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Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

The Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (usually called CASL) came into force on July 1, 2014 and is one of the world’s most stringent anti-spam laws.

CASL prohibits the sending of a commercial electronic messages (CEMs) without the receiver’s consent.  The primary purpose of CASL is to reduce the amount of spam (unwanted CEMs) that Canadians receive.  In addition, CASL also regulates the following activities:

  • Installing unwanted computer programs (e.g. spyware and viruses);
  • Altering transmission data;
  • Providing false or misleading information in a message;
  • Harvesting addresses;
  • Collecting personal information;

CASL applies to the majority of organizations in Canada, including the University, and there are significant financial penalties for any organization that fails to comply with the legislation.   As a result, faculty and staff who are sending communications on behalf of the University are strongly advised to use the information on these web pages in order to understand how CASL applies to the types of messages and activities being considered and how to comply with the University's obligations under the legislation.

Any questions about CASL may be directed to the Policy and Compliance Advisor at policy@ontariotechu.ca.