Privacy Policy Template for Canadian Websites
What personal information your site or app collects, what you do with it, and how long you keep it.
If your website collects an email address, runs analytics, or processes a payment, you are collecting personal information and PIPEDA applies to you. Most Canadian businesses need a privacy policy and a good number are operating without one.
Beyond the legal requirement, you will be asked for it: app stores, payment processors, ad platforms and enterprise customers all check for one before they let you proceed.
Use it when
- Launching a website or app that collects any user information
- Submitting to the Apple App Store or Google Play, both of which require one
- Onboarding with Stripe, an ad platform or an enterprise customer
- Adding analytics, a newsletter or a contact form to an existing site
Use something else when
- You handle health records or operate in a regulated sector, where sector-specific rules go beyond this template
- You have significant EU users, where GDPR imposes additional requirements this document does not cover
What is in the document
Every section of the privacy policy template for canadian websites, as it appears in the file you download.
Questions
Is a privacy policy legally required in Canada?
If you collect personal information in the course of commercial activity, PIPEDA requires you to be transparent about what you collect and why. Provincial equivalents apply in Quebec, BC and Alberta. In practice, a published policy is the standard way to meet that obligation.
What is PIPEDA?
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, Canada's federal private-sector privacy law. It governs how businesses collect, use and disclose personal information, and it is built on consent, limited collection and accountability.
Does this cover GDPR?
No. GDPR adds requirements including a lawful basis for processing, data subject rights and possibly a representative in the EU. If you have meaningful European traffic, get a policy drafted for it.
Where should the privacy policy go on my site?
Link it in the footer of every page, and link it directly from any form that collects information. App stores and payment processors will look for a publicly reachable URL.