Data Protection and the Internet: Canada
Teresa Scassa
1 General Data Protection Framework in Canada
1.1 Overview
Personal data in Canada is protected by a complex web of laws. The public sector in
each province and territory is governed by its own data protection law which is
combined with access to information provisions in a single statute.
1 The federal
public sector is governed by the Privacy Act.
2 Personal health information in the
hands of health care ‘custodians’ is typically the subject of specific legislation in
each province or territory.
3 A federal law, the Personal Information Protection and
T. Scassa (*)
University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, Ottawa, ON, Canada
e-mail: tscassa@uottawa.ca
1 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, SA, RSA 2000, c. F-25; Freedom of
Information and Protection of Privacy Act, RSBC 1996, c 165; The Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act, SM 1997, c 50; Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act,
SNB 2009, c. P-7.05; Freedom of Information Act, RSN 1990, c F-25; Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act, SNS 1993, c 5; Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act,
R.S.O. 1990, c. F.31; An Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the
Protection of personal information, RSQ, c A-2.1; The Freedom of Information and Protection of
Privacy Act, SS 1990-1991, c F-22.01; Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act,
SNWT.1994, c 20; Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, SNWT 1994, c 20; Access
to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, RSY 2002, c 1.
2 Privacy Act, RSC 1985, c P-21.
3 See, e.g. Personal Health Information Act 2008 SNL c P-7.01; Personal Health Information
Protection Act SO 2004, c 3 Sch. A; Health Information Act RSA 2000, c H-5; and Personal
Health Information Act CCSM c P33.5; E-Health (Personal Health Information Access and
Protection of Privacy) Act, SBC 2008, c 38; Health Information Protection Act, SS 1999 c
H-0.021; An Act respecting the sharing of certain health information, SQ 2012, c 23; Personal
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
D. Moura Vicente, S. de Vasconcelos Casimiro (eds.), Data Protection in the
Internet, Ius Comparatum – Global Studies in Comparative Law 38,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28049-9_3
55
Teresa Scassa
1 General Data Protection Framework in Canada
1.1 Overview
Personal data in Canada is protected by a complex web of laws. The public sector in
each province and territory is governed by its own data protection law which is
combined with access to information provisions in a single statute.
1 The federal
public sector is governed by the Privacy Act.
2 Personal health information in the
hands of health care ‘custodians’ is typically the subject of specific legislation in
each province or territory.
3 A federal law, the Personal Information Protection and
T. Scassa (*)
University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, Ottawa, ON, Canada
e-mail: tscassa@uottawa.ca
1 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, SA, RSA 2000, c. F-25; Freedom of
Information and Protection of Privacy Act, RSBC 1996, c 165; The Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act, SM 1997, c 50; Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act,
SNB 2009, c. P-7.05; Freedom of Information Act, RSN 1990, c F-25; Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act, SNS 1993, c 5; Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act,
R.S.O. 1990, c. F.31; An Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the
Protection of personal information, RSQ, c A-2.1; The Freedom of Information and Protection of
Privacy Act, SS 1990-1991, c F-22.01; Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act,
SNWT.1994, c 20; Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, SNWT 1994, c 20; Access
to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, RSY 2002, c 1.
2 Privacy Act, RSC 1985, c P-21.
3 See, e.g. Personal Health Information Act 2008 SNL c P-7.01; Personal Health Information
Protection Act SO 2004, c 3 Sch. A; Health Information Act RSA 2000, c H-5; and Personal
Health Information Act CCSM c P33.5; E-Health (Personal Health Information Access and
Protection of Privacy) Act, SBC 2008, c 38; Health Information Protection Act, SS 1999 c
H-0.021; An Act respecting the sharing of certain health information, SQ 2012, c 23; Personal
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
D. Moura Vicente, S. de Vasconcelos Casimiro (eds.), Data Protection in the
Internet, Ius Comparatum – Global Studies in Comparative Law 38,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28049-9_3
55