Data Driven explained

Countries and jurisdictions around the world are attempting to realize the opportunities and address the challenges of a data-driven world.

Canada can be a leader in this area, but we must move quickly.

This report is the culmination of several years of policy work with the goal of developing a made-in-Canada framework that strikes an appropriate balance between market forces and regulation. The first major step was the formulation of nine Data Principles in September 2018. The next key milestone was the development of an issues paper in the early summer of 2019. We then established an advisory panel of technology executives and former regulators. Led by The Honourable James Moore, former federal Minister of Industry, the advisory panel consulted dozens of leading Canadian companies across the country in a wide variety of industries.

In May 2019, the federal government announced a new Digital Charter, a set of cross-cutting principles that will guide reforms to key legislation such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, the Privacy Act, the Competition Act and the Statistics Act.

This report responds to the government’s request for input by putting forward 24 recommendations that address three broad priorities:

• Protecting Canadians
• Supporting a competitive marketplace
• Building data infrastructure

Above all else, this report emphasizes that building a foundation of trust is essential for Canada to reap the benefits of the digital revolution.