WikiFrameworksQuebec Law 25Withdrawal of Consent for Prospection

Withdrawal of Consent for Prospection

Updated: 2026-02-23

Plain English Translation

Under Quebec Law 25 section 22 requirements, whenever an organization uses personal information to contact individuals for commercial or philanthropic prospection, it must clearly identify itself. The organization must also inform the individual of their right to withdraw consent to the use of their personal information for these marketing purposes. If the individual exercises their Quebec Law 25 consent withdrawal rights, the organization must immediately stop using their personal information for such prospection. Understanding how to comply with Quebec Law 25 opt-out for marketing ensures individuals retain control over their data during promotional campaigns.

Executive Takeaway

Organizations must clearly identify themselves and provide an opt-out mechanism when using personal data for commercial or philanthropic outreach, ceasing all such use if consent is withdrawn.

ImpactHigh
ComplexityLow

Why This Matters

  • Mitigates the risk of financial penalties resulting from unlawful marketing communications under Quebec privacy law.
  • Builds customer trust by ensuring transparent consent management for marketing communications and respecting individual privacy preferences.

What “Good” Looks Like

  • Every marketing email, call, or message clearly identifies the organization and includes an easily accessible mechanism to withdraw consent.
  • Automated systems are in place to immediately suppress personal data from future commercial or philanthropic prospection campaigns once a withdrawal request is received, and tools like WatchDog Security's Compliance Center can help track required evidence and validate that suppression workflows are consistently implemented.

Quebec Law 25 section 22 requires organizations to explicitly identify themselves when contacting individuals for commercial or philanthropic prospection. Additionally, they must inform individuals of their right to withdraw consent to the use of their personal information for these purposes and cease using the data if consent is withdrawn.

Yes, the law mandates that any enterprise engaging in commercial or philanthropic prospection must clearly identify itself to the person being addressed. This ensures transparency in all marketing communications.

Organizations must provide a clear and accessible notice within the communication itself, such as an unsubscribe link in an email or a verbal notice during a phone call. This informs the individual of their Quebec Law 25 consent withdrawal rights.

Under Loi 25 commercial prospection, this includes any outreach aimed at promoting a product, service, or brand, as well as solicitations for donations or charitable contributions. It encompasses marketing emails, telemarketing, and direct mail.

Yes, philanthropic prospection, which includes fundraising communications, is explicitly covered under Section 22. Organizations must follow the same Quebec Law 25 fundraising consent requirements, including self-identification and providing a clear opt-out mechanism.

The legislation states that if a person withdraws their consent, the personal information must cease to be used for those prospection purposes immediately. Organizations should implement automated systems to ensure this happens without delay.

The best practice for how to comply with Quebec Law 25 opt-out for marketing is to include a one-click unsubscribe link in all digital communications. For phone or mail, provide a toll-free number or easy return-mail option to exercise the withdrawal right.

You should maintain a consent withdrawal request log that tracks the timestamp, identity, and scope of every opt-out request. This Law 25 consent withdrawal recordkeeping evidence is crucial during regulatory audits to prove compliance.

While Section 22 focuses heavily on the mandatory opt-out right and identification, organizations must also evaluate whether they have valid initial consent, understanding the nuances of Law 25 marketing consent vs implied consent Quebec for collecting the data in the first place.

For email marketing and CRM campaigns, organizations must ensure every message clearly identifies the sender and includes an unsubscribe mechanism. Proper Quebec Law 25 consent management for marketing communications requires syncing CRM data to respect withdrawal requests globally.

Compliance depends on being able to demonstrate when an opt-out was received, what channels it applied to, and that suppression happened promptly. Tools like WatchDog Security's Compliance Center can help centralize control requirements, map them to evidence, and highlight gaps so teams can show consistent consent-withdrawal handling during reviews.

Clear internal rules are needed so marketing, privacy, and IT apply the same identification and opt-out steps across email, phone, and mail. Tools like WatchDog Security's Policy Management can help publish the consent-withdrawal procedure, track version history, and record stakeholder acknowledgement to support consistent implementation.

LAW25 § 22

"Any person carrying on an enterprise who uses personal information for commercial or philanthropic prospection purposes must identify himself to the person whom he is addressing and inform that person of his right to withdraw his consent to the personal information concerning him being used for such purposes. If the person concerned withdraws his consent regarding such use, the personal information must cease to be used for those purposes."

VersionDateAuthorDescription
1.0.02026-02-23WatchDog Security GRC TeamInitial publication