Activists, community leaders, and politicians across Canada marked World AIDS Day on December 1, 2025, with a unified call for significant reforms to the country's criminal laws regarding HIV non-disclosure. The day of remembrance and advocacy highlighted the ongoing stigma and the legal framework that many argue undermines public health goals.
The Push to Modernize Outdated Laws
The central demand from advocacy groups is for the federal government to reform the Criminal Code, which is currently used to prosecute individuals for not disclosing their HIV status to sexual partners. Critics of the law assert that it is rooted in fear and outdated science from the early years of the epidemic. They emphasize that with modern antiretroviral treatment, a person living with HIV who maintains an undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit the virus, a concept known as Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).
Current prosecutions, advocates argue, disproportionately target marginalized communities and create a chilling effect on testing and treatment, as people may fear legal consequences if they know their status. This, they say, runs counter to the public health objective of ending the epidemic by 2030.
A Day of Reflection and Advocacy
World AIDS Day events served as a somber reminder of the lives lost to AIDS-related illnesses and a celebration of the scientific progress made. However, the focus remained firmly on the work yet to be done, particularly in the legal realm. Politicians from multiple parties joined advocates in urging the Minister of Justice to prioritize amendments that would limit criminal prosecution to only cases of intentional, actual transmission.
This model, often referred to as a "modernization" approach, has been recommended by numerous health and legal experts, including the Canadian Coalition to Reform HIV Criminalization and the Department of Justice's own 2020 report. The call for change is supported by public health officials who stress that the law should not be a barrier to people seeking testing, care, and support.
The Path Forward for Canada
The momentum for reform on this World AIDS Day appears stronger than ever. With a clear link established between legal reform and improved health outcomes, pressure is mounting on the federal government to act. Advocates are calling for a law that aligns with contemporary medical evidence and prioritizes education and support over punitive measures.
As one activist stated during a vigil, "We remember those we've lost, we celebrate the strides in medicine, but we must also fight the stigma that lives on in our laws. True progress means ensuring our justice system supports our public health system, not hinders it." The observance of World AIDS Day 2025 in Canada has thus become a pivotal moment in the ongoing campaign to align the country's legal framework with science, compassion, and effective HIV prevention strategy.
