In March 1996, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) published the Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information. Canada was the first country in the world to establish a voluntary, national standard for personal information protection.

The Model Code was largely based on the Guidelines Governing the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data, created by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). While the Code remains a voluntary standard, it enjoys strong support and endorsement by a variety of Canadian companies as the national standard on privacy [...]