Emailing and calling businesses in Canada

Can I email businesses from a list in Canada?

ISED says CASL requires consent before you send commercial electronic messages such as emails. Section 10(9)(b) of CASL implies consent when someone has conspicuously published their address with no statement refusing unsolicited messages, and your message is relevant to their business role. The National DNCL Rules do not apply to telemarketing calls made to businesses.

Main rules: Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) Rules. A summary of the official guidance linked below, checked 2026-11-11; not legal advice.

Email

  • Consent is express or implied. ISED says implied consent from an existing relationship is time-limited: up to 2 years, or 6 months for inquiries.
  • Published addresses: consent is implied only if there is no 'do not send' statement and the message is relevant to the person's business, role, functions or duties.
  • Every message must give your business name (and anyone you send for), a mailing address, and a phone number, email or website address that stays valid for at least 60 days.
  • Include an unsubscribe mechanism, and action requests within 10 business days at no cost.
  • Be ready to prove consent if asked.

Phone calls

  • The National DNCL site says the National DNCL Rules do not apply to telemarketing calls made to businesses.
  • It also says every telemarketer, even one making exempt calls, must keep an internal do-not-call list and identify who the call is for at the start.

Sources

Other countries: outreach rules by country.