Federal AI legislation: AIDA (Bill C-27) and what followed
Would have set a federal framework for AI systems, but no such law applies to businesses today; the follow-on bills are proposals.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Status: AIDA never became law: Bill C-27 stopped in committee when the parliamentary session ended on January 6, 2025. Bill C-36, introduced June 15, 2026, does not propose an AIDA and is shown as at second reading with no second reading activity. Bill C-34, which covers some AI chatbots, went to House committee on October 29, 2026. No standalone federal AI act was found in the official sources opened. An AI transparency consultation ran July 23 to September 23, 2026.
What to check
- No current duty arises from AIDA, because it was part of Bill C-27 and did not pass; PIPEDA and provincial laws remain the rules to check. Source
- Proposed only: Bill C-36 would give people a right to an explanation of decisions made by an automated decision system. Source
- Proposed only: Bill C-36 would require a privacy impact assessment before personal information is disclosed or transferred outside Canada. Source
- Proposed only: Bill C-36 would move private-sector privacy oversight to a new Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission, which depends on Bill C-34 passing. Source
- Proposed only: Bill C-34 would put a duty on covered AI chatbots to reduce the chance of delivering damaging material. Source
- Watch the consultation on AI transparency, whose feedback the government says will inform its next steps. Source
Penalties
None in force under AIDA. Proposed in Bill C-36: penalties up to the greater of $10 million or 3% of global revenue, and fines up to the greater of $25 million or 5%.