worship, seek medical care, or participate in political activity, creating a detailed digital profile of daily life.

Tamir Israel, director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s privacy program, warned that the bill crosses a fundamental line.

“Being able to categorically order companies to keep everybody’s information, not just people who are suspected of crimes… is different from getting a company to build a backdoor that then police could walk through to grab information,” Israel said.

“You’re both putting people’s privacy at risk, and you’re creating cybersecurity threats.”

Secret Orders and Gag Rules Raise Alarm

One of the most controversial provisions allows the government to issue secret orders forcing “core” service providers to build surveillance capabilities into their systems.

The definition of these providers has not been fully clarified.

Companies receiving such orders would be legally prohibited from disclosing them, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

The government claims the law includes safeguards, stating that providers cannot be forced to weaken encryption or create systemic vulnerabilities.

However, critics argue that mandating surveillance infrastructure at scale inherently increases security risks and creates attractive targets for cyberattacks.