NEWS RELEASE: Human Rights Advocates and Legal Experts Deliver Blueprint for New International Corporate Accountability Law in Canada, 31 May 2021

Today the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA) releases draft model legislation that provides lawmakers with a blueprint for writing into Canadian law the corporate duty to respect human rights and the environment.

The draft model law, if adopted, would require Canadian companies to prevent human rights and environmental harm throughout their global operations and supply chains.

Similar laws are in place or being developed in several countries. Canada, however, is falling behind. Instead of legally requiring companies to respect human rights and the environment, Canada encourages them to voluntarily take measures to do so...

Under the CNCA’s proposed law, if a company causes harm or fails to do its human rights and environmental due diligence, those affected would have the statutory right to bring a civil lawsuit against that company in Canadian court...

Over 150 organizations and unions that work with people impacted by the activities of Canadian companies in 32 countries around the world have endorsed the CNCA’s proposed law...

Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence Legislation in Canada

Building on this global momentum, and on Canadian civil society consensus starting points, our newly released draft model legislation provides lawmakers with a blueprint for writing into Canadian law the corporate duty to respect human rights and the environment...

If adopted the CNCA’s model Corporate Respect for Human Rights and the Environment Abroad Act would:

• Establish a corporate duty on companies linked to Canada to prevent human rights abuse and environmental harms.
• Require companies to conduct due diligence and publicly report on the steps taken to prevent human rights and environmental harms.
• Include significant consequences for companies that cause harm and/or fail to conduct due diligence.