Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) came into effect on July 1, 2014. Under the legislation, anyone (including teachers, principals, office staff, etc.) who sends an electronic message that encourages participation in commercial activity must do the following:

  1. Obtain the consent of the recipient
  2. Provide identification information about the sender
  3. Provide an unsubscribe option so recipients can remove themselves from the list

For more information on CASL, visit the Government of Canada’s website: www.fightspam.gc.ca

 

What is a commercial electronic message?

A commercial electronic message is a message sent to an electronic address that encourages participation in a commercial activity. Examples of electronic messages include emails, text messages, instant messages, telephone messages or direct messages on social media (e.g. Facebook or Twitter).

Messages are considered commercial when they have to do with the purchase of a good or service. Examples of commercial electronic messages you might receive from your school include messages about:

      • Fundraising events
      • Yearbook sales
      • Sale of student photos
      • Information about purchasing team uniforms
      • School newsletters that contain commercial information

What does this mean for parents and guardians?

We want to keep parents and guardians informed about what’s happening at schools across the Board, and email and other electronic messages are often the best ways to stay in touch.

If you would like to continue receiving these types of messages, parents/guardians can provide consent during our online registration process or as part of the School Messenger (the Board’s notification system) and Safe Arrival (the board’s attendance system) sign-up procedure.

Electronic messages sent for informational purposes, like student progress or information nights, will continue to be sent as they are not considered commercial in nature.

Questions?

If you have questions, contact your school principal or email info@bhncdsb.ca.

You can also visit www.fightspam.gc.ca for more information on CASL.