If you run a business in Quebec or collect personal data from Quebec residents, you can’t ignore Law 25 anymore. In 2026 this law is no longer in “transition phase”. Regulators, partners, and even customers expect you to be compliant, not just say you are. Many businesses still think updating their privacy policy is enough. It is not, and that mistake can cost you heavy fines and lost trust.
This guide explains Law 25 compliance in simple language, without legal fluff.
What is Law 25?
Law 25 (earlier Bill 64) is Quebec’s major privacy reform law. It modernizes how organizations must protect personal information in the digital age. Personal information does not only mean name or phone number. It also includes IP addresses, customer profiles, device identifiers, email behavior, call recordings, and tracking data.
It is often compared with GDPR, but Law 25 is built specifically for Quebec and has its own enforcement framework.
Who must comply with Law 25?
Almost any business that handles personal data of Quebec residents should assume Law 25 applies:
• Quebec-based companies of any size
• E-commerce sites shipping to Quebec
• SaaS companies with Quebec users
• Marketing agencies and lead generation firms
• Clinics, insurance, finance, education companies
Even if you are not physically in Quebec, collecting Quebec resident data triggers obligations.
Core Law 25 requirements
These are the areas where most businesses fail.
1. Appoint a privacy responsible person
Law 25 requires a clearly identified privacy owner. By default it is the CEO unless delegated. This person owns privacy risk.
2. Governance and privacy policies
You need more than a website policy. You need internal rules for access control, retention, data requests, and vendor oversight.
3. Consent and transparency
You must explain clearly why you collect data and how it is used. Cookie banners, forms, email opt-ins must follow real consent logic.
4. Data minimization
Collect only what you need. Over-collection = higher legal exposure with no business upside.
5. Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA)
New software, outsourcing, AI tools or tracking systems require a documented privacy risk review.
6. Breach response process
You must have a plan for data breaches, including risk evaluation and incident logs.
7. Vendor management
Your CRM, analytics tools, email platforms, payment systems all touch personal data. Vendor contracts must include privacy obligations.
Mistakes businesses still make in 2026
These mistakes are everywhere:
• Copy-paste privacy policies
• No idea where personal data actually lives
• Everyone has admin rights in tools
• Old customer data kept forever
• Cookie banners that don’t log consent
• No breach response playbook
When something breaks, they panic — and then it becomes expensive.
Simple 2026 compliance checklist
Follow this order:
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Inventory your data – what you collect, why, where, who accesses it
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Assign privacy responsibility – formally document ownership
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Update documentation – website + internal procedures
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Fix consent flows – forms, cookies, marketing tools
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Review vendors – contracts, storage location, security posture
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Improve security – MFA, limited access, backups
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Create incident plan – breach steps, roles, notifications
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Train your team – quarterly short sessions work best
Final thoughts
Law 25 compliance is not about perfection. It’s about showing regulators and customers that privacy is taken seriously. In 2026, pretending compliance is worse than being imperfect but honest.
If you tell me your business type and main tools (CRM, email marketing, analytics), I can create a custom Law 25 action plan for your setup.
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