The Defamation Act addresses online content and cuts red tape for newspapers in the province
The Defamation Act has come into effect in Saskatchewan as of Thursday October 1, enhancing residents’ protection through a legal framework that takes into account the current digital environment.
This Act replaces the Libel and Slander Act, which came into force in 1909. The Defamation Act addresses online content and communications, granting courts “clearer tools to address harmful online content while maintaining the balance between freedom of expression and the protection of reputation,” said Tim McLeod, Saskatchewan justice minister and attorney general, in a statement.
The Defamation Act equalizes the treatment of newspapers, broadcast, and online media outlets. In particular, it eliminates wording specific to “newspapers” so that the law can be applied to all publishers.
The new law also cuts down red tape for newspapers in Saskatchewan by decommissioning the newspapers register; newspaper publishers will no longer have to make filings with the Registrar of Corporations.
The Defamation Act also allows courts to issue take-down and de-indexing orders to third parties over harmful online content that remains in circulation after the initial release. It sets a single course of action for a publication and any subsequent republications of material by the same publisher.
“The Act implements key recommendations aimed at protecting reputational rights, promoting clarity and fairness, and ensuring Saskatchewan's defamation laws remain effective and relevant in the digital age,” said Michael Milani, Law Reform Commission chair, in a statement.
Saskatchewan’s Law Reform Commission had pushed for an update to the Libel and Slander Act in a report following a March 2024 consultation. In line with this suggestion, The Defamation Act removes the differentiation between libel and slander; instead, its definition of “defamation” covers written and spoken statements harmful to an individual's reputation.
“The commission's recommendations were guided by the need to protect the reputational rights of individuals, provide clarity and fairness, and ensure that our laws reflect the realities of today's communication environment,” Milani said in a statement.
The Defamation Act was first introduced in November 2025.
