What the Digital Charter is (and is not)
The Digital Charter is a statement of policy principles announced by the Government of Canada in 2019. It is not a law and does not create individual rights that can be enforced in court.
It is intended to frame legislative and regulatory reform, including PIPEDA reform and AI regulation. The CPPA in Bill C-27 and the AIDA are both positioned as implementation of Digital Charter principles.
The ten principles
The Digital Charter's principles are:
- Universal access to digital services across Canada.
- Safety and security in the digital sphere.
- Control and consent over personal data.
- Transparency, portability, and interoperability.
- Open and modern digital government.
- A level playing field for all participants in the digital economy.
- Data and digital for good, using technology for positive outcomes.
- Strong democracy, including resilience to online disinformation.
- Free from hate and violent extremism online.
- Strong enforcement and real accountability for those who break the rules.
How it affects you
The Digital Charter does not give you rights on its own. It is used as a policy rationale for new laws and regulations. Where proposed legislation (like the CPPA) references the Charter's principles, you may see them invoked during debate and implementation.
Civil society groups and commissioners have criticized parts of the Charter's implementation for falling short of the principles, particularly around AI accountability and the strength of enforcement mechanisms.