OTTAWA, ON / AGILITYPR.NEWS / June 19, 2026 / Humane Canada welcomes Bill C‑16 becoming law and the stronger protections it brings for animals and families.

OTTAWA, ON, June 19, 2026 — Humane Canada welcomes Royal Assent for Bill C‑16, the Protecting Victims Act, now law in Canada. The legislation strengthens protections for animals and families affected by violence and recognizes the link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence.

Bill C-16 criminalizes the distribution of animal sexual abuse images, material that has been used to groom, manipulate, and exploit vulnerable individuals, including children and youth. It also expands protections for people whose animals are harmed or threatened as a form of coercive control, a tactic widely used in intimate partner violence and criminal harassment. To this end, the bill has adopted Humane Canada’s proposed language to ensure animals are recognized as both victims and tools of coercive control.

As founder of the Canadian Violence Link Coalition, Humane Canada has long worked to highlight the connection between animal abuse and family violence. Years of advocacy culminated in this pivotal moment, with the government and soon the legal framework recognizing the connection between violence against animals and gender-based, family, and intimate-partner violence. Bill C‑16 now brings that connection into federal criminal law.

Humane Canada stresses that while historic progress has been made, the organization remains firmly committed to continue working alongside policymakers and partners to ensure these critical connections are not only understood but meaningfully addressed.