Canada
Modern Slavery Act Canada (Supply Chains Act)
People search for the Modern Slavery Act Canada. The statute’s real name is the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (often still called Bill S-211). It creates an annual reporting duty for many entities and federal government institutions. This guide covers who is in scope, the size tests, and what recent filing rounds looked like.
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Key takeaways
- Canada’s law is the Supply Chains Act (Bill S-211), in force from 1 January 2024.
- Entities listed on a Canadian stock exchange, or meeting Canadian presence plus size tests, may have to report if they produce, sell, distribute or import goods (or control an entity that does).
- Size tests (meet at least two): CAD $20 million in assets, CAD $40 million in revenue, 250 employees.
- Reports are due to Public Safety Canada by 31 May each year and must also be published by the entity.
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Who must report under Canada’s Act?
Work through both the entity test and the activity test. Guidance from Public Safety Canada matters for edge cases such as "very minor dealings".
| In scope when… | Watch-outs | |
|---|---|---|
| Listed entity | Listed on a Canadian stock exchange | Can be in scope even without a Canadian place of business |
| Presence + size | Place of business, does business, or assets in Canada, and meets at least two of: $20m assets, $40m revenue, 250 employees | Use consolidated figures in Canadian dollars; thresholds are global totals |
| Activities | Produces, sells or distributes goods, or imports goods into Canada (or controls an entity that does) | Pure services models may fall outside; importing for own use can still matter |
| Government institutions | Listed federal institutions have their own reporting track | Same May 31 rhythm; catalogue publishing follows quality checks |
What the Canadian report must cover
The Act requires entities to report the steps taken in the previous financial year to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour is used in goods they produce, purchase, distribute or import. In practice that means structure and supply chains, policies and due diligence, risk areas, remediation, training, and how you assess effectiveness.
Public Safety Canada collects filings through an online questionnaire and maintains a public catalogue of reports. You must also publish the report yourself, typically in a prominent place on your website. If a foreign parent already publishes under the UK or Australian Act, do not assume that document alone satisfies Canada’s questionnaire and approval rules.
- Describe the entity’s structure, activities and supply chains.
- Explain policies and due diligence on forced labour and child labour.
- Identify parts of the business and supply chain that carry risk.
- Describe remediation, training and how effectiveness is assessed.
Latest filing numbers
Counts from Public Safety Canada’s annual report to Parliament on the Supply Chains Act. These are analysed submissions for the reporting cycle, not a live API feed.
- Reports analysed (2025 cycle)
- 4,3132025 report
- Entity reports
- 4,1782025 report
- Government institution reports
- 1352025 report
- Asset size threshold
- CAD $20m
- Revenue size threshold
- CAD $40m
- Employee size threshold
- 250
Received on or before the May 31 deadline.
One of three size tests; meet at least two with revenue and/or employees.
Average employees; combine with the other tests as the Act requires.
Basis: Reports received on or before the May 31 deadline for the 2025 annual report cycle
How to file a Canada Supply Chains Act report
- 1
Confirm you are a reporting entity
Apply the listing or presence-plus-size tests, then the goods-related activity test, using Public Safety guidance for grey areas.
- 2
Assemble facts for the previous financial year
Map supply chains at a practical level, list policies, and note diligence and remediation you actually performed.
- 3
Complete the questionnaire and obtain approval
Follow the Act’s approval rules for the report. The questionnaire itself has its own submission mechanics.
- 4
Submit by 31 May and publish
File with Public Safety Canada and publish the report on your site so customers can retrieve it without chasing you.
“Modern slavery statement” naming in Canada
Canadian law talks about forced labour and child labour reports, not "modern slavery statements". Buyers and searchers still use the UK/Australian phrase. If a portal asks for a modern slavery statement, give them a document that satisfies their checklist and, if you are in scope of the Canadian Act, make sure your statutory filing is not neglected.
For a reusable outline you can adapt across portals, start with the modern slavery statement template. For internal rules, use the modern slavery policy template. Country peers: Australia and the UK.
FAQs
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Need a supply-chain statement buyers will accept?
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Modern Slavery Statement
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Email the editable outline and adapt it for Canadian operations and portal uploads.
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Data sources
Filing counts and thresholds: Public Safety Canada 2025 Annual Report to Parliament on the Supply Chains Act.