Well, the strange times Kris noted last week continue to roll on. As in just about every facet of life, COVID-19’s presence is being felt within the Canadian privacy world. The federal Information Commissioner and its provincial counterparts have begun to relax response times on access requests and complaints made to public bodies. And on Monday, Ontario’s IPC announced its temporary closure in response to the virus.

As I’m typing this, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has not yet released its updated guidance on privacy in times of pandemic, but in all likelihood, it will be out soon. In the meantime, provincial commissioners (see Alberta’s here) have issued guidance on the matter and offered practical advice for public bodies and organizations adopting work-from-home policies in response to recent events. The IAPP has compiled DPA guidance on COVID-19 from around the world, which you can find here. And with so many employees now working from home, the importance of VPN security is a simmering hot topic among cybersecurity experts.

In the world of privacy reform, Michael Geist recently argued in a Globe and Mail article that the coming battle over Canadian privacy reform starts right here in Canada and not necessarily with global giants, such as Facebook. Interesting times are ahead as legislators, industry and the public work to shape how Canada’s Digital Charter Principles translate into law. 

As you settle into that new home office, take some time to read up on the latest privacy developments below. It’s not all COVID-19-related, we promise!