Implementation Schedule

Stage 1

Federally-regulated private sector and out-of-province exchanges of personal information

• Starting on January 1, 2001, the law applies to personal information of clients and employees in the federally regulated private sector, such as airlines, banking, broadcasting, interprovincial transportation and telecommunications.
• The law also applies to all organizations that disclose personal information for consideration outside a province or the country.

Stage 2

Health information

• Since January 1, 2002, the law also applies to personal health information for the organizations and activities already covered in the first stage.

Stage 3

Commercial use of personal information within individual provinces

• On January 1, 2004, the law will extend to every organization that collects, uses or discloses personal information in the course of a commercial activity within a province, whether or not the organization is a federally-regulated business or not.
• However, the federal government may exempt organizations and/or activities in provinces that have adopted privacy legislation that is similar to the federal law.