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Major VPN provider says it could leave Canada over lawful access bill
Privacy advocates and tech firms warn the bill would require surveillance tools and yearlong metadata retention, raising security concerns.
- Popular Virtual Private Network provider Windscribe threatened to relocate its headquarters out of Canada if Bill C-22 passes into law, stating "We won't be far behind if C-22 passes."
- Introduced in March 2026, the proposed Lawful Access Act would mandate electronic service providers to build surveillance capabilities and retain user metadata for up to a year. Committee hearings began May 7.
- Signal's Vice President of Strategy and Global Affairs Udbhav Tiwari stated the firm "would rather pull out of the country" than comply with privacy-undermining law. Apple and Meta have similarly warned the legislation threatens their encryption services.
- NordVPN said it would consider leaving Canada if forced to compromise privacy protections. Civil liberties groups and law professors warned the bill would open the door to serious privacy infringements.
- Bill C-22 mirrors global legislative battles including the European Union's "chat control" proposals and the UK's Online Safety Act, both criticized for threatening end-to-end encryption. The government defends the bill as Charter-compliant law enforcement necessity.
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According to Ottawa, the text will provide law enforcement with the tools needed to combat modern crime.
·Montreal, Canada
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Canadian Privacy Clash: VPN Pioneer Windscribe and Signal Draw a Line Against Surveillance Bill
Windscribe pays a lot in taxes to Ottawa. The Toronto-based VPN provider built its business on a strict no-logs policy that has withstood court tests. Now that policy stands in direct conflict with proposed federal legislation. So the company says it will move its headquarters if the law passes unchanged. Signal reached the same conclusion first. The encrypted messaging service, which prides itself on end-to-end encryption that even its own engi…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources38
Leaning Left23Leaning Right0Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution77% Left
Bias Distribution
- 77% of the sources lean Left
77% Left
L 77%
C 23%
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