Maple News | Ottawa | August 2025
As Parliament debates the sweeping immigration legislation known as Bill C‑2, a growing chorus of concern is emerging—not only from refugee advocates but also from Canada’s entrepreneurial and business immigration sector. While the bill is officially framed as a “border security modernization” measure, experts warn that its broad and unchecked powers could severely disrupt the Start-Up Visa (SUV) program, a flagship pathway designed to bring innovative entrepreneurs to Canada.
Centralizing Power Under Public Safety Canada
Bill C‑2 dramatically shifts immigration authority from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to Public Safety Canada, inserting national security as the lens through which all immigration—including entrepreneurial programs—is assessed. This change bypasses IRCC’s existing program structures and introduces:
- Powers to suspend or cancel entire categories of immigration, including economic and business programs, on vague grounds like “public interest”;
- No requirement for procedural fairness, notification, or appeal pathways for affected applicants;
- Retroactive termination of valid applications—even those submitted in good faith under previous criteria.
For SUV applicants, many of whom have already waited 2–4 years in the existing backlog, these discretionary powers mean one thing: uncertainty and risk of sudden termination, without recourse or compensation.
Impact on Start-Up Visa
The SUV program has seen both expansion and strain in recent years. But under Bill C‑2, the following specific threats now loom:
- Broad Visa Cancellation Powers: Under Sections 87.301 & 87.302, the government could suspend SUV streams entirely or block groups of applicants based on opaque “public interest” assessments.
- No Guaranteed Review: Entrepreneurs whose files are cancelled or refused may not have access to judicial review or IRCC reconsideration—despite having invested time, money, and intellectual property into building Canadian businesses.
- Expanded Surveillance and Vetting: Section 32.1 allows for deeper background checks and on-demand document submissions—raising alarm over privacy and disproportionate scrutiny of foreign entrepreneurs.
- Data Sharing Without Consent: Personal information from SUV applicants could be shared across agencies without disclosure or consent, undermining investor and founder trust.
In short, Canada risks turning its flagship innovation visa into a security liability, rather than a global recruitment tool.
Policy Contradiction: A Growing Innovation Economy at Risk
The timing of Bill C‑2 appears increasingly out of sync with Canada’s economic priorities. The country continues to face:
- Critical labour shortages in STEM and innovation sectors;
- Slower-than-expected GDP growth;
- A global competition for tech talent and startup founders.
The SUV program, while not without flaws, has brought in thousands of global entrepreneurs, spurring local job creation and regional investment. By subjecting this pipeline to sudden shutdowns or arbitrary refusals, Canada risks sending a hostile signal to the very people it claims to be attracting.
As one designated organization director told Maple News anonymously:
“If Bill C‑2 passes without amendments, no serious founder will wait in line for years only to be told their visa is suspended due to some vague policy directive. The system needs clarity, not chaos.”
Maple News Summary: Five Effects on SUV If Bill C‑2 Passes
- Increased risk of retroactive refusals and mass suspensions under ill-defined “public interest” rules.
- Loss of trust from international founders and VCs who rely on predictable immigration pathways.
- Possible capital flight and talent diversion to more stable jurisdictions like the UK, Portugal, or the UAE.
- Legal gridlock, with applicants forced to pursue costly Mandamus orders or Federal Court challenges.
- Damage to Canada’s innovation reputation, just as it tries to scale tech hubs and regional startup ecosystems.
CILA’s Broader Warning Applies to Start-Up Visa Too
While the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) has largely focused on Bill C‑2’s impact on refugees and asylum seekers, their central message applies across the board:
“Immigrants and refugees are not inherently security threats. Programs and policies affecting them should reflect that fact.”
SUV applicants—many of whom are vetted by incubators, investors, and the government—deserve no less protection. Yet Bill C‑2’s vague enforcement powers could easily sweep legitimate entrepreneurs into a national security dragnet.
CILA is calling for:
- A full Parliamentary review of the Bill;
- Stakeholder consultation from immigration, business, and civil society leaders;
- Reform of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) backlog instead of creating new bureaucratic burdens.
Final Word from Maple News
Bill C‑2 was introduced as a tool for protecting Canadian borders—but without amendments and safeguards, it may instead erode Canada’s international image as a beacon for talent, entrepreneurship, and fairness. The Start-Up Visa program, once a symbol of smart immigration, now stands at a legal and moral crossroads.