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ArriveCAN App Investigation Report Tabled in Parliament

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada tabled a Special Report in Parliament on the ArriveCAN app investigation. The investigation examined contracting practices during the development of the ArriveCAN application used during COVID-19 to digitize border crossing information. No contraventions of the Privacy Act were found, and the OPC concluded that contracts accessing personal information included appropriate security clauses. For federal government agencies and their contractors, the report highlights best practices for privacy protection in outsourcing arrangements. CBSA has accepted the Commissioner's recommendations to strengthen security assessment processes, accurately define project requirements, manage security clearances rigorously, and restrict access to personal information to what is strictly necessary.

OPC Privacy Sweep: 876 Apps Examined for Children's Privacy

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada released findings from a global privacy sweep coordinated with 26 international data protection authorities, examining 876 websites and apps used by children. The sweep compared results to a similar 2015 initiative, finding improvements in account deletion capabilities (64% vs 29%) but also concerning trends: 72% of age-assurance mechanisms could be circumvented, 59% of platforms required email collection, and 41% of sites were deemed inappropriate for children by sweep participants.

Commissioner Discusses Cross-Border Data Risks From Connected Vehicles

Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research on April 16, 2026, to discuss privacy implications of connected vehicles under the Canada-China Preliminary Joint Arrangement on Electric Vehicles. The Commissioner noted that modern vehicles collect and transmit large volumes of personal data that could be transferred to foreign jurisdictions without appropriate protections. He recommended that Canada's federal private-sector privacy law be amended to specifically address cross-border data flows to ensure Canadians' personal information is protected before leaving the country.