Archived - Annex 3:
Legislative Measures
This annex includes a number of measures (other than tax-related measures) that would be implemented through legislation.
| Subject of the Measure | Proposed Legislative Action |
|---|---|
| Strengthening the Federal Pension Framework | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 and the Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act to improve the sustainability and long-term security of federally regulated pensions for all plan members and retirees through improved governance and administration and new frameworks for solvency reserve accounts and variable payment life annuities. |
| A Fairer Banking Complaints Handling System for Canadians | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce legislative amendments to the Bank Act and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada Act to provide for a single, non-profit external complaints handling body (ECB) in banking and to strengthen the ECB system. |
| Financial Sector Legislative Measures | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Bank Act, Insurance Companies Act, Trust and Loan Companies Act, and Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act to facilitate access to capital for property and casualty insurance companies, ensure that approval requirements for financial sector transactions apply regardless of how they are structured, adjust the time-limited permissions of the investment regime to ensure they are used appropriately, strengthen governance at the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, and update proxy solicitation provisions for certain financial institutions. |
| Strengthening the Anti-Money Laundering Regime | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to develop legislative changes to strengthen the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, Criminal Code, and other legislation, to enhance the ability of authorities to detect, deter, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes as well as ensure that the government is well placed to manage emerging threats outside the scope of the current AML/ATF Regime and has the tools necessary to preserve financial integrity and economic security. |
| Amendments to the Copyright Act | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce amendments to the Copyright Act to extend the general term of copyright protection from 50 to 70 years after the life of the author as agreed under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.The government is committed to ensuring that the Copyright Act protects all creators and copyright holders. As such, the government will also work to ensure a sustainable educational publishing industry, including fair remuneration for creators and copyright holders, as well as a modern and innovative marketplace that can efficiently serve copyright users. |
| Lunar Gateway | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and the Government Employees Compensation Act, make consequential amendments to other Acts, and introduce new legislation necessary to enable Canada’s participation in the Lunar Gateway. Canada is one of the countries planning the Lunar Gateway—a space station in lunar orbit that will serve a variety of purposes including as a laboratory and, eventually, a stepping stone for voyages to Mars. |
| Annual Regulatory Modernization | On March 31, 2022, the second Annual Regulatory Modernization Bill, which includes legislative amendments to remove outdated regulatory requirements and allow for the updating of regulations, was tabled in the Senate. |
| Amendments to the Competition Act | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce legislative amendments to the Competition Act as a preliminary step in modernizing the competition regime. |
| The College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents Act | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to make legislative amendments to the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents Act to better enable directors of the College to prioritize the public interest and to improve the efficiency of the College’s operations. The College is mandated to regulate the intellectual property agent profession in the public interest. |
| Renewing and Expanding the Oceans Protection Plan | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce legislative amendments to the Canada Shipping Act to include all types of pollution and enable the proactive management of marine emergencies, and to the Marine Liability Act and the Bill of Lading Act to clarify the liability and compensation regime for ship-source incidents. |
| Amendments to the Financial Administration Act to Support the Canadian Digital Service | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce amendments to the Financial Administration Act to enable the Canadian Digital Service to provide its digital platform services more broadly, including to other jurisdictions in Canada, and to clarify its responsibilities under the Privacy Act and Access to Information Act with respect to the services it provides. |
| Amendments to the Service Fees Act | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce amendments to the Service Fees Act to clarify existing requirements, improve transparency, and reduce administrative burden on departments in their effort to modernize regulatory charges and service fees. |
| Strengthening Canada’s Trade Remedy and Revenue Systems | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce amendments to the Special Import Measures Act and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act to strengthen Canada’s trade remedy system and improve access for workers. The government also proposes to introduce amendments to the Customs Act to allow for electronic assessments and payments and clarify importer liability to address revenue leakage risks. |
| Canada Growth Fund | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce legislation or legislative amendments to establish the Canada Growth Fund as a new government investment fund, to invest in projects that will catalyze private capital to invest, when it would not otherwise, in Canada’s climate transition. |
| First Nations Land Management Act | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to replace the First Nations Land Management Act with the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management Act, concise legislation that will give force of law to the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management and make consequential amendments to other Acts to reflect this change. |
| Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to enact the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Act and make related and consequential amendments to other Acts. |
| Prohibiting the Promotion of Antisemitism | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Criminal Code to prohibit the communication of statements, other than in private conversation, that willfully promote antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust. |
| Extending Temporary Supports for Seasonal Workers | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Employment Insurance Act to extend the rules of a temporary measure that provides 5 additional weeks to seasonal workers in targeted regions, until October 2023. |
| Improving the Employment Recourse Process | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Department of Employment and Social Development Act to enable the creation of the new EI Boards of Appeal, replacing the EI appeals process under the Social Security Tribunal General Division. |
| COVID-19 Benefit Integrity | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act and the Canada Emergency Student Benefit Act in order to provide the Canada Revenue Agency with the authority to establish and collect debts, on a weekly basis, due to overlapping weeks of payments in situations where a worker has accessed more than one benefit at once. |
| Modernizing Labour Market Transfer Agreements | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend Part II of the Employment Insurance Act to broaden eligibility and the types of interventions funded under the Labour Market Development Agreements with provinces and territories. |
| Supporting Judicial Compensation and Benefits | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Judges Act, the Federal Courts Act, and the Interpretation Act to implement the recommendations from the sixth Quadrennial Commission on Judicial Compensation and Benefits’ report. |
| Increasing the Capacity of Superior Courts | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Judges Act, the Federal Courts Act, and the Tax Court of Canada Act to add 24 new superior court positions, including new Associate Chief Justices for the Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan and for the Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick. |
