Law360 Canada (September 11, 2026, 3:52 PM EDT) -- Nova Scotia has introduced new legislation in the name of greater public safety — including laws supporting those who have been misrepresented by intimate images created or altered by AI.

The province announced the legislation on Sept. 10 as part of efforts to “keep [residents] safer online and in their communities.” For one, the proposed legislation — titled the Public Safety Act — introduces amendments to further support victims of “intimate image abuse.”

One change would be to the province’s Intimate Images and Cyber-protection Act, extending protections to those impacted by intimate images created or altered by “artificial intelligence tools and other digital means.”

“There are also new provisions around livestreamed content,” states a news release. “The amendments will also expand the circumstances in which victims can seek help, strengthen enforcement and reduce the burden on victims by presuming an intimate image was shared without consent unless proven otherwise.”

The new laws come just months after the federal government’s Protecting Victims Act became law. Among other things, the Act beefs up prohibitions around the non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit AI “deepfake” images.

A deepfake is a digital image, video or voice that has been generated or altered to look or sound like someone — thus misrepresenting them in terms of their actions or speech.

Nova Scotia’s new legislation would also mean changes to the province’s Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act as a means of dealing with properties deemed to be a threat to community safety. The amendments would “expand the types of activities that can be investigated, including human trafficking, gang and criminal organization activity, sexual exploitation and trafficking in stolen property.”

The changes also include the new Conservation Officer Service Act, which would bring current authorities under one clear, modernized framework.

“It will give officers the clarity, consistency and accountability they need to protect Nova Scotia’s natural resources, environment, Crown lands, forests and wildlife while also providing clarity in their ability to respond to immediate public safety concerns encountered in the course of their duties,” states the release.

Other amendments include modernizing the Emergency 911 Act in the form of stronger information sharing; better privacy and cyberprivacy provisions; and support for Next-generation 9-1-1, a federal initiative aimed at improving 911 service.

According to the federal CRTC, Next-generation 9-1-1 will give Canadians and first responders “new tools” in the name of quicker and more accessible communication during emergencies.

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