Data Privacy Week 2026: Prioritizing privacy by design
January 19, 2026
Privacy Act Bulletins are intended to offer lessons learned, best practices and other important privacy news, trends and information related to privacy protection in the federal government. We encourage you to share this information with employees across your organization, including teams involved in technology, communications and program delivery.
Data Privacy Week 2026, taking place January 26 to January 30, emphasizes the importance of prioritizing privacy. The theme for this year “Prioritize privacy by design” highlights the value for organizations to consider privacy throughout the lifecycle of a program, service, or initiative.
Privacy by design means building in privacy considerations into the design and operation of an initiative, making them part of the foundation of an organization’s operations.
Some privacy by design approaches:
- Limit data collection and retention
- Conduct privacy impact assessments (PIAs) at the outset
- Implement strong security measures
- Be transparent about data collection and use (privacy notice and PIBs)
- Integrate privacy into contracts
Fostering a culture that prioritizes privacy from the outset helps to “future proof” your organization, your services, and your information management and information technology systems and can reduce the risk of privacy breaches. Clear, transparent, and strong privacy programs help to demonstrate care, competence, and integrity, which are key drivers of trust in government services.
As more personal data is collected and new technologies, like AI, are integrated into government activities, prioritizing privacy can also support and enable responsible innovation, positioning your organization as a leader in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.
During Data Privacy Week, attend one of the privacy events, below, and join the conversation online using the hashtags #DPW2026 and #PrioritizePrivacy. You can also share the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)’s posts from our LinkedIn account and visit the OPC Data Privacy Week 2026 webpage.
Upcoming privacy events for public servants
Advancing Data Privacy in the Public Sector (FON1-E49)
Hosted by Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) and the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) featuring a conversation with Philippe Dufresne, Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
January 26, 2026, 10:00 am to 3:30 pm (ET)
Virtual event on the CSPS platform.
Visit the CSPS website to register.
Data Privacy Day 2026: Navigating Privacy Breaches: Prevention, Response, and Building Trust
Virtual event hosted by TBS with the participation of the OPC and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS).
English session
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm ET
To register: ATIP Community re Data Privacy Day event Registration form
French session
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm ET
To register: ATIP Community re Data Privacy Day event Registration form
Resources to help federal institutions prioritize privacy by design
- The Privacy Act in brief
- OPC’s Guide to the privacy impact assessment process
- Privacy breach self-assessment tool
- Principles for responsible, trustworthy and privacy-protective generative AI technologies
- Biometrics quick tips – for federal institutions
- TBS’ Directive on Privacy Practices
- TBS’ Digital privacy playbook
- TBS’ Privacy breach management toolkit
- TBS’ Guidance document: Taking privacy into account before making contracting decisions
- The privacy life cycle: Tips for minimizing privacy risks and safeguarding personal information
Additional contacts
- TBS Privacy and Responsible Data Division – ippd-dpiprp@tbs-sct.gc.ca
- OPC Promotion and Engagement Directorate – scg-ga@priv.gc.ca
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