Canada's "Strong and Free Elections Act" would bar crypto and other hard-to-trace political donations

On March 26, 2026, the Government of Canada tabled the proposed Strong and Free Elections Act, a set of amendments to the Canada Elections Act aimed at tightening political financing rules for federal parties, third parties, candidates and donors. The Canada Elections Act is administered by the Chief Electoral Officer and enforced by the Commissioner of Canada Elections. The bill would prohibit parties and third parties from accepting donations in forms deemed difficult to trace, explicitly including cryptocurrency, money orders and prepaid cards. It would also require funding for third-party political activity to come from Canadian citizens or permanent residents, with a limited exception for minimal donations. Beyond donation rules, the draft legislation would strengthen privacy and vendor safeguards around party-held personal data, tighten restrictions on foreign funding channels, and increase administrative monetary penalties to deter illicit financing. The proposal sets maximum fines of up to $25,000 for individuals and $100,000 for organizations. The bill would also extend enforcement reach outside Canada and give the Commissioner of Canada Elections expanded investigative powers to pursue cross-border funding and the misuse of digital tools that could affect electoral integrity.