Monitoring, email surveillance, GPS tracking of company vehicles, workplace drug testing, and biometric time-clocks under Canadian law.
TL;DR
Employers can monitor employees for reasonable purposes with notice, but surveillance must be proportionate. Ontario requires employers with 25 or more employees to have a written electronic monitoring policy. BC, Alberta, and Quebec have private-sector laws governing employee information directly.
Monitoring of computer and phone use
Employers can generally monitor company-issued devices for legitimate purposes like security and productivity, provided employees are notified in advance.
Personal emails and messages sent from company devices may have a reduced expectation of privacy, but courts have found that some residual privacy interest remains.
Video surveillance in the workplace
Cameras must:
Be justified by a clear purpose like security or theft prevention.
Be installed only where necessary and not in areas of heightened privacy expectation (bathrooms, change rooms).
Be disclosed to employees with clear signage.
Have access to recordings limited to those who need it.
GPS tracking of vehicles
GPS tracking of company-owned vehicles is generally acceptable for legitimate business purposes (dispatch, safety, maintenance), but tracking during off-duty hours raises serious privacy concerns.
Ontario Bill 88 electronic monitoring policies
Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must have a written policy describing any electronic monitoring, the circumstances, and the purposes. The policy does not limit monitoring but must be transparent.