The Investment Dealers Association has issued a notice to its members about the pending new privacy legislation.

The IDA notes that, as of Jan. 1, 2004, organizations in Canada which collect, use or disclose “personal information” in the course of “commercial activities” will have to comply with Part 1 and Schedule 1 the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, except in provinces for which exempting orders have been issued because they have enacted legislation that is “substantially similar” to PIPEDA.

Privacy legislation has been in place since 1994 in Quebec. “To the extent that you have operations in Quebec or deal with individuals in that province, you should already be aware of this legislation and be complying with it,” the IDA says.

B.C. has also enacted an act of its own which will also come into force on Jan. 1, 2004, and is expected to be recognized as substantially similar to PIPEDA. Alberta has a bill pending which is similar to PIPA and, if enacted, would also come into force on Jan. 1, 2004. “It therefore appears that in addition to complying with the Quebec law, members will have to comply with the provincial laws in British Columbia and Alberta, and with PIPEDA in the other provinces and territories,” it says.

The notice includes the addresses of the federal and provincial privacy websites, the legislation, and other resources to aid compliance.