Bill C-276 Use of Cash Act
C-276 An Act to Establish a Framework for the Continued Access to and Use of Cash in Canada and to Make Related Amendments to Other Acts
Short Title: Framework on the Access to and Use of Cash Act
Bill Type: Private Member’s Bill
Bill Sponsor: Ted Falk (Provencher)
Status: Outside the Order of Precedence — Introduced May 4, 2026. This Bill hasn't passed yet.
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WHO GAINS POWER
- The Minister of Finance gains a mandate to develop a national cash access framework within 18 months and review it within 3 years
- Canadians in rural, remote and underserved communities gain a legislated right to reasonable access to cash infrastructure
- Non-profit and community organizations gain protection for cash donations with reduced barriers
- Parliament gains oversight through mandatory tabling of the framework report and review
WHO LOSES POWER
- The Governor in Council loses the power to call in coins and notes — that authority is repealed from the Currency Act
- The Bank of Canada is prohibited from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC)
- Financial institutions may face new obligations to maintain cash infrastructure regardless of profitability
WHO GAINS MONEY
- Seniors, Indigenous peoples, newcomers and low-income Canadians who rely on cash gain protected access to withdraw and deposit funds
- Non-profits gain easier access to cash donations without additional compliance burden
WHO LOSES MONEY
- Financial institutions that have been closing ATMs and branches may face costs to maintain or restore cash infrastructure
- ⚠️ No funding mechanism is identified — the Bill mandates infrastructure access but does not allocate money to achieve it
THE CATCH
- ⚠️ The framework is a report, not a Law — the Minister develops it and tables it in Parliament, but nothing in the Bill requires Parliament to act on it or compels financial institutions to comply
- ⚠️ "Reasonable distance" is not defined — the Bill requires the framework to determine a reasonable travel distance for cash access but sets no standard itself
- ⚠️ The CBDC prohibition is absolute — the Bank of Canada is permanently barred from issuing a digital dollar with no mechanism to revisit this as technology and financial systems evolve
- ⚠️ No enforcement mechanism — the Bill creates obligations on the Minister but no penalties if the framework is not developed, implemented or reviewed on time
- The 90-day review and 18-month framework timeline are Legislative targets with no consequence for missing them