Canada moves to protect privacy and consumer data with new bill

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published June 15, 2026

Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتساب

The Government of Canada is moving into one of the most sensitive issues in the digital economy: how personal information and consumer data are collected, used and shared by companies.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada announced that government officials will hold a media technical briefing in Ottawa on Monday, June 15, regarding a new bill entitled An Act to enact the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act, to amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and to make amendments to other Acts.

The issue matters because privacy is no longer only a legal or technical subject. It affects everyday life: mobile apps collect location data, online stores track shopping habits, social media platforms analyze behaviour, digital ads target users, and artificial intelligence systems often rely on large amounts of information.

Canada’s current federal private-sector privacy law, PIPEDA, governs how organizations collect, use and disclose personal information in commercial activities. It is built around principles such as consent, accountability, limiting collection, safeguards and individual access. But the digital environment has changed dramatically since the law was created, especially with the rise of AI, targeted advertising and large-scale data analytics.

The new bill is expected to open a major discussion about how much control consumers should have over their data, what companies must explain to users, and how personal information can be used in digital services, advertising and automated systems.

The Competition Bureau has also highlighted that data is not only a privacy issue, but a competition issue. Large companies with access to vast amounts of consumer data can gain major advantages in digital markets, while data sharing with advertisers, social platforms or apps can create real privacy concerns for consumers.

Artificial intelligence adds another layer to the debate. As AI becomes more common in customer service, hiring, marketing, recommendations and advertising, Canadians may need clearer rights to know what data is being used, how it is being used, and whether automated systems are influencing decisions that affect them.

Full details of the bill have not yet been released, so the technical briefing will be important to determine how far the proposal goes: whether it gives consumers stronger rights, whether it creates tougher obligations for companies, and whether enforcement powers will be strengthened.

For people in Canada, the issue is practical. Every time someone downloads an app, signs up for a loyalty program, shops online or uses a digital service, they leave a trail of data. The new bill could help shape how that data is collected, shared, protected, deleted or transferred in the years ahead.

The key question now is whether Canada’s new privacy and consumer data bill will give people real control over their digital information, or simply update an old framework for a new technological era.