Quebec’s Privacy Legislation
Quebec has specific privacy legislation for organizations operating in the private and public sector, but lacks provincial health privacy legislation like Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.
The Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec (CAI) enforces the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information and the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, along with three regulations listed below.
The CAI is headed by five commissioners. The President of the Commission d’accès à l’information is Me Jean Chartier
View the CAI’s organization chart
Public Sector Legislation
Quebec’s public sector privacy legislation is the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information.
For example, the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information will apply to:
- The Government, the Conseil exécutif, the Conseil du Trésor,
- government departments and agencies,
- municipal and school bodies, and
- health services and social services institutions.
A list of all public bodies affected is available from the CAI.
Private Sector Legislation
Quebec’s private sector privacy legislation is the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, and has deemed to be substantially similar to Canada’s federal privacy legislation, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
Regulations
- Regulation respecting fees for the transcription, reproduction or transmission of documents or nominative information
- Regulation respecting public bodies that must refuse to release or to confirm the existence of certain information
- Rules of Proof and Procedure before the Commission d’accès à l’information
