Quebec’s Act Respecting Health & Social Services Information (AHSSS)

The AHSSS establishes a governance framework based on transparency, accountability, and responsible information usage by service providers and health institutions;

It establishes the rights to information, access, and rectification;

Health institutions using digital services must ensure the highest privacy settings by default, protecting sensitive data;

Individuals can restrict access to their information by specific service providers.

Health services cannot be denied to a person who refuses to consent to the use or communication of their health information;

If health data is to be shared outside Québec, a privacy impact assessment (PIA) must be carried out beforehand;

The Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions and law enforcement agencies can access health data if needed for legal proceedings;

In case a decision affecting an individual is made using AI or automated processing, they must be informed and given an opportunity to challenge it;

The Commission d’Accès à l’Information (CAI) oversees compliance, investigates violations, and can impose corrective measures or penalties;

Violations can result in penalties ranging from $1,000 to $150,000, with higher fines for repeat offenses.