Protection of Personal Information Regulations Repealed

Summary#

The final regulation Regulations Repealing the Protection of Personal Information Regulations (Miscellaneous Program) (SOR/2020-210) formally removes the old Protection of Personal Information Regulations (originally SOR/78-145). It took effect on the day it was registered (September 28, 2020) and was published in the Canada Gazette on October 14, 2020. The change simply deletes a regulation that had been fully duplicated elsewhere; it does not create new privacy rules.

What it does#

• Repeals the Protection of Personal Information Regulations in full.
• Ends the duplication because a review found all 31 sections of those Regulations are already covered by the Privacy Act and the Privacy Regulations.
• Comes into force on the day of registration (September 28, 2020).
• Notes from the government say there are no legal, financial or reputational risks from the repeal, and that the change is considered a “title out” for the one‑for‑one rule. Analysis under the small business lens found no impact on small businesses.

Who's affected#

• The change mainly affects the federal regulatory documents and the people who read them — often called the “regulated community” — by removing an obsolete text they might otherwise need to check.
• Ordinary members of the public and organizations that rely on federal privacy rules should not see a change in their rights or obligations because the same rules remain in the Privacy Act and the Privacy Regulations.
• It is unclear from the notice if any specific federal department sees administrative changes beyond the repeal itself.

Why it matters#

• This is housekeeping: it removes an outdated, duplicate regulation so the body of privacy rules is clearer.
• It reduces the chance that someone will be confused by an obsolete regulation or spend time looking at a rule that no longer applies.
• It does not change privacy protections or create new obligations for businesses or individuals.