The Symposium 2025 call for speaking proposals is closed

Thank you for your proposals. We are reviewing your submissions and getting ready for IAPP Canada Privacy Symposium 2025 in Toronto.

Mark your calendar for 11-15 May and register for the conference in February.

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IAPP Canada Privacy Symposium is Canada's largest gathering of professionals from the fields of privacy, AI governance and digital responsibility. The Symposium 2025 agenda will include thought-provoking keynotes, in-depth training courses and workshops, an array of networking opportunities, and breakout sessions on these critical topics:

  • Health care regulations across provinces.
  • AI governance.
  • Public sector privacy program operations.
  • Third-party vendor management.
  • Global and provincial regulatory developments.
  • The intersection of privacy and social justice.
  • Children's online privacy.
  • Cybersecurity and incident response.
  • Employee and workplace privacy.
  • Cross-border data transfers.
  • Data breach prevention and response.
  • Emerging privacy technology and the metaverse.
 

2024 conference recap

Symposium 2024 voiced Canada's privacy concerns

The IAPP Canada Privacy Symposium 2024 agenda delivered key insights into topics like Quebec's Law 25, managing health privacy across Canada, Indigenous-specific privacy tools, protecting children's privacy, FemTech and women's data, managing hospital cyberattacks, the intersection of privacy and artificial intelligence, and many more. Access available presentations by clicking the button below.

See breakout session presentations

The keynote stage was packed at this year's event. Philippe Dufresne gave an address recalling his first two years as privacy commissioner, as well as a forecast of future privacy trends in Canada. Professor Woodrow Hartzog delivered this year's Ian Kerr Memorial Lecture, focusing on privacy law's influence on the design and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies.

Two keynote panels discussed artificial intelligence from different angles. One explored the concept of digital governance and how companies must look at privacy, security, and AI along with broader regulations. The second panel spotlighted Canada's three AI institutes and how their proactivity led the country to create the first AI strategy in 2017.

Finally, the Commissioner's Game Show returned with a new format: Never Have I Ever. The popular party game was transformed as Kris Klein spoke with commissioners Philippe Dufresne, Michael Harvey, Patricia Kosseim and Tricia Ralph about their privacy secrets.

As always, Symposium was not just about top-notch educational sessions. Attendees met and connected at returning favorites like the welcome reception and Privacy Soirée. The agenda also featured industry meetups, the Mentor Mingle, the First-Time Attendee Breakfast, the AI Governance Breakfast, the Public Sector Lunch, and the Women Leading Privacy Section Lunch.

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Keynote speakers

François-Philippe Champagne

Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne brings decades of experience working internationally in technology, innovation and strategic development to ensure Canada remains at the forefront of the world’s digital economy.

Philippe Dufresne

Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Commissioner Dufresne discussed his office’s current priorities, developments in the privacy landscape during the first two years of his mandate as commissioner, and trends that will be areas of emphasis in the near future.

Woodrow Hartzog

Professor of Law, Boston University School of Law

Internationally renowned for his work in privacy and technology law, Professor Hartzog shared how his colleague Ian Kerr continues to influence his thoughts about the role of privacy law in governing the design and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies.

 

Keynote panel: privacy and AI governance

Moderator: Samir Chhabra

Director General for Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Canada

Stephanie Hazlewood

Distinguished Engineer, Head of Data Privacy and Trust, Data and AI, Technology and Operations, Royal Bank of Canada

Suzanne Morin

Vice President, Enterprise Conduct, Data Ethics; Chief Privacy Officer, Sun Life

Carole Piovesan

Managing Partner, INQ Law/Consulting

Privacy, AI and Broader Digital Governance: How We Are Doing It
Attendees joined senior Canadian leaders in privacy, security, artificial intelligence and broader digital regulation to understand how they approach governance. The keynote panel discussed leading work at the cutting edge, and they described their work to collectively tailor guardrails and processes around new technological development and deployment, including in response to regulation. Along with specific examples of how they believe companies and institutions should approach implementing best practices for digital governance, each panelist shared their broad perspective on the emerging role of this complex, challenging and multidisciplinary field.

Keynote panel: AI research and the future

Ashley Casovan

Managing Director of the AI Governance Center, IAPP

Justine Gauthier

General Counsel & Head of AI Governance, MILA — Quebec AI Institute

Katie Gibson

Senior Fellow, The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University

Roxana Sultan

Chief Data Officer and VP Health, Vector Institute

Expanding Canada’s AI capacity through research labs
As the first country to release an artificial intelligence strategy — in 2017 — Canada has played a pivotal role in advancing the global dialogue on AI’s development and responsible use. This achievement has been made possible largely through the efforts of the country’s three national AI institutes. This panel reviewed the role that they have played to position Canada as one of the world’s foremost AI leaders and discussed what the future will hold.

Commissioners’ Game Show

Moderator: Kris Klein, CIPP/C, CIPM, FIP

Managing Director, Canada, IAPP; Partner, nNovation

Philippe Dufresne

Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Michael Harvey

Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia

Patricia Kosseim

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Tricia Ralph

Information and Privacy Commissioner for Nova Scotia

Hear the commissioners spill their biggest privacy secrets during this year’s Commissioners’ Game Show. The panel will compete in an enlightening game of “Never Have I Ever” that is sure to educate as well as entertain.

Ian Kerr Memorial Lecture

The IAPP is honored to continue the Ian Kerr Memorial Lecture at Symposium. Dr. Kerr’s legacy of advancing the growth and visibility of our profession will live on in forward-thinking discourse from keynotes on the big stage.

This year, the IAPP welcomes Woodrow Hartzog to the keynote stage for the Ian Kerr Memorial Lecture. Professor Hartzog will connect how the work of his colleague Ian Kerr, as well as his own experience as a privacy scholar, have impacted his perspective on the intersection of privacy law with the governance and creation of artificial intelligence technologies.

The University of Ottawa Centre for Law, Technology and Society established the Ian R. Kerr Memorial Fund to continue his legacy by supporting students, innovative programming, and cutting-edge research. For more information please visit: https://techlaw.uottawa.ca/kerrfund.

Symposium on social media — #CPS24

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