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Anonymous video analytics’ (AVA) future uncertain after Canadian privacy regulators’ investigation

Éloïse Gratton November 4, 2020

On Oct. 28, 2020, the federal privacy commissioner and its provincial counterparts in Alberta and British Columbia issued joint Report of Findings with respect to the information-handling practices of a property management company using anonymous video analytics (AVA) in order to generate demographic information about consumers in its shopping centres, in a purportedly anonymized and […] Read more

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OPC lays groundwork for a Canadian right to be forgotten in recent RateMDs privacy decision

Éloïse Gratton October 21, 2020

On June 30, 2020, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) released its Report of Findings on the information handling practices of the operator of RateMDs.com, a popular review website that allows users to rate health professionals for the benefit of other patients (RateMDs). The decision arose from a complaint filed by a dentist from British […] Read more

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My Appearance to discuss Bill 64 (Quebec privacy law – private sector)

Éloïse Gratton September 22, 2020

Earlier this summer, Quebec’s National Assembly introduced Bill 64, An Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information, which proposes to overhaul Quebec’s privacy laws, including those applicable to private-sector organizations. Among the various changes being considered, the bill would significantly increase monetary penalties, introduce new enforcement mechanisms, impose new data […] Read more

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Réflexions sur le projet de loi no 64 (protection de la vie privée dans le secteur privé au Québec)

Éloïse Gratton September 22, 2020

Je suis ravie d’avoir aujourd’hui témoigné devant la Commission des institutions dans le cadre de leurs Consultations particulières et auditions publiques sur le projet de loi no 64, Loi modernisant des dispositions législatives en matière de protection des renseignements personnels. J’ai soumis, avec certains collègues, un court mémoire dans lequel nous présentons nos observations sur […] Read more

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Ontario signals the coming of commercial privacy legislation

Éloïse Gratton August 26, 2020

In a move of great significance to organizations doing business in Ontario, the province recently opened a consultation on private sector privacy regulation. The consultation, which runs until October 1, shows a strong commitment to moving forward with legislation that will create new and stringent privacy compliance requirements and potentially establish new employee privacy rights […] Read more

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Manufacturers of internet of things devices: guidance from the Canadian Privacy Commissioner

Éloïse Gratton August 24, 2020

There has been plenty written about the growth of the internet of things (IoT) market. Arguably, the global pandemic may have even crystallized the benefits of IoT solutions and pushed towards system-wide digitization across industries, communities, cities, and countries. While there is currently no IoT specific legislation in Canada, on August 20, 2020, the Office […] Read more

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Cloud services – Guidance for managing cybersecurity risks

Éloïse Gratton August 23, 2020

Cloud services make information technology (IT) resources (e.g., networks, servers, software applications and data storage) and related services (e.g., hardware and software maintenance and technical support) available as a utility or consumption-based service. Cloud services enable an organization to outsource its IT requirements to a specialist cloud service provider (a CSP) who can provide required services in […] Read more

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Alerte COVID : La loi québécoise en matière de protection de renseignements personnels encadre déjà certaines pratiques d’employeurs ou entreprises pouvant être intrusives

Éloïse Gratton August 14, 2020

Alerte COVID est l’application gratuite de notification d’exposition lancée par le gouvernement fédéral le 31 juillet dernier. Cette application qui peut être téléchargée volontairement par les Canadiens permet d’informer les utilisateurs s’ils ont été près d’une personne qui a reçu un diagnostic de COVID-19 et qui utilise également l’application, et les encourage à prendre des […] Read more

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OPC affirms requirements for transferring personal information across borders for processing

Éloïse Gratton August 14, 2020

On August 4, 2020, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (the OPC) issued PIPEDA Report of Findings #2020-001 (the Report), which concluded that a Canadian financial institution (the FI) had complied with its obligations under the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in connection with outsourcing aspects of its fraud claims processing services to […] Read more