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Canada's Modern Slavery Act (Bill S-211)

North America is aggressively cracking down on forced and child labor in global supply chains. While much of the global focus has been on the US UFLPA, Canada's Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (Bill S-211) has quietly introduced some of the strictest penalties in the world for supply chain negligence.

If your business manufactures, buys, or imports goods in Canada, and you meet certain revenue or asset thresholds, you are legally required to file a highly detailed annual report by May 31st each year.

The High Stakes of Bill S-211

Unlike older transparency laws in other jurisdictions that simply required a statement on a website, Canada's Bill S-211 has teeth. The law demands detailed reporting on your corporate structure, policies, due diligence processes, and the specific steps you've taken to assess and mitigate forced labor risks.

But the real danger lies in the enforcement mechanisms.

Real Consequences: $250,000 Fines and Personal Liability

Missing the May 31st reporting deadline, failing to make the report public, or submitting false/misleading information are summary offenses under Canadian law. The penalty is a fine of up to $250,000 CAD.

Crucially, Bill S-211 pierces the corporate veil. Any director, officer, or agent who directs, authorizes, or participates in a violation is held personally liable and guilty of the offense. If your SME scrambles at the last minute and submits an inaccurate spreadsheet to Public Safety Canada, your executive leadership is personally on the hook for massive fines.

How Sustalium Automates Your S-211 Reporting

Drafting a legally sound, government-compliant supply chain report manually requires hundreds of hours of cross-departmental coordination. Sustalium transforms this legal nightmare into a streamlined, automated process.

  • The Bill S-211 Wizard: Don't guess what Public Safety Canada wants to see. Sustalium's step-by-step Wizard guides you through the exact data points required by the Act. It automatically structures your policies, risk assessments, and remediation measures into the official compliant format.
  • Public-Facing Transparency: The Act legally mandates that your report must be made available to the public prominently on your website. Sustalium generates a secure, hosted public URL containing your verified report, allowing you to instantly comply with the publication requirement without needing your IT team to build a new webpage.
  • Protecting Your Leadership: By utilizing a standardized Data Aggregator, you ensure the data submitted is structured, traceable, and accurate. This robust audit trail protects your directors and officers from accusations of providing "false or misleading" information, shielding them from personal liability.

Generate Your S-211 Report Without the Stress

Don't risk a quarter-million-dollar fine and personal liability because of messy supply chain data.

With Sustalium, there is no waiting and no expensive legal retainers. Generate a fully formatted, compliant Canada Modern Slavery report for just €10 per document. Get your public URL live immediately and meet your deadlines with confidence.

Start Your S-211 Report Now →

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bill S-211 apply to my small business?

The Act applies to entities producing, purchasing, or importing goods in Canada that meet at least two of the following conditions in their last two financial years: (1) $20 million CAD in assets, (2) $40 million CAD in revenue, or (3) an average of 250 employees. If you meet these, reporting is mandatory.

Can directors really be held personally liable?

Yes. Under Section 20 of the Act, if an entity commits an offense (such as failing to report or providing misleading information), any director or officer who authorized or assented to the offense is personally guilty and liable for the punishment, regardless of whether the corporation itself is prosecuted.

How does Sustalium save time on the report?

Sustalium utilizes a Wizard that maps directly to the questionnaire and reporting requirements set by Public Safety Canada. Instead of starting from a blank Word document, you input your supply chain data into our structured system, which outputs the exact format regulators require.

Last updated: June 15, 2026