Compliance – Law 25
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Law 25
Quebec’s Law 25 (Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information) is a major privacy reform adopted in 2021. It strengthens the rules governing how public bodies and private-sector organizations collect, use, communicate, and protect personal information. Inspired by international frameworks such as the GDPR, it introduces stricter consent requirements, higher transparency obligations, mandatory privacy impact assessments, and significant penalties for non-compliance.
Challenges
- Ensuring that individuals give clear, informed, and explicit consent for data use can be administratively heavy.
- Organizations often lack a clear overview of what personal data they hold, where it is stored, and how it flows internally/externally.
- Mandatory PIAs for high-risk projects can overwhelm organizations without established methodologies.
- Responding to requests (e.g., right to access, correct, or delete data) requires new workflows that many organizations lack.
- Penalties under Law 25 can reach up to CAD $25M or 4% of global turnover, creating financial and reputational risks.
Solutions
- Implement digital consent management platforms with centralized tracking and user-friendly opt-in/out dashboards.
- Conduct systematic data inventories and use automated data-mapping tools to maintain an up-to-date registry of data assets.
- Develop standardized PIA templates and train staff to integrate PIAs early in project planning to avoid delays.
- Set up a clear internal request-handling process supported by ticketing systems and dedicated staff responsibilities.
- Establish a continuous compliance program with regular audits, internal training, and an appointed privacy officer (DPO).