Canadians overwhelmingly believe they have the right to private conversations online and broadly oppose allowing law enforcement to access encrypted messages.
(WASHINGTON) — Today, the Center for Democracy & Technology released nationally representative polling data revealing that a significant majority of Canadians oppose or want constraints on surveillance powers like those proposed in C-22, the proposed Lawful Access Act. Results show Canadians are broadly concerned about the security, privacy, and free speech consequences of allowing law enforcement to access encrypted messages.
The polling data reveals that Canadians generally believe the government should not be able to order a technology company to provide access to all their users’ information in order to investigate potential crimes (43%), or that such orders should at least be subject to some form of public disclosure or parliamentary oversight (29%). Very few Canadians believe the government should be able to secretly issue such orders and prohibit technology companies from notifying the public when they receive them (10%).
- A majority of Canadians believe the security risks to the public of allowing law enforcement access to encrypted messages outweigh the benefits to law enforcement, compared to a minority who believe the benefits to law enforcement outweigh the security risks (54-24%).
- Canadians are overwhelmingly concerned that allowing law enforcement to access encrypted messages could potentially increase fraud, data leaks and cybercrime (83%).
- Nearly three-quarters worry that government access to encrypted messages could discourage free speech or open communication across the country (73%). And many Canadians say they would change their own behavior if law enforcement had access to their encrypted messages without prior court approval:
- 63% would be more cautious about what they like, share, or comment on.
- 44% would separate their online identity from their real identity.
- 42% would self-censor or refrain from being critical of public institutions or officials.
“Our research shows that Canadians have strong feelings about the privacy of their online messages, and efforts to undermine that privacy are out of step with public opinion,” said Tom Bowman, Policy Counsel for Security and Surveillance at the Center for Democracy and Technology, who led the polling project. “A remarkable number said they’d change how they express themselves in private conversations if law enforcement were able to eavesdrop. Clearly, Canadians aren’t thrilled about the prospect of Big Brother reading over their shoulders.”
“Bill C-22 threatens to undermine encryption in a number of ways that will chill how people in Canada act online and will fall disproportionately on groups that are already facing marginalization,” said Tamir Israel, Director of the Privacy, Surveillance and Technology Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. “The government is rushing this law through the legislative process despite the fact that, as this polling demonstrates, the Canadian public does not want it.”
“Canada’s Bill C-22 is on the cusp of bringing in the most invasive surveillance regime of any comparable democracy — and our government is forcing it through with almost no meaningful debate,” said Matt Hatfield, Executive Director at OpenMedia. “As today’s polling suggests, Canadians do not want and do not support this kind of invasion of our privacy. The architecture of surveillance described in part two of Bill C-22 must be abandoned completely.”
“Privacy and free expression are foundational elements of a healthy democracy, and Canadians clearly understand this,” said Aislin M. Jackson, Policy Staff Counsel for the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. “People in Canada expect and deserve legislation that truly safeguards these fundamental freedoms.”
CDT’s research, conducted by Public First, is based on a nationally representative survey conducted among a demographically representative sample of 2,006 Canadian adults 18 years of age and older. The fieldwork took place from April 20–27, 2026. The margin of error for these results is +/- 2.2%, though this differs for smaller sample sizes within the demographic crossbreaks.
The full text of the summary brief and related materials are available on CDT’s website.
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The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) is the leading nonpartisan, nonprofit organization fighting to advance civil rights and civil liberties in the digital age. We shape technology policy, governance, and design with a focus on equity and democratic values. Established in 1994, CDT has been a trusted advocate for digital rights since the earliest days of the internet. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has a Europe Office in Brussels, Belgium.