Question Period Note: CANADIAN LEGISLATIVE MEASURES TO ADDRESS FORCED LABOUR IN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS

What is Canada’s legislative approach to eradicating forced labour from international supply chains? The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of upholding human rights, including international labour standards, in global supply chains.

Addressing forced labour requires a coordinated, whole of government approach, which involves federal departments and agencies such as Global Affairs Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Public Safety Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Program.

Canada partners with the International Labour Organization and other partners to provide technical assistance to help countries uphold and enforce fundamental labour rights, including eliminating forced and child labour.

Over the past five years, this has included more than $18 million in projects funded in countries such as Mexico, Jordan, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, among others.

Canada also has other federal measures in place to combat exploitation in supply chains. These include the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act—administered by Public Safety Canada—and a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour, enforced by CBSA.

[Responsive on the import ban on goods produced with forced labour, potential legislative changes, or proposals such as Bill C-251 An Act to amend the Customs Act and the Customs Tariff (forced labour and child labour)]

Global Affairs Canada coordinates policy direction to federal departments involved in the operationalisation of the import ban.

The Canada Border Services Agency is responsible for enforcement of the import ban on goods produced using forced labour.

Federal departments will continue to work collaboratively – and with domestic and international partners - to address exploitation in global supply chains.

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of respecting human rights, including international labour standards, in global supply chains.

Combating forced labour requires a coordinated, government-wide approach involving federal departments and agencies such as Global Affairs Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Public Safety Canada, and the Labour Program of Employment and Social Development Canada.

Canada partners with the International Labour Organization and other organizations to provide technical assistance to help countries respect and enforce fundamental labour rights, including eliminating forced labour and child labour.

Over the past five years, this has resulted in more than $18 million invested in funded projects in countries such as Mexico, Jordan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, among others.

Canada has also implemented other federal measures to combat exploitation in supply chains. These include the Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, administered by Public Safety Canada, and a ban on the importation of goods produced by forced labour, enforced by the CBSA.

[In response to the ban on the importation of goods produced by forced labour, potential legislative amendments or proposals such as Bill C-251, An Act to amend the Customs and Tariff Act (Forced Labour and Child Labour)]

Global Affairs Canada coordinates policy direction for federal departments involved in implementing the importation ban.

The Canada Border Services Agency is responsible for enforcing the ban on the importation of goods produced by forced labour.

Federal departments will continue to work collaboratively—and with national and international partners—to combat exploitation in global supply chains.

The International Labour Organization estimates that there are 27.6 million victims of forced labour worldwide (2021).

Among the cases of forced labour reported in the private economy, the following sectors accounted for the highest share: industry (mining, fishing, etc.), services (wholesale, trade, accommodations, etc.), agriculture (forestry, hunting, etc.,) and domestic work.

12% (3.3 million) of all those in forced labour are children, and women and girls make up 43% (11.8 million) of the total people in forced labour.

World Vision estimates that nearly $48 billion in goods imported into Canada in 2021 were at risk of being made with forced and/or child labour, representing 7.5% of total imports.

International and Domestic Efforts

Internationally, several jurisdictions have adopted or announced legislation to address labour and human rights abuses and violations in global supply chains.

Supply chain legislation is a proactive measure that requires companies to look at their supply chains and identify/address risks of forced labour (or other human rights violations, depending on the scope of legislation).

Import bans are a reactive trade/border measure to block market access of goods determined to be made with forced labour. This is distinct from supply chain legislation, which is not specific to any one good, sector or country, and applies to regulated parties irrespective of whether or not they import goods into a particular country.

Canada is the only country that has both federal supply chain legislation (former Bill S-211, referred to as “The Supply Chains Act”) and an import ban on goods produced with forced labour currently in place.

Canada continues to work closely with the U.S., Mexico and other international partners on labour exploitation issues.

The Government also supports CUSMA technical-level exchanges among labour, border, and trade officials in the U.S., Canada and Mexico to advance collaboration on forced labour research and enforcement. The most recent technical exchanges took place during the third CUSMA Labour Council in December 2025.

Through the Labour Funding Program, Canada partners with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support technical assistance projects that help strengthen labour standards in current and potential free trade partner countries. These projects are designed to help countries uphold and enforce fundamental labour rights, including eliminating forced labour and child labour.

Over the past five years, Canada has funded eight such projects, with a total value of more than $18 million. These initiatives have supported efforts in Mexico, Jordan, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, as well as a project covering all member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Most of these projects are delivered by the ILO.

Forced labour import prohibition and other federal initiatives

In 2020, as part of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), Canada amended the Customs Tarriff to include a prohibition on the import of goods mined, manufactured or produced using forced labour.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the import prohibition.

In Fall 2024, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) led public consultations with businesses, government entities and civil society organizations on potential measures to strengthen the forced labour import ban.

In January 2024, Canada introduced “The Supply Chains Act”, which requires certain entities and government institutions to report on steps taken to prevent and reduce risks of forced labour in their supply chains. Public Safety Canada is responsible for its implementation.

The previous government’s 2021 mandate letters (for the ministers responsible for international trade, federal procurement, public safety and labour) and Budgets 2023 and 2024 included commitments to introduce legislation to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains and strengthen the import prohibition on goods produced using forced labour. In the 2024 Fall Economic Statement (FES), the previous government announced its intent to introduce a new supply chain due diligence regime and legislative amendments to strengthen Canada’s ban on imports of goods produced with forced labour. However, such legislation has not been tabled and no funding has been allocated to any implicated departments.

In Fall 2025, the Standing Committee on International Trade (CIIT) undertook a “study of at least three meetings to examine the relevance and urgency of introducing legislation prohibiting the importation of any product resulting from forced labour, as well as the impacts of such legislation on Canada's relations with its partners, particularly the United States.”

On October 21, 2025, Bloc Québécois MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay tabled PMB C-251. The Bill seeks to strengthen the forced labour import ban by introducing aspects of the U.S. reverse onus enforcement model in Canada. Implicated departments will monitor Bill C-251 Additional analysis is required to assess the bill’s feasibility and potential implications.

Beyond supply chain legislation and the import ban, there are several other federal initiatives addressing global labour exploitation in which the Labour Program is involved, including:

the inclusion of provisions on forced labour and child labour in Canada’s free-trade agreements, as well as technical assistance projects in developing countries to help uphold obligations;

CUSMA technical-level meetings among labour, border, and trade officials in the U.S., Canada and Mexico to advance collaboration on forced labour research and enforcement; and

engagement on decent work, forced labour, labour exploitation in supply chains in the ILO and a variety of other international fora.

Public Safety Canada leads work on the National Anti-Trafficking Strategy; Global Affairs Canada launched an updated Responsible Business Conduct Strategy; and Public Services and Procurement Canada has established expectations for suppliers and subcontractors in federal procurement on upholding human rights.

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