FIPA and the BC Civil Liberties Association are asking BC’s privacy and election regulators which parties remain committed to the campaign Code, whether it is shaping privacy practices, and what it means for local government elections.
October 5, 2026 – Parties vying for political office in Canada regard the personal information of voters as an essential resource during election campaigns, and they actively collect and analyze this information. It forms the basis of donor and voter outreach and targeted communications activities. Personal information is always valuable and worthy of protection, but the stakes are particularly high in the context of elections, when the use – or misuse – of voter data can impact the outcomes of democratic processes.
Voter privacy is essential, but the rules governing how political parties collect, use, and disclose personal information are consistently weaker and less clear than the rules that govern public bodies or private-sector organizations across Canada except BC.
In BC the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) applies. Four years ago, provincial elections and privacy regulators came forward with the Political Campaign Activity Code of Practicea voluntary code for campaign activity to encourage better compliance with the law. At the time, the BC NDP, BC Greens and BC United (formerly the BC Liberal Party) all agreed to basic privacy principles like obtaining meaningful consent and collecting information directly from voters.
B.C.’s political landscape has changed, but FIPA’s focus on voter privacy hasn’t. Along with the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, we’ve written to the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Officer to understand the current status of the Code, to find out who is and who isn’t a signatory, and whether the regulators believe political actors are adequately protecting the personal information of the electorate they seek to serve.
Thank you for your email regarding the Political Campaign Activity Code of Practice (the “Code”). A voluntary code of practice was a recommended action item following February 2019 publication of OIPC investigation report Full Disclosure: Political parties, campaign data, and voter consent. The current version of the Code was jointly developed by a working group including EBC, OIPC, and representatives from the political parties represented on the Election Advisory Committee established under the Election Act. The Code was signed off in March 2022 by presidents of BC NDP, BC Green Party, BC Liberal Party. During their meetings, the working group members discussed the practical implications of implementing the Code, and of reflecting the requirements of PIPA in their parties’ privacy practices, including in their published privacy policies.
In the lead-up to the 43rd Provincial General Election, there was interest in renewing the parties’ commitment to the Code. A reminder about the Code was included in the March 2024 meeting of the Election Advisory Committee, and the Code was also directly brought to the attention of senior Conservative Party staff. To our knowledge, the Code has not been signed by other political parties. We encourage you to contact political parties directly for further information on their implementation of the Code.
In 2022, the OIPC published its Guidance Document—Political Campaign Activity. This document has been periodically updated since then, with the most recent updates published in April 2026. As this document makes clear, “[although] the Code was developed for, and with input from, provincial political parties, the principles and the guidance found in this document and the Code are applicable to campaign activity at any level, including referendum and recall campaigns.” Municipal election campaigns that have questions about their privacy obligations are routinely directed to this guidance document, including its information about the Code. Because local election candidates are not subject to the privacy protection requirements set out in the Election Act, Elections BC does not proactively communicate with local campaigns about their privacy requirements under the Personal Information Protection Act.
A reminder about the Code has been included in the October 15, 2026, political party newsletter, a copy of which is attached. (below) Newsletters are circulated as part of the current provincial general election. Copies of the newsletters are available on the Elections BC website: Political Parties | Elections BC
I trust you will find this information helpful.
Sincerely,
Elections BC & OIPC
Elections BC Political Party Newsletter October 15, 2026
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