If it becomes law, the proposed Electronic Commerce Protection Act (ECPA) will provide our neighbors to the north with overdue protection against unsolicited commercial email (spam).  The ECPA will include hefty fines – up to $1 million for individuals and up to $10 million for other types of offenders. The Act would create a Spam Reporting Centre (reporting similar to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission) and Industry Canada would be the national coordinating body responsible for educating businesses and consumers about their rights and responsibilities under the Act.

Should the ECPA become law, email marketers will need to comply with it when dealing with Canadians. This is in addition to the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act and other countries’ anti-spam laws. A good rule of thumb is – when in doubt, do not send an unsolicited commercial e-mail to anyone. That includes sending an unsolicited e-mail asking someone to opt into your mailing list.

Graphic credit: Drapeau Animation Canada