CanadaCan I ask a company to delete my personal information?
Yes, under Canada’s federal privacy law, you can request that a company delete your personal information if it is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected.
What the Law Says
Canada’s federal private-sector privacy law gives individuals rights over their personal information held by businesses. While PIPEDA does not use the word 'delete' explicitly, it requires organizations to destroy or anonymize personal information when it is no longer needed.
Under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), organizations must follow the 10 privacy principles in Schedule 1 — the CSA Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information. Principle 4.5 of that Code states: 'Personal information shall be retained only as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes.'
Principle 4.5.2 adds: 'Personal information that is no longer required to fulfill the identified purposes should be destroyed, erased, or made anonymous.' This means once a company no longer needs your information for the reason it collected it (e.g., completing a transaction or providing a service), it must securely dispose of it.
Section 5 of PIPEDA makes this binding: 'Organizations must comply with the obligations set out in Schedule 1 (the CSA Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information).'
Statutory TextOrganizations must comply with the obligations set out in Schedule 1 (the CSA Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information).
— Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, s. 5 — Compliance with obligations
What to Do
Contact the company’s privacy officer (contact info is usually on their website or privacy policy)
Make your request in writing — clearly state you are requesting deletion of your personal information under PIPEDA
Explain why you believe the information is no longer needed (e.g., account closed, service ended)
Keep a copy of your request and any response
If refused or ignored, file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) at priv.gc.ca
Sources
Same Question, Other Jurisdictions
Germany
Australia
Ireland
Singapore
European Union
India
South Korea
UK
US-California
JapanNot legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.