With several provisions of Québec's Bill 64 coming into force in September, companies operating in the province face new privacy protection compliance requirements as full implementation of the legislation unfolds over the next two years. Bill 64 is the largest reform of privacy legislation in the province over the last 30 years. Providing companies with an understanding of the new requirements was the main focus of Osler's Québec Private Sector Privacy Law Reform: Getting Ready for September 2022 webinar, hosted by Adam Kardash, partner, Privacy and Data Management, and Julien Morissette, partner, Litigation and Insolvency and Restructuring.
Effective September 2022, companies will be required to appoint a chief privacy officer who will have the highest authority for protecting the organization's personal information. Organizations which believe a "confidentiality incident" involving personal information has occurred will be required to take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of injury and, if a security incident presents a risk of serious injury, both the regulatory authority and any affected individuals must be notified immediately. Companies must also disclose to the regulatory authority within 60 days the creation of any database which involves biometric characteristics or measurements relating to the verification or confirmation of a person's identify.
Once enforcement of the new legistion is fully implemented in 2024, companies face potentially severe penalties for contravening the statute, including fines of up to $25 million or equal to 4% of worldwide turnover.
More information about Bill 64's requirements and other privacy developments and legislation across Canada can be found by registering with Osler's AccessPrivacy.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.