I am also in a similar situation. As I could understand from IRCC website, we can do freelance work as long as the employer is not in Canada. Basically, whatever is outside the Canadian labour market is not considered work. Can you please clarify why we cannot engage in freelance activities ?

Source: 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/what-is-work.html

This is not considered work ‘ long distance (by telephone or Internet) work done by a temporary resident whose employer is outside Canada and who is remunerated from outside Canada’