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Total score
5.5
Canada
Canada is the third best performer among G7 countries, but has still made only limited progress on ending childhood sexual violence at home and around the world.
2025 Policy indicators for Canada
Canada's financial commitment to global child protection remains inadequate at just 0.38% of GNI (1) —far below the UN's 0.7% target—and is set to deteriorate further with projected cuts of CAD 2 billion by 2027 (2). While contributing USD 6.18 per capita to UNICEF, this represents a fraction of what's needed from a G7 nation to address the worldwide crisis of childhood sexual violence (3).
Canada is one of the few G7 countries that has no criminal statutes of limitations for most childhood sexual violence crimes (4).
Canada has failed twice to pass comprehensive online safety legislation. The Online Harms Act (Bill C-63), which would have created platform accountability and a Digital Safety Commission, died when Parliament was prorogued in January 2025, leaving critical gaps in online protection despite Canada committing USD 39.7 million in March 2025 to combat online sexual exploitation (5). According to the latest release of police-reported crime data, incidents involving the making of or distribution of CSAM have increased by 80.2% compared to 2023 (6).
The Survivors Council of Canada was established in 2024, representing an important and positive step forward, but it operates on a volunteer basis and would benefit from formal government partnership (7).
While Canada has outlined efforts to address childhood sexual violence in a National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet, this strategy does not adequately address prevention, healing and justice (8).
- OECD. (2023). ODA as percent of GNI (grant equivalent) in 2023, by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members
- Government of Canada. (2024). Global Affairs Canada 2024-2025 Departmental Plan
- UNICEF. (2023) Funding Compendium.
- Miguel Hurtado et al. (Forthcoming). SOLs Report.
- Public Safety Canada. (2025). Government of Canada invests in protecting children and youth from online sexual exploitation.
- Protect Children. (2024). Sharp rise in reports of sexual crimes against children further underscores need for Canadian online safety laws
- Survivors Council of Canada. https://survivorscouncil.ca/
Canada’s role as the 2025 G7 Summit host
Canada’s role as the 2025 G7 Summit host, at the forum’s 50th anniversary, presents a defining opportunity to prioritize child protection globally. This year’s Summit takes place as Canada continues its own journey of addressing historic, institutional abuse against children from Indigenous communities.
While Canada has recently committed up to CAD 40 million in federal funding to combat online sexual exploitation, Indigenous leaders continue to urge the government to more decisively implement recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and MMIWG2S+ Calls for Justice. This convergence of Canada’s hosting responsibilities, a historic milestone for the Summit, and powerful domestic movements creates a window of opportunity for leadership in advancing child safeguarding measures.
By centring survivor voices through national survivor councils, enforcing robust online safety legislation and eliminating statutes of limitations, Canada has the opportunity to powerfully leverage its own experiences to drive global accountability across the G7 and beyond.
Insights from our #BeBrave members in Canada
See the G7 countries
Indicators
- Financial investment in development aid for childhood protection
- Elimination of statutes of limitations in relation to childhood sexual violence in criminal law
- Implementation of national action plans or strategy to address childhood sexual violence
- Engagement with survivors through a government-supported or endorsed national survivor council
- Safe internet
About the G7 Scorecard
This 2025 #BeBrave G7 Scorecard builds on the first iteration of the analysis conducted in 2022, assessing each G7 country on how they are responding to childhood sexual violence at home and around the world.
Previous G7 Communiqués have made bold commitments to ending sexual violence against children. On the G7 forum's 50th anniversary the scorecard, based on a strategic set of policy indicators, assesses whether the G7 has delivered on these.
