Sending marketing emails to Canada is not recommended – not without prior consent from the recipient. Canada passed a new Anti-Spam law that goes into effect July 1, 2014. The law makes sweeping changes to the ability of companies to send solicitations through electronic communication. At its most basic, the law makes sending unwanted email a finable offense. The companies this will affect the heaviest are those that purchase email lists. In addition to email lists, you can no longer send out to personal information that was collected in any way other than a sign up form.
The only acceptable email that can be sent needs to be “opt-in” only. This means the visitor must specifically sign up for your email newsletter and give their consent to receive messages from you. The signup form must be obvious in its intent and tricking the visitor to sign up for your newsletter will be a finable offense.
Unfortunately, for some companies, this means you may need to make a new email list from scratch; building up contact information that is solely collected from a newsletter signup form which includes asking for the country of origin from the recipient. This way, you ensure that your newsletter recipients are all opt-in and you will not be in danger of being labeled a spammer and reported.
The new Canadian spam and electronic threats law does not cover non-profit and political emailing; it only targets email that is a solicitation of a product or service.
The law encompasses a bit more than just email, it also effects text messages for additional quick facts about the new law, visit Fast Facts.
To read more about the details of this new anti-spam law, go to Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation website.
