Cybersecurity Policy Report, Proposed Updates to Canadian Law Win Privacy Commissioner’s Support, (Aug 10, 2026)

By Tony Foley

Canadian Privacy Commissioner Phillipe Dufresne provided a submission to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat regarding its consultation on proposed amendments designed to modernize the Privacy Act, Canada’s public-sector privacy law.

The secretariat’s consultation, launched in April, was focused on gaps in the current legislative framework and on challenges related to the administration and application of the Privacy Act, which came into effect in 1983 and has never been substantially updated. Stated goals of the proposed updates include enhancing accountability and responsibility, advancing safeguards across the spectrum of data sensitivity, and updating the compliance framework, among other goals.

According to a news release, the submission from Commissioner Dufresne supports the government’s efforts to modernize the Privacy Act and agrees with several specific proposed measures, including the recognition of privacy as a fundamental right and the inclusion of modern privacy principles to the law. He further welcomed proposals to make the management, notification and reporting of privacy breaches a legal obligation and called proposed enhanced transparency requirements for automated decision-making systems “a positive step.”

The submission also proposes additional measures to improve privacy protections, among them strengthening enforcement mechanisms, introducing a legislative requirement to conduct privacy impact assessment for high-risk activities, greater authority to collaborate with other oversight bodies, and an expanded mandate for privacy research and public education.

“I strongly support prioritizing the modernization of our federal public sector privacy law to allow federal institutions to successfully meet the challenges and opportunities of these digital times,” Commissioner Dufresne said. “As stewards of so much sensitive financial, health, employment, immigration, and public safety-related data, federal institutions have a tremendous—and increasingly challenging—responsibility to protect it. Strong data governance will strengthen public trust, contributing to a more resilient Canadian economy, and a more secure and enriching digital society.”

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