Bill 25 in Quebec: what businesses need to know

Since its adoption, Bill 25 has imposed new obligations on Quebec businesses regarding the protection of personal information. This major reform is part of a global movement to strengthen privacy protections, inspired notably by the European GDPR. But what does this actually mean for your business? And how can you comply effectively, without complicating your operations?

What is Bill 25?

Adopted in September 2021, Bill 25 modernizes Quebec’s Private Sector Privacy Act. Its goal is to better regulate the collection, use, and retention of personal data.

The implementation is taking place in several phases, with a final deadline set for September 2025. Ultimately, all organizations will be required to comply with a strict framework regarding information governance, transparency, and the management of data subject rights.

Who is concerned?

Any company—regardless of its size—that collects or processes personal information about Quebec residents is affected. This includes:

  • Local SMEs
  • E-commerce
  • Professionals (legal services, accountants, etc.)
  • Services and software suppliers

Even companies outside Quebec can be impacted, as long as they target Quebec customers.

Key obligations to remember

1. Appoint a Data Protection Officer

Each organization must officially appoint a person responsible for ensuring compliance with Bill 25. Their contact information must be made publicly available.

2. Obtain a specific and clear consent

A simple form is no longer enough: consent must be free, informed, and given for specific purposes.

3. Have a logbook for confidentiality incidents

Any situation involving a risk to personal information (such as a breach or unauthorized access) must be documented and potentially reported to the Commission d’accès à l’information (CAI).

4. Respect the new rights given to citizens

Individuals now have the right to access, correct, delete, and even port their data.

Compliance, a new challenge for SMEs

While the principles of Bill 25 are clear, their day-to-day application can quickly become complex: centralizing information, managing requests, retaining proof of consent, documenting incidents…

SMEs don’t always have the internal resources to manage everything manually. That’s where a solution like Privacy Safe comes into play.

Privacy Safe: a simple solution to handle compliance

Privacy Safe is a Quebec-based platform that simplifies the management of your personal information obligations. It enables you to:

  • Handle access requests, rectification and, deletion
  • Obtain and track consents in a compliant manner
  • Document confidentiality incidents
  • Automate a part of Bill 25 obligations

The platform is designed to be used without technical expertise, making it an ideal tool for SMEs and non-legal teams.

👉 Discover our features or book a demo to see first hand how Privacy Safe can adapt to your current processes.

Next step: prepare for 2025

The final phase of Bill 25 comes into effect on September 22, 2025. By then, companies must have solid processes in place for managing personal data.

Rather than seeing this reform as a constraint, it’s an opportunity to earn your customers’ trust by showing that you take privacy seriously.

Going further

Conclusion

Compliance with Bill 25 is more than a legal obligation — it’s a strategic lever for Québec businesses aiming to build long-lasting, trust-based relationships with their customers.

With Privacy Safe, compliance becomes simple, centralized, and accessible. Get ahead starting today.