BC PIPA

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1. 2027-08-01 in 265 days PIPA amendments by the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Amendment Act (No. 2), 2025 (SBC 2025, c. 31) come into force, including a new section 24.1 on individuals' requests to credit reporting agencies to correct personal information
2. 2024-01-15 Amendment to section 3 (application) comes into force
3. 2004-10-12 Federal exemption order registered: organisations under PIPA (other than federal works) are exempt from PIPEDA Part 1 for activity within British Columbia
4. 2003-10-23 Personal Information Protection Act assented to

1. 2024-01-15
   PIPA (SBC 2003, c. 63), as amended 15 January 2024 AmendmentCurrent text

   Section 3 (application) amended by SBC 2023, c. 47, s. 13, Schedule 1, in force 15 January 2024 by BC Reg 277/2023. source

2. 2003-10-23
   PIPA (SBC 2003, c. 63) Major version

   British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act, assented to 23 October 2003. source

PIPA applies to every organisation in BC, and replaces PIPEDA Part 1 for organisations' activity inside the province other than federal works.

Who

Subject to its exclusions, the Act applies to every organization (section 3(1)). source

Excluded

Personal or domestic purposes; journalistic, artistic or literary purposes; information covered by PIPEDA or by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; and court and some legislative and prosecution records (section 3(2)). source

PIPEDA exemption

Organisations to which PIPA applies, other than federal works, undertakings or businesses, are exempt from PIPEDA Part 1 for collection, use and disclosure within British Columbia. source

Employee information

The Act sets specific rules for collecting, using and disclosing employee personal information, including notifying the individual beforehand. source

Organisations apply the Act themselves, including reasonable security arrangements and retention rules, subject to the Commissioner's review.

Security

Protect personal information by making reasonable security arrangements against unauthorised access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal (section 34). source

Retention

Keep personal information used to make a decision that directly affects an individual for at least one year after using it (section 35). source

The Commissioner investigates and makes orders; offences carry fines up to $100,000 for organisations, and individuals can sue for damages once an order is final.

Damages

Once a Commissioner's order against an organisation is final, an affected individual has a cause of action against the organisation for damages for actual harm (section 57). source

1. Law text Personal Information Protection Act (SBC 2003, c. 63)
2. Law text Table of Legislative Changes, 4th edition (PIPA)
3. Law text Order in Council 331/2026 (brings SBC 2025, c. 31 into force on 1 August 2027)
4. Law text Organizations in the Province of British Columbia Exemption Order (SOR/2004-220)

1. PIPEDA

   The federal private-sector law that PIPA displaces for activity within BC, except for federal works, undertakings and businesses.

2. Quebec Law 25

   Quebec's private-sector law, with administrative monetary penalties of up to $10 million or 2% of worldwide turnover.

Verified against official sources on 18 October 2026. We monitor the official sources for this framework. Watching since 20 September 2026. Subscribe to BC PIPA (RSS)