Canada Privacy Compliance Services
We help organizations assess and meet privacy obligations under Canadian federal and provincial law. Our work covers applicability, governance, consent, individual rights, safeguards and breach readiness, with particular attention to Quebec’s requirements under Law 25.
Coverage: PIPEDA · Quebec Law 25 · Alberta & BC PIPA · Ontario PHIPA · CASL
Practical Support Across Canada’s Privacy Landscape
Canadian privacy requirements operate across federal, provincial and sector-specific frameworks. Which obligations apply depends on your organization’s activities, jurisdiction, sector and handling of personal information. We help determine the applicable requirements and establish controls to address them.
Determine which federal, provincial and sector-specific laws apply to your organization, based on where you operate, whom you collect information from and how data moves.
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Activities That Create Obligations
Obligations can arise even where an organization has no office in the province or country concerned.
Operating in Canada
Collecting, using or disclosing personal information in the course of commercial activity in Canada.
Serving Customers in Quebec
Conducting business involving the personal information of Quebec residents may bring an organization within Quebec’s privacy requirements, even when it is located elsewhere. Applicability depends on the circumstances.
Operating in Alberta or British Columbia
Alberta and British Columbia have private-sector privacy laws that apply to many organizations operating in those provinces. Federal requirements may also apply to certain activities, organizations and interprovincial or international transactions.
Handling Health Information
Providing services to health care providers or handling health information in provinces with health privacy legislation, such as Ontario.
Marketing by Electronic Message
Sending commercial emails, texts or other electronic messages to people in Canada.
Using Service Providers or Moving Data Across Borders
Storing or processing Canadian personal information with vendors, or outside Canada.
A Clear Picture of Your Obligations and a Plan to Meet Them
Depending on the agreed scope, deliverables may include:
- 01
Applicability Assessment
Which Canadian laws and requirements apply, and why.
- 02
Gap Analysis
Current practices measured against the requirements that apply, with findings by priority.
- 03
Governance Recommendations
Roles, responsibilities, policies and reporting arrangements.
- 04
Policy & Notice Updates
Updated privacy policies, notices and consent language.
- 05
Privacy Impact Assessment Support
Assessments of projects or transfers where Canadian requirements call for them.
- 06
Breach Register & Decision Procedures
Templates and workflows for recording and assessing incidents.
- 07
Compliance Implementation Plan
Prioritized actions with owners and milestones.
The aim is a clear view of which requirements apply to you and a prioritized plan to meet them.
Discuss Your Requirements
The Canadian Privacy Framework
Requirements vary by jurisdiction and sector. The summary below is a general guide and not a legal determination. Whether and how a law applies depends on your facts.
In provinces with substantially similar private-sector privacy legislation, provincial law generally governs many local activities. PIPEDA may continue to apply to federally regulated organizations and certain interprovincial or international commercial activities.
- 01
PIPEDA
- Generally relevant to
- Federally regulated businesses, private-sector organizations in provinces without substantially similar legislation, and certain interprovincial and international commercial activities
- Areas we typically support
- Accountability, consent, safeguards, individual access, breach records and reporting
- 02
Quebec Law 25
Distinct requirements- Generally relevant to
- Quebec’s private-sector privacy framework, as strengthened by Law 25. Organizations handling personal information in the course of business in Quebec
- Areas we typically support
- Governance, person in charge of personal information protection, impact assessments, incident handling, transparency, individual rights
Quebec’s requirements are among the most detailed in Canada, and they affect organizations outside Quebec that serve Quebec residents. We treat Quebec as a distinct workstream when it applies.
- 03
Alberta PIPA
- Generally relevant to
- Private-sector organizations in Alberta
- Areas we typically support
- Consent, notices, safeguards and breach notification to the regulator where required
- 04
British Columbia PIPA
- Generally relevant to
- Private-sector organizations in British Columbia
- Areas we typically support
- Consent, notices, safeguards, access and correction
- 05
Ontario PHIPA
- Generally relevant to
- Health information custodians, and agents and service providers acting for them. Obligations depend on role
- Areas we typically support
- Health information governance, consent, safeguards, incident handling
- 06
CASL (related legislation)
- Generally relevant to
- Senders of commercial electronic messages
- Areas we typically support
- Consent for messaging, unsubscribe processes, records
From Applicability to Implementation
- STEP 01
Determine
Establish where you operate, whose information you handle, your sector and your data flows, to identify the laws that apply.
- STEP 02
Assess
Measure current policies, notices, consent practices, safeguards and breach procedures against those requirements.
- STEP 03
Implement
Develop or update governance, documentation, workflows and training, with priority on the highest-risk gaps.
- STEP 04
Maintain
Support periodic reviews, remediation tracking and updates as business activities, vendors and applicable privacy requirements evolve.
Clarify Your Canadian Privacy Obligations
Tell us where you operate and what personal information you handle. We will confirm which requirements are likely to apply and propose a practical scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Canada has a federal law and several provincial laws, and the one that applies depends on your activities, location and sector. We start by establishing which apply.
It can, depending on your activities, including where you collect personal information from Quebec residents in the course of business. We assess this as part of the applicability review.
Canadian requirements generally expect someone to be accountable for privacy, and Quebec’s law sets out specific expectations for the role. We help define the responsibilities and position the role appropriately for your organization.
No. Notification thresholds, recipients and record-keeping requirements differ between federal, Quebec and Alberta law, and other provinces differ again. We prepare procedures that reflect the requirements that apply to you.
Yes. A Quebec-focused gap assessment can be scoped as a defined project, separate from a broader program engagement.
Supportix Global provides privacy compliance consulting, including applicability assessments and implementation support. Where a formal legal opinion is required, it should be obtained from qualified legal counsel.
Explore More Ways We Can Help
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Governance frameworks, policies, data inventories, consent processes and staff training.
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PIAs, GDPR DPIAs and AI risk reviews before a product, system or vendor goes live.
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CCPA/CPRA, state privacy laws, GLBA, FTC requirements and HIPAA/HITECH.
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