Canada’s anti-spam law of 2010 that is intended to protect Canadians while ensuring that businesses can continue to compete in the global marketplace has finally entered into force on July 1, 2014. However, the sections of the Act related to the unsolicited installation of computer programs or software wil come into force as late as January 15, 2015.

The new law prohibits, among other things, sending of commercial electronic messages without the recipient’s express consent, including messages to email addresses and social networking accounts, and text messages sent to a cell phone; use of false or misleading representations online in the promotion of products or services; collection of electronic addresses by the use of computer programs or the use of such addresses, without permission (address harvesting).

The law establishes damages of $200 for email violation up to $1 million per day.