Regulationsby GlyphPIPEDA
In force Canada · In force Jan 1, 2001 · no upcoming deadlines
Deadlines
Mandatory breach reportingBreach of security safeguards reporting, notification and record-keeping obligations take effect.
PIPEDA applies to all commercial activityExtended to commercial activity in provinces without substantially similar legislation.
PIPEDA Part 1 in force (phase 1)Applies to federally regulated organisations.
Summaries for reference, not legal advice. Check the official text.
What it does
Canada's federal private-sector privacy law based on 10 fair information principles, with mandatory breach reporting to the OPC and notification of individuals for breaches creating a real risk of significant harm. It is proposed to be replaced by the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act (Bill C-36, tabled June 2026).
- Who it applies to
- Private-sector organisations collecting, using or disclosing personal information in the course of commercial activities (except in provinces with substantially similar laws, e.g. Quebec, Alberta, BC for intra-provincial activity), plus federal works, undertakings and businesses' employee data.
- Penalties
- Fines up to CAD 100,000 per offence for knowingly failing to report/record breaches or obstructing the Commissioner; no administrative monetary penalties.
- Enforced by
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (Federal Court for orders)
- Official name
- Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
- Citation
- S.C. 2000, c. 5
- Topics
- Privacy, Breach notification
Verified 2026-09-22 priv.gc.ca
Research notes
Bill C-27 (CPPA/AIDA) died on the order paper in January 2025. Successor Bill C-36 is tracked separately as ca-c36-ppcda.
Related
Alberta POPAReplaces the privacy part of Alberta's FOIP Act for public bodies. It adds mandatory breach notification where there is a real risk of significant harm, privacy management programs, privacy impact assessments, rules for creating and using non-personal data, and notice when personal information will be fed into automated systems. It also bans selling personal information and adds large offence fines.In effect since Jun 11, 2025Argentina Law 25.326Argentina's habeas data and personal data protection law. It covers consent, data quality, sensitive data, security and confidentiality, international transfers to countries with adequate protection, and access, rectification and deletion rights. Argentina holds EU adequacy status based on this law.No date set
Brazil ECA DigitalRequires digital products and services likely to be accessed by children and adolescents to apply protection by design and default, reliable age verification, parental supervision tools, links between under-16 accounts and guardians, and swift removal of harmful content; bans profiling-based advertising to children and loot boxes in games for minors.In effect since Mar 17, 2026Brazil LGPDBrazil's GDPR-style general data protection law: ten legal bases, data subject rights, DPO (encarregado), incident reporting and international transfer rules. ANPD's Resolution CD/ANPD 19/2024 set the international transfer regime and mandatory standard contractual clauses.In effect since Sep 18, 2020
Canada Bill C-36 (PPCDA)Would replace PIPEDA's private-sector rules with a modernised statute (successor to C-27's CPPA) including stronger consent, de-identification and re-identification rules, and administrative penalties, with oversight housed in a new Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission. Does not include an AI act.No date setCanada Bill C-8 / CCSPARequires designated operators in federally regulated critical sectors to establish cyber security programs, mitigate supply-chain risks, report cyber incidents and comply with government cyber security directions; also amends the Telecommunications Act to let government order telecom providers to secure their networks.No date setChile Personal Data Protection Law (Ley 21.719)Replaces Chile's 1999 data law with a GDPR-style regime: legal bases, data subject rights (including portability and objection to automated decisions), security and breach notification, international transfer rules, a voluntary compliance (crime-prevention-style) model, and a new independent Personal Data Protection Agency.Next: Dec 1 Law in force · in 35 daysMexico LFPDPPP 2025New federal private-sector data protection law replacing the 2010 law after the dissolution of INAI; keeps the ARCO rights and privacy-notice model, broadens the personal data definition and moves enforcement to the Secretaría Anticorrupción y Buen Gobierno.In effect since Mar 21, 2025
Questions about PIPEDA
- What are the PIPEDA compliance deadlines?
- Jan 1, 2001: PIPEDA Part 1 in force (phase 1). Jan 1, 2004: PIPEDA applies to all commercial activity. Nov 1, 2018: Mandatory breach reporting.
- When does PIPEDA take effect?
- PIPEDA took effect on Jan 1, 2001.
- Who does PIPEDA apply to?
- Private-sector organisations collecting, using or disclosing personal information in the course of commercial activities (except in provinces with substantially similar laws, e.g. Quebec, Alberta, BC for intra-provincial activity), plus federal works, undertakings and businesses' employee data.
- What are the penalties under PIPEDA?
- Fines up to CAD 100,000 per offence for knowingly failing to report/record breaches or obstructing the Commissioner; no administrative monetary penalties.