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All of CanadaUpdated April 2026

How Consent Works in Canadian Privacy Law

A plain-language guide to the difference between express and implied consent, and when you can refuse or withdraw.

TL;DR

Consent must be meaningful, which means informed, specific, and given in a way that leaves you a real choice. Sensitive information and unexpected uses generally require express (opt-in) consent. Implied consent may suffice for routine activities you would reasonably expect.

What consent looks like

Meaningful consent requires that you understand four key points: what is collected, why, with whom it is shared, and the consequences. If any of those are hidden behind dense legalese, consent may not be valid.

When you can withdraw

You can withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice.

Organizations may still need to retain some information for legal purposes (tax records, regulatory reporting), but must stop using it for the purposes you withdrew consent for.

Quebec Law 25: stronger express consent rules

Quebec's Law 25 requires express consent for sensitive information (health, financial, biometric) and for profiling or automated decision-making. The consent request must be clear, distinct from other information, and presented separately.

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