Canada

Is selling sex criminalised?

Selling sex is legal. It is illegal however to communicate in a public place that is in view of or next to a school, playground or daycare centre. Communication does not mean verbal communication, just being in public as a sex worker in prohibited places is criminalised.

Is buying sex criminalised?

Buying sex is criminalised and communicating for the purposes of buying sex is also criminalised

Is organising/managing criminalised?

Advertising for sex work is criminalised. Procuring is criminalised and includes consensual organising. Obtaining a material benefit is criminalised (exemption for those in "legitimate living arrangement" with a sex worker.

Is there mandatory HIV/STI testing?

No

Is there mandatory registration?

No

Is sex work recognised as work?

No

Is sex work decriminalised with limited regulation?

No

Sources/further reading

Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act 2014 - http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/AnnualStatutes/2014_25/page-1.html Sexual Rights Initiative Database, available at https://sexualrightsdatabase.org/page/welcome Chez Stella - information leaflets on the new Canadian laws - http://chezstella.org/en/guides-infosheets/ https://sexworklawreform.com/sex-worker-human-rights-groups-launch-cons…

Extra info

In March 2021 the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform lodged a court case in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to strike down several provisions in the Criminal Code that criminalise aspects of sex work. The laws being challenged are prohibitions against impeding traffic (s. 213(1)), public communication (s. 213(1.1)), purchasing (s.286.1(1)), materially benefiting (s. 286.2(1)), recruiting (s. 286.3(1)), and advertising (s. 286.4). These laws were all added to the Criminal Code by the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act. At time of update no court decision had yet been issued.

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