New Privacy Regulations Impact Canadian Business

In today’s digital age, privacy is a hot commodity.

It’s tough to protect personal information in the world of likes and shares and digital transfers. But if recent privacy laws are any reflection, the issue has grabbed the attention of lawmakers. One prime example? Canada’s new regulations governing data breaches.

What the new law looks like

As of Nov. 1, companies that suspect a security breach have a brand new to-do list. These laws apply everywhere in Canada except British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec; these provinces already have their own laws.

Any businesses with a security breach that poses “real risk of significant harm” must notify all individuals impacted, as well as Canada’s Privacy Commissioner. Companies will need to report a chunk of information, including description of the situation, causes, dates, steps taken to remedy the breach, and more.

What real-life privacy protection looks like

The key for business isn’t just learning the new law. It’s creating a hedge of privacy protection for both your customers and your company. This includes creating a strong privacy policy. But a survey by Canada’s Privacy Commissioner said only four out of 10 businesses had any policy in place to handle security breaches.

Here’s what experts suggest.

Consider all the information being processed and look for any data that could be sensitive. Look for ways to automate information management and continually test policies to be sure they’re up to the challenge. Another important part of policy development is staff training. Creating policies staff can be invested in and familiar with will help put your company on the right path when it comes to privacy protection.

What else can you do? Choose a professional screening partner that also makes privacy protection and security the highest priority. At ClearStar, we use military-grade protection on our platforms, and we’re always undergoing third party testing to check for vulnerabilities. Want to know more? Contact us today.

At ClearStar, we are committed to your success. An important part of your employment screening program involves compliance with various laws and regulations, which is why we are providing information regarding screening requirements in certain countries, region, etc. While we are happy to provide you with this information, it is your responsibility to comply with applicable laws and to understand how such information pertains to your employment screening program. The foregoing information is not offered as legal advice but is instead offered for informational purposes. ClearStar is not a law firm and does not offer legal advice and this communication does not form an attorney client relationship. The foregoing information is therefore not intended as a substitute for the legal advice of a lawyer knowledgeable of the user’s individual circumstances or to provide legal advice. ClearStar makes no assurances regarding the accuracy, completeness, or utility of the information contained in this publication. Legislative, regulatory and case law developments regularly impact on general research and this area is evolving rapidly. ClearStar expressly disclaim any warranties or responsibility or damages associated with or arising out of the information provided herein.