Signal Considers Exiting Canada Over Proposed C-22 Bill

Signal, the encrypted messaging app, has announced that it may withdraw from the Canadian market if the proposed C-22 Bill is enacted, according to ChainCatcher. The bill, introduced in March 2026, is part of Canada's new regulatory framework requiring electronic service providers to establish lawful access monitoring capabilities and retain certain user metadata for up to a year to aid in investigations of crimes such as terrorism and child exploitation. Udbhav Tiwari, Signal's Vice President of Strategy and Global Affairs, expressed concerns that the bill could force communication services to create technical backdoors, undermining encryption security and making private communications vulnerable to hackers and foreign attackers. Critics have compared the bill to the European Union's controversial "chat control" proposal, warning that it could threaten end-to-end encryption and user privacy. Canadian Conservative Party MP Jacob Mantle highlighted that nearly all Canadian MPs use Signal for its privacy and security features, yet the bill could potentially allow the government to access private messages. Tiwari emphasized that Signal would rather exit Canada than compromise its privacy commitments to users. In addition to Signal, VPN provider Windscribe has also indicated that it might leave the Canadian market if the bill passes in its current form. Windscribe stated that the legislation could compel VPN services to log user-identifiable data, contradicting their core privacy principles.