Bill S-211: Parliament passes forced labour supply chain legislation

Last week, Parliament passed Bill S-211, the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. The Bill is now awaiting Royal Assent.

Bill S-211 is private member’s legislation that will require medium and large-size businesses to report publicly on the actions they are taking to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour and child labour are present in their supply chains. The Bill also expands Canada’s existing ban on the importation of goods made in whole or in part with forced labour to include child labour. The Bill sets a coming-into-force date of January 2024 and would require the first reports to be submitted in May 2024.

RCC has been advocating to ensure that the legislation can be effectively implemented by retailers – including reasonable implementation timelines, clear and internationally aligned definitions, and an education-first enforcement strategy. Following RCC’s efforts, last week, the government confirmed directly to RCC that they intend to extend the coming into force date of the legislation but have not yet determined a new date. RCC is continuing to advocate on these critical implementation issues.

RCC is also advocating for the development of clear guidance and resources for retailers to support future compliance.