| Allowing Use of Canada Revenue Agency-collected Data for Canada Pension Plan Analysis and Evaluation | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to make legislative amendments to the Canada Pension Plan legislation to allow the use of Canada Revenue Agency-collected data by Employment and Social Development Canada when performing policy analysis, reporting, and evaluation functions for the Canada Pension Plan. Access to this data would support the government’s commitment to evidence-based policy development and GBA Plus analysis. |
| Legislative Changes to Canada Pension Plan | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to make technical changes to the Canada Pension Plan legislation to ensure the correct calculation of eligibility and benefits for a small number of individuals qualifying for the Post-Retirement Disability Benefit and the child-rearing and disability drop-ins. These changes will ensure that the eligibility and calculation of these benefits is consistently applied for all individuals. |
| Government Annuities Improvement Act | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to make an amendment to the Government Annuities Improvement Act to reduce duplicative audit requirements. Canadians and annuitants would continue to have access to information on the program through the Public Accounts and the actuarial reports published by the Office of the Chief Actuary. |
| Old Age Security 75+ One-Time Payment | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Old Age Security Act to clarify that the one-time payment made in August 2021 to seniors age 75 and older will be exempted from the income test for the Guaranteed Income Supplement and Allowances. This amendment corrects a reference error resulting from the passage of the Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1. |
| Exemptions From the Service Fees Act for Certain Service Fees Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to exempt the following four fees from the Service Fees Act: Authorization to Return to Canada, Determination of Rehabilitation (Criminality and Serious Criminality), Restoration of Temporary Resident Status, and Temporary Resident Permit. |
| Improving Express Entry | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to provide the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada with authority to use Ministerial Instructions to help select those candidates who best meet Canada’s labour market needs from among the growing pool of candidates who wish to become permanent residents through the Express Entry System. |
| Clean Drinking Water and Better Infrastructure for First Nations Communities | In Budget 2022, the government affirms its commitment to introduce legislation that would repeal the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act and work with First Nations to develop a replacement. The government also intends to amend the Income Tax Act to exclude the income of the Safe Drinking Water Trust established under the Safe Drinking Water Class Action Settlement Agreement from taxation. |
| Improving the Citizenship Program | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Citizenship Act to enable automated and machine-assisted processing, and the collection and use of biometric information. |
| Securing the Integrity of Canada’s Asylum System | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to allow Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to require electronic submission of asylum claims. |
| Amending the Corrections and Conditional Release Act View the impact assessment | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (Act) that will prohibit the Correctional Service of Canada from placing inmates, who are suspected of concealing contraband in the vaginal cavity, in dry cells. This measure will bring the Act into compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. |
| Leveraging Transit Funding to Build More Homes | On March 25, 2022, the government tabled a bill to authorize the Minister of Finance to provide up to $750 million to provinces and territories to address municipal and other transit shortfalls and needs and to support housing supply and affordability. The government intends to proceed with this measure. |
| Elimination of the Canadian Pacific Railway Tax Exemption | Budget 2022 announces the government’s intention to introduce legislation that will, retroactive to August 29, 1966, eliminate the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR)’s purported tax exemption under Clause 16 of the 1880 agreement between Canada and CPR’s founders, annexed to An Act respecting the Canadian Pacific Railway (1881), and extinguish any potential federal liability that may arise directly or indirectly from the elimination of the purported tax exemption. This measure is expected to enhance the fairness and integrity of Canada’s tax system. |
| Reducing the Backlogs of Surgeries and Procedures | On March 25, 2022, the government tabled a bill to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act to provide up to $2 billion to provinces and territories on a per capita basis through the Canada Health Transfer. This measure is to support provinces and territories in continuing to address health system concerns, in particular to reduce the pandemic induced backlog of surgeries and procedures. The government intends to proceed with this measure. |
| Beneficial Ownership Registry | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Canada Business Corporations Act to implement a publicly accessible beneficial ownership registry of corporations governed under the Act by 2023. |
| Borrowing Authority Administrative Amendments | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce administrative amendments to the Borrowing Authority Act, and the Financial Administration Act (FAA) as required, to roll in extraordinary borrowing from spring 2021 into the borrowing authority maximum amount and no longer treat this amount as extraordinary borrowing for the purpose of reporting requirements. The government also proposes to amend the FAA to simplify the legislative reporting requirements associated with extraordinary borrowing amounts in the annual Debt Management Report to only require that the amounts be reported as at the fiscal year-end. |
| Strengthening Supports for Workers Experiencing Miscarriage or Stillbirth | In Budget 2022, the government announces its intention to amend the Canada Labour Code in the coming year to further support federally regulated employees who experience a miscarriage or stillbirth. |
| Supporting the Modern Senate | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to make amendments to the Parliament of Canada Act and consequential amendments to other related Acts to recognize and support greater independence and non-partisanship in the Senate. The government will continue to take steps to support and protect Canada's democratic institutions and processes, including through legislation when necessary. |
| Strengthening Sanctions Implementation | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce legislation that would clarify the ability of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to seize and cause the forfeiture and disposal of assets held by sanctioned individuals and entities. |
| A Ban on Foreign Investment in Canadian Housing | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce new legislation to prohibit certain foreign entities and individuals who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents from acquiring non-recreational, residential property in Canada for a period of two years. Refugees and other individuals fleeing international crises are to be exempted from the prohibition. International students on the path to permanent residency would also be exempt in certain circumstances, as would individuals on work permits who are residing in Canada. |
| Supporting Implementation of 10 Days of Paid Sick Leave for Federally Regulated Workers | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce minor amendments to the Act to Amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code (Bill C-3) to support timely and effective implementation of 10 days of paid medical leave for workers in the federally-regulated private sector. |
| Public Sector Pension Plan Governance | In Budget 2022, the government proposes to amend the Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act to increase the size of the board of directors of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board. |
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