Law 25 and video surveillance: what you need to know

The principle

Law 25 (which modernized Quebec’s privacy laws) requires businesses to collect only what is necessary, to protect it and to appoint a person in charge. Quebec’s Commission d’accès à l’information (CAI) publishes video surveillance guidance.

Good practices for cameras

• Justify each camera with a real need (safety, theft, incidents)
• Post clear signage
• Avoid places where privacy is expected; use privacy masks
• Keep retention to what is needed
• Restrict footage access to named people, each with their own account
• Log viewing and exports

Access control and biometrics

Entry logs are personal information too: limit who reviews them and how long they’re kept. Biometrics (fingerprint, face) are more tightly regulated: a biometric database must be declared to the CAI before it goes live. Cards, PINs and phones avoid these constraints.

What Altea configures

Individual accounts, masks, retention periods, viewing logs and an isolated camera network. We hand you a summary of the settings for your records. This guide isn’t legal advice; consult the CAI or an adviser for your situation.