the resource project

Understanding Canada's legal process

Navigating the legal system can feel overwhelming, especially when you are also trying to support your child.

You do not need to understand every part of the process at once. Knowing a few basics can help you understand what may happen next, what your responsibilities are, and where to turn for help.

A few things to know about Canadian law

Canada's laws relating to child sexual abuse continue to evolve, particularly in response to online exploitation and image-based abuse.

One important change is the language used in Canadian federal law.

In 2025, the term “child pornography” was replaced in federal legislation with “child sexual abuse and exploitation material” (CSAEM).

Bill C-291 received Royal Assent in October 2024 and came into force in October 2025, replacing the former terminology throughout federal legislation.

This is more than a change in words. Images and videos depicting the sexual abuse or exploitation of children are records of abuse and exploitation. The updated terminology recognizes the harm experienced by the children depicted and more accurately describes what these materials are.

Recent changes to Canadian law

Canadian laws addressing sexual exploitation and online abuse continue to evolve.

In June 2026, the federal Protecting Victims Act received Royal Assent. Most of its reforms came into force in July 2026.

Among other changes, the legislation created a new offence of threatening to distribute child sexual abuse and exploitation material and strengthened provisions addressing child luring and sextortion. It also includes changes to reporting and data-preservation requirements for certain internet services that are subject to separate coming-into-force provisions.

Because laws and legal procedures can change, families should rely on current government information or legal advice when a particular law may affect their situation.

A note about legal information

Laws and legal processes can change, and some rules differ between provinces and territories. The information in The Resource Project is intended to help you understand the process and ask informed questions. It is not a substitute for legal advice about your family's circumstances.

Understanding the duty to report

You do not need proof that abuse occurred before raising a concern.

Child protection and mandatory reporting laws are provincial and territorial, which means the exact requirements depend on where you live.

In Ontario

If you have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child under 16 is or may be in need of protection, Ontario law requires you to immediately report your suspicion—and the information it is based on—directly to a children's aid society.

You do not need to investigate, question your child extensively or determine whether abuse occurred before making a report.

Your role is to report the concern.

It is the role of child protection professionals and, when appropriate, police to determine what happens next.

Ontario law also provides protection from liability for people who make a report in accordance with the legislation unless they act maliciously or without reasonable grounds.

For more information about when and how to report, see Do I Need to Report This?

What about older teens?

The rules are somewhat different for youth who are 16 or 17.

In Ontario, the general mandatory duty to report applies to children under 16. If you are concerned about a 16- or 17-year-old, however, you may still make a report to a children's aid society, and protection services may be available.

This distinction can be confusing:

the age at which reporting is legally mandatory and the age at which a young person may receive child protection services are not necessarily the same.

If you are unsure whether you should make a report, you can contact your local children's aid society and explain your concern.

If you live outside Ontario, check the reporting requirements in your own province or territory.

What happens after a report?

There is no single pathway that every family follows.

What happens next will depend on factors such as your child's age, what happened, whether there are immediate safety concerns, who is alleged to have caused the harm and where the abuse occurred.

Different organizations may become involved.

Children's Aid Society

In Ontario, concerns that a child may be in need of protection are reported directly to a children's aid society.

A children's aid society will determine whether further assessment or investigation is required.

For more information, see Working with the Children's Aid Society.

Police

Police may become involved when there is reason to believe a criminal offence may have occurred.

Depending on the circumstances, police and children's aid may work together.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

For more information about interviews, investigations and what families may encounter, see Working with Police.

Online sexual exploitation

If your concern involves online luring, sextortion, the sharing or threatened sharing of sexual images, or other forms of online sexual exploitation involving a child, a report can be made to Cybertip.ca, Canada's national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children.

Reports are reviewed and, where appropriate, information may be forwarded to law enforcement or child protection authorities.

Child and youth advocacy centres

In some communities, families may be connected with a Child Advocacy Centre or Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (CAC/CYAC).

These centres bring professionals from different systems together so children and families can receive a more coordinated response.

Depending on the community, this may include:

• police

• child protection

• healthcare professionals

• victim services

• mental-health professionals

• specially trained forensic interviewers

One of the goals of this model is to reduce unnecessary repetition of interviews and questions and make the investigative process less overwhelming for children and families.

Services and procedures vary between communities, so the exact process will depend on the centre involved.

If the abuse happened years ago

Sometimes a person does not disclose childhood sexual abuse until adolescence or adulthood.

The passage of time does not necessarily mean that legal options are no longer available.

An adult can report childhood sexual abuse to police even when the abuse occurred many years earlier.

Civil claims may also remain possible. Limitation periods for civil claims involving childhood sexual abuse have been removed or changed in a number of Canadian provinces.

Because these rules vary by province and individual circumstances, consider speaking with a lawyer experienced in sexual-abuse claims before assuming that too much time has passed.

For more information about supporting someone who discloses abuse as an adult, see When an Adult Child Discloses.

What you can do

You are not expected to know how to navigate all of these systems yourself.

If you are unsure what happens next:

• Focus first on your child's immediate safety.

• Report concerns when you are legally required to do so.

• Avoid conducting your own investigation or repeatedly questioning your child.

• Write down important names, dates, contact information and file numbers as you move through the process.

• Ask professionals to explain anything you don't understand.

• Seek legal advice when you need information specific to your family's circumstances.

• It is okay to say:

“I don't understand what happens next. Can you explain it to me?”

• You are allowed to ask questions.

You don't have to figure this out alone

• Legal and child-protection systems can feel intimidating, particularly when your family is already dealing with the emotional impact of a disclosure.

• Your job is not to become an investigator or a legal expert.

• Your job is to support your child, help keep them safe, ask questions and allow the appropriate professionals to do their jobs.

• If you need help finding services in your community, visit Finding Support in The Resource Project.

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