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What is CASL? Understanding Canada’s anti-spam law
Canada’s anti-spam law is one of the toughest in the world. It regulates how organizations send promotional content like emails, SMS, and messages on social platforms. To send a commercial electronic message in Canada, businesses must:
Obtain valid express or implied consent
Clearly identify themselves
Include a working unsubscribe mechanism
The CASL rules and obligations apply to any business marketing to Canadian contacts, even if you're based outside of the country.
Why CASL compliance matters to your business
Failure to meet CASL compliance requirements can lead to fines of up to 10 million dollars per violation. But legal penalties are only part of the risk. Ignoring email marketing laws in Canada can impact email deliverability, damage your brand, and erode customer trust.
Respecting spam laws in Canada shows your audience that you take privacy seriously and follow responsible marketing practices.
Who has to comply with CASL
Any business sending a commercial electronic message in Canada must comply. This includes:
SaaS platforms and software companies
E-commerce brands
Agencies and consultants
International companies targeting Canadian leads
These requirements apply whether you're sending emails to subscribers occasionally