The way companies solicit Canadian consumers over the Internet will likely change in the very near future. A new bill was passed by the Canadian Government on December 15, 2010. The Fighting Internet and Wireless Spam Act (FISA) is projected to deter harmful and misleading spam (e.g.: phishing, spyware and identity theft) and to send spammers packing from Canada. The ultimate goal of this bill is to create a more secure online environment for Canadians.

In her article entitled “Email marketing might be a casualty on the anti-spam battlefield” which appeared in the Montreal Gazette on January 27, 2011, Éloïse Gratton states: “FISA will affect the way Canadian businesses communicate with their customers. FISA regulates the sending of ‘commercial electronic messages,’ a broad notion covering, among other things, the following activities: any offer to transact a product, a service or an interest in a land, any offer which may involve an economic opportunity, or the promotion of any of these activities.” [1]

Essentially, this new bill lays down rules to protect electronic commerce in Canada by limiting unsolicited commercial electronic email (aka: spam) by requiring that any commercial electronic message that is sent has the receiver’s consent. [2]

Although the new law makes it OK for companies to send out legitimate mass marketing emails to current customers, or to a list that is obtained through valid sources, businesses must abide by strict procedures to remain compliant. Prior to flooding their customers’ inbox with a bulk marketing email, business owners must be sure to respect existing marketplace best practices and use a “consumer opt-in” approach.

Requiring an opt-in approach is a significant change from the existing U.S CAN-SPAM Act[3], established in 2004, where businesses had to provide an “opt-out” mechanism in any mass email. The “opt-in” consent implies that businesses must have obtained express consent or implied consent prior to sending out any commercial electronic messages.

So, as you speculate whether your mass email marketing strategy is legitimate or not, and if you do in fact have customer consent, maybe it is time to change your approach for acquiring new clientele. A quality Website that is developed using the latest Web browser standards along with a solid Internet marketing strategy that includes SEO, Internet copywriting and social media presence (Facebook & Twitter) will enable potential customers to find you through search engines such as Google and Bing. Adeo Internet Marketing, a Montreal Internet Marketing company, will help you reach new customers online. Contact Adeo.

1. http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Email+marketing+might+casualty+anti+spam+battlefield/4179514/story.html
2. http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ecic-ceac.nsf/eng/gv00569.html#q2
3. http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus61-can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business