Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation
Owners & Franchisees in Canada | This message serves as an important reminder regarding Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation, commonly referred to as “CASL,” which applies to all companies sending commercial electronic messages to consumers in Canada.
CASL generally prohibits companies from:
- Sending commercial electronic messages, to an electronic address, without consent (permission). This includes emails, social networking accounts and text messages;
- Altering transmission data in an electronic message, in the course of a commercial activity, which results in the message being delivered to a different destination without express consent;
- Promoting products or services online using false or misleading representations;
- Collecting personal information by accessing a computer system or electronic device illegally (i.e., in violation of federal law, such as the Criminal Code of Canada); and,
- Collecting or using electronic addresses using computer programs to collect without permission (known as “address harvesting”).
We expect all Managed by Marriott and franchised hotels, as well as franchise management companies to be aware of, and comply with, CASL. Failure to comply can result in serious penalties levied by government agencies – up to C$10 million for each violation. Individuals may also be held personally liable and face up to a C$1 million penalty per violation.
Note: this information will be shared with properties via the January 1, 2018 Weekly Update.
For more information, please review the CASL website or access additional resources:
- Canadian federal privacy law changes: CASL
- Member Marketing Email Campaign Types
- CASL High level overview from the Government of Canada
Thank you for your support. Should you have any questions, please contact Katie MacDonald-Serna at katie.macdonald@marriott.com.
