Canada has formally brought into force a new foreign influence transparency regime aimed at identifying and increasing public scrutiny of individuals and organisations working on behalf of foreign entities to influence the country’s political or governmental processes. The new registry, which became operational on August 4, follows a model similar to foreign-agent disclosure mechanisms already used in countries including the United States.
Under the new system, individuals and organisations that have an arrangement with a foreign principal and undertake activities intended to influence Canadian political or government decision-making are required to register details of that relationship. Information about registered activities will be made available through a publicly accessible database, allowing Canadians to see who is seeking to influence public institutions, on whose behalf they are acting and the nature of the activities involved.
The Canadian government has described the move as an important step towards strengthening transparency and protecting the integrity of democratic institutions. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced that the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act, along with the regulations governing it, had officially come into force. The legislation creates an independent oversight mechanism headed by Canada’s first Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner, Anton Boegman.
Boegman, who previously served as British Columbia’s chief electoral officer, has been tasked with independently administering and enforcing the new law. The government said the commissioner will have the authority to investigate potential compliance violations and publicly report confirmed breaches.
The registry is the result of a legislative process that began with the passage of the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act as Part IV of Bill C-70 in June 2024. The establishment of the mechanism was also recommended by Canada’s public inquiry into foreign interference in federal electoral processes and democratic institutions. The inquiry’s final report was submitted in January 2025 and examined concerns surrounding attempts by foreign actors to influence Canada’s democratic institutions and political processes.
The government has stressed that legitimate foreign influence and foreign interference should not be treated as identical concepts. According to Public Safety Canada, foreign influence is a normal feature of international relations, with governments and foreign partners routinely seeking to influence policies and decisions in other countries. The concern arises when such influence is conducted covertly or without appropriate transparency.
Foreign interference, by contrast, can involve clandestine, deceptive, manipulative or threatening activities carried out by foreign governments or individuals acting on their behalf. Such activities may seek to influence elections, government policies, public opinion or other democratic processes.
Under the new framework, arrangements with a foreign principal generally have to be registered within 14 days. Existing arrangements that were already in place when the legislation came into force have been given until October 3, 2026, to be registered. Certain activities carried out by governments and parliamentary entities within their official mandates are exempt from the registration requirement.
The law also gives the commissioner powers to investigate compliance and impose administrative monetary penalties. Those found to have violated the legislation could face penalties ranging from $250 to as much as $1 million, depending on the nature and circumstances of the violation. The commissioner will also make information about violations public.
The Canadian government said the registry will complement other measures being taken to counter foreign interference, including improved intelligence coordination, increased policing resources, stronger border-security measures and greater engagement with civil society, diaspora communities and groups considered vulnerable to foreign interference.
The move comes amid heightened concern in Canada over attempts by foreign governments and other overseas actors to exert influence over domestic political and democratic institutions. Officials argue that making foreign influence activities more visible will allow citizens, policymakers and institutions to better understand the networks and interests involved in attempts to shape public decision-making.
The government said the objective is not to prevent legitimate international engagement or political advocacy, but to ensure that activities conducted on behalf of foreign principals are carried out transparently. By placing relevant information in the public domain, authorities hope to make it easier for Canadians to distinguish legitimate advocacy from undisclosed foreign influence and to strengthen confidence in the country’s democratic institutions.
