Canada. Sectoral privacy. Act
Privacy ActPrivacy Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. P-21)
In force
Partly verified
Medium confidence.Brief row for completeness.
§1Summary
- Synopsis
Governs how federal government institutions collect, use, disclose and retain personal information and gives individuals a right to access and correct their records. It applies to the public sector only.
- Key themes
- Unique features
Access rights limited historically to citizens and persons present in Canada; OPC handles complaints but lacks order powers over most issues.
- SaaS relevance
Relevant mainly when a SaaS vendor contracts with federal institutions, which flow Privacy Act and Treasury Board requirements into contracts.
§2Obligations
- Extraterritorial
- No
- Breach notification
- Treasury Board policy requires material breach reporting to OPC and TBS (policy, not statute)
- Cross-border transfers
- Treasury Board policy guidance; no statutory bar
§3Dates
- Key dates
- Adopted
- In force
- Modernisation long proposed; no comprehensive reform enacted as of Oct 2026
§4Text and authority
- Text
- Authoritative text laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
- Authority
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)
§5Where it applies
- Domestic law of
- Canada
- Also applies in
§6Sources and verification
- Sources consulted
- Verification
Medium confidence.
Partly verified
Medium confidence.Brief row for completeness.