Private Member’s Bill C-222: Evan’s Law

An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (death of a child)

Short title: Relieving Grieving Parents of an Administrative Burden Act (Evan’s Law)

A Simple Fix for a Difficult Reality

The loss of a child is a profound and tragic event that no parent should ever have to endure. In these moments, families deserve support and compassion, not administrative hurdles.

Bill C-222, Relieving Grieving Parents of an Administrative Burden Act, addresses a specific and well-documented gap in Canada’s Employment Insurance system. It ensures that parents who lose a newborn or newly adopted child are not forced to navigate unnecessary bureaucracy or face financial penalties while grieving.

Who Is Affected

Each year, approximately 1,600 Canadian families lose a child under the age of one while receiving Employment Insurance parental benefits.

• Parental benefits end immediately following the death of a child
• Families who do not notify Service Canada right away may unknowingly receive overpayments
• These payments are later clawed back, creating financial stress
• Parents must switch to EI sickness benefits to maintain income support

• Submitting a new claim
• Providing medical documentation
• Completing bi-weekly reporting
• Repeatedly explaining their loss to government officials

For grieving families, this creates unnecessary emotional and administrative strain during an already devastating time.

Why This Matters

This issue reflects real experiences shared by families across Canada. The current system:

• Creates financial uncertainty for families
• Adds bureaucratic complexity for families and our administration
• Forces repeated retraumatization

Bill C-222 provides a compassionate and practical solution.

What the Bill Does

Bill C-222 amends the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code to ensure continuity of support for grieving parents.

• Allows parents to have financial stability and predictability while they are grieving
• Removes the administrative burden to reapply or transition to another benefit stream
• Eliminates bi-weekly reporting requirements

This is a targeted legislative fix that simplifies the process and removes unnecessary barriers.

Major Speech in Second Reading

Progress to Date

Current Status: Bill C-222 is in consideration in committee in the House of Commons

Stay tuned and learn more about our ongoing work. More to come.

Bill C-222 is a small but meaningful change that removes an unnecessary burden from families at one of the most difficult moments of their lives.It delivers a practical solution that is compassionate, fiscally responsible, and supported across party lines.