Privacy Act modernization
The 2026 review of the Privacy Act focuses on gaps in the legislative framework and on challenges related to the administration and application of the Act and will explore possible policy options for addressing them.
Overview
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat is seeking feedback on potential policy approaches to:
- enable better services to Canadians
- strengthen privacy protections for the digital age
- update the foundation and oversight of the federal government privacy regime
The themes of focus and potential approaches build on previous work and feedback from stakeholders, including Indigenous partners.
Why a review
The President of the Treasury Board is the minister responsible for supporting the administration of the Privacy Act across more than 250 federal institutions.
The Act, which came into force in 1983, focuses on the protection of personal information held by federal institutions. It has never been substantially updated.
An effective and efficient federal privacy regime should advance trust in the government’s ability to safely manage the personal data entrusted to it, while enabling timely, efficient services to Canadians, including Indigenous people.
The 2026 review is a chance to take a fresh look at the Act to make sure it meets the needs of Canadians, including Indigenous people, in the digital age.
The Privacy Act is distinct from the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which defines privacy obligations in the private sector.
How you can participate
You can help shape the future of privacy in the federal government. A consultation paper with detailed proposals provides background and identifies potential reforms.
You will be invited to:
- share your views online
- provide written submissions
- participate in targeted discussions and workshops
All submissions must be received by July 10, 2026.
We encourage everyone to take part.
Themes and policy approaches
The themes and policy approaches build on internal analysis and feedback from stakeholders over the last decade that called for legislative reform (for example, parliamentary committees, federal institutions, academics, Indigenous partners and civil society organizations).
The 2026 review has six broad themes :
- Enabling integrated services
- Enhancing accountability and transparency
- Advancing safeguards across the spectrum of data sensitivity
- Modernizing the foundation for privacy and trust
- Indigenous Peoples’ access to, and protection of, their data
- Updating the compliance framework
The themes and the related policy approaches are not exhaustive or definitive. Your feedback will inform the government’s way forward.
Enabling integrated services
Enable faster, more efficient services by making it easier for government programs to securely share and reuse personal data so that people only need to provide it once.
Enhancing accountability and transparency
Enhancing accountability by requiring the development of privacy impact assessments and strengthening transparency requirements. This will help Canadians better understand what personal data the federal government collects, how it uses or shares it, what protections are in place, and whether automated decisions are involved.
Advancing safeguards across the spectrum of data sensitivity
Some data is more sensitive than others; some can identify an individual while other data might not. Safeguards and modern privacy protections such as breach reporting and necessity tests for collecting, retaining and disposing of personal data will improve data security at all levels.
Modern foundation for privacy and trust
Modernize the Privacy Act to recognize privacy as a fundamental right, to support federal government service delivery, to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and to strengthen its foundation by harmonizing the access request process and defining key concepts.
Indigenous Peoples’ access to, and protection of, their data
Strengthen the recognition of Indigenous rights by modernizing terminology and by empowering Indigenous governments and organizations to access and manage their citizens’ data more easily.
Updating the compliance framework
Provide for periodic reviews of the Privacy Act and make sure the Commissioner and the Federal Court have the powers they need to enforce compliance with all privacy obligations.
Feedback and engagement to date
The 2026 review builds on feedback since 2016 from parties including:
- the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics
- Protecting the privacy of Canadians: Review of the Privacy Act ()
- Collection and use of mobility data by the Government of Canada and related issues ()
- Facial recognition technology and the growing power of artificial intelligence ()
- Device investigative tools used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and related issues ()
- Federal government’s use of technological tools capable of extracting personal data from mobile devices and computers (; re-tabled )
- Indigenous partners
- academics, agents of Parliament, federal institutions, and civil society organizations
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner: Review of the Privacy Act – Revised recommendations (2016)
- Privacy Act review - Information Commissioner submission to the Department of Justice (2019)
- Modernizing Canada’s Privacy Act: What We Heard Report (2019)
- Submission of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (2021)
- Privacy review - Information Commissioner’s submission to the Department of Justice (2021)
- What we heard report: Online Public Consultation on Privacy Act Modernization (2021)