Minister Bains announces Canada’s Digital Charter

The Charter’s 10 principles will build a foundation of trust for Canadians in the digital sphere

May 21, 2019 – Toronto, Ontario

Canadians are understandably anxious about how their data is being used and how digital technologies are affecting their lives. Meanwhile, the data-driven economy represents limitless opportunities to improve the lives of Canadians—from producing faster diagnoses to making farming more efficient.

Today, during an address to the Empire Club of Canada, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, launched Canada’s new Digital Charter. Minister Bains also announced an initial set of actions that will serve to implement the Charter’s principles, highlighted by proposals to modernize the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which governs the use of data and personal information by private entities. Additional actions will be announced in the coming days.

With Canada’s Digital Charter, the Government is laying the foundation for modernizing the rules that govern the digital sphere in Canada and rebuilding Canadians’ trust in these institutions. The Charter outlines what Canadians can expect from the Government in relation to the digital landscape, addressing important issues like universal access and hate online. The 10 principles set out in the Charter will provide the framework for continued Canadian leadership in the digital and data-driven economy. This principled approach will not only protect Canadians’ privacy and personal data but also leverage Canada’s unique talents and strengths in order to harness the power of digital and data transformation.

Under the multi-year Innovation and Skills Plan announced in Budget 2017, the Government of Canada set out to develop an ambitious plan for economic growth, creating jobs for Canadians and helping them gain the skills they need to succeed in a competitive global economy.

Canada’s Digital Charter, informed by the National Digital and Data Consultations, is the next phase of the Plan. It builds on the commitment made by Prime Minister Trudeau to join the Christchurch Call to Action, first announced in Paris on May 15, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, among other world leaders.

Announced today

• Canada’s Digital Charter in Action: A Plan by Canadians, for Canadians
• Canada's Digital Charter: Trust in a digital world
• Proposals to reform the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act to respect individuals and protect their privacy by providing them with meaningful control without creating undue restrictions for business.
• Creation of a Canadian Statistics Advisory Council that will provide advice on the relevance, quality and transparency of the national statistical system.
• The Canadian Data Governance Standardization Collaborative, which will help better coordinate the development and compatibility of data governance standards in Canada, contributing to the creation of a level playing field in the digital economy.
• The Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s letter to the Commissioner of Competition requesting that the Competition Bureau work with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on competition law, policy and practice to ensure that they keep pace with the dynamism of the marketplace. The letter emphasizes the impacts of digital transformation, the importance of maintaining the confidence and trust of citizens, and the value of making Canada a top choice for data-driven innovation.