Federal Legislation

Humane Canada, also known as the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, advocates for the review, updating and strengthening of the current animal cruelty provisions in the Criminal Code of Canada.

The following bills reflect our work and success in driving progressive change to end animal cruelty, improve animal protection and promote the humane treatment of all animals.

Bill S-15

On November 21, 2023, an Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act was introduced in Senate. Bill S-15 seeks to end new captivity of great apes and elephants and is ongoing.

Bill C-47

On June 22, 2023, Bill C-47 passed the Senate to become law, which includes a ban on cosmetic animal testing and trade.

Bill S-5

Also in June 2023, Bill S-5 became law, which phases out toxic chemical testing on animals.

Bill S-203

On June 10, 2019, Canada’s House of Commons passed Free Willy’ law Bill S-203, which seeks to ban the captivity of whales and dolphins. Humane Canada helped to introduce the Bill in 2015, alongside Sen. Wilfred P. Moore.

Bill C-84

On June 18, 2019, Senate passed Bill C-84 which modernizes the bestiality and animal fighting clauses of the criminal code. Based on Humane Canada’s recommended language, the legal term ‘bestiality’ will now refer to all sexual abuse of animals, not just the act of penetration. This broadens and strengthens Canada’s bestiality and animal fighting laws.

Bill S-238

In April 2017 Senator Michael L. MacDonald introduced Bill S-238 An Act to amend the Fisheries Act and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (importation and exportation of shark fins). Bill S-238 passed in 2019.

Bill S-214

In December 2015, with the support of Humane Canada, Sen. Carolyn Stewart Olsen introduced Bill S-214, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (Cruelty-Free Cosmetics). While it failed to pass the House of Commons in 2019, it became the pre-cursor to the amendments in Bill C-47, which banned cosmetic testing in Canada in 2023.

Quanto’s Law

On July 24, 2015, the Justice for Animals in Service Act, or Quanto’s Law, was enacted as part of the federal animal cruelty provisions in the Criminal Code of Canada, making the harming or killing of police, military or other service animals a special offence.

Read more about past bills here.