Office Of The Privacy Commissioner Of Canada Launches Strategic Plan Outlining Priorities For The Next Three Years

On January 22, 2024, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) published a strategic plan (the Plan) that offers a high-level overview of the OPC’s vision for the next three years, including the types of initiatives that the OPC will be undertaking, areas in which it will focus its efforts, and outcomes that it intends to achieve.

The Plan further crystalizes the OPC’s goals by outlining three key strategic priorities that encompass areas with both the greatest risk, and in which the OPC foresees having the greatest impact:

1.  Protecting and promoting privacy with maximum inpact. The Plan describes this priority as the bedrock for fulfilling the OPC’s mandate and preparing for potential changes to federal privacy laws. The OPC plans to advance this priority by harnessing data, fostering partnerships to produce focused guidance and outreach, and addressing compliance issues in both the public and private sectors.
2. Addressing and advocating for privacy in this time of technological change. The OPC plans to address the privacy impacts of technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI. This will require the OPC to balance the fostering of technological innovation with protections for privacy rights by doing such things as encouraging privacy-by-design principles and establishing privacy standards, where applicable.
3. Championing children’s privacy rights. Although the online world may be a useful resource for children, the OPC is concerned that proper protections should be in place to ensure children’s privacy is not being compromised by online risks. To further this goal, the OPC plans to deepen its understanding of youth privacy issues, engage youth for informed education and outreach, apply a children’s privacy lens to compliance work and cultivate networks and partnerships to gain further insights relevant to children’s privacy.

The OPC is seeking feedback from stakeholders on the Plan until March 31, 2024. For more information on how to submit feedback, see here. 

Summary By: Victoria Di Felice