Privacy Issues in Real Estate

Canada has two federal privacy laws, the Privacy Actpersonal information about customers or employees
and the Personal Information Protection andthat was collected, used or disclosed in the course of
Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). The Privacy Actcommercial activities by the federally regulated
imposes obligations on some 150 federal governmentprivate sector, organizations such as banks, airlines,
departments and agencies to respect privacy rightsand telecommunications companies. The Act now
by limiting the collection, use and disclosure ofapplies to personal information collected, used or
personal information. Individuals are also protected bydisclosed by the retail sector, publishing companies,
the PIPEDA that sets out ground rules for howthe service industry, manufacturers and other
private sector organizations may collect, use orprovincially regulated organizations. Real estate is, of
disclose personal information in the course ofcourse, one sector of the service industry.
commercial activities.Initially, PIPEDA applied only to