Quebec adopts new privacy law
Quebec’s Bill-64, which proposes a major overhaul of Quebec’s private sector privacy law, has received royal assent in Quebec’s National Assembly.
The new law has Quebec leading the privacy reform movement in Canada, and will have important consequences for companies that do business in Quebec and those that handle the personal information of Quebec residents.
Marketers can expect most of the law’s provisions to take effect in 24 months, with some provisions coming into effect in 12 and 36 months.
The law’s passage follows months of study by the National Assembly’s Committee on Institutions, which proposed a series of amendments in a report that was quickly adopted earlier this week.
Heavily inspired by the GDPR, the law includes significant new fines and enforcement, new data rights for consumers, and stringent consent and transparency requirements.
Some provisions are beneficial for both marketers and consumers, including a proposed ability to use personal information without consent when it is necessary to deliver a product or service.
Other provisions would have a significant impact on marketing activities, including a new requirement for organizations to deactivate "by default" (and require express consent for) technologies that identify, locate or profile a person when they are used to collect personal information.
Marketers should begin – or continue – their preparations for the law coming into full force and effect in the months ahead.
The CMA is committed to keeping marketers informed and prepared, and marketers should stay tuned for upcoming blogs and guidance.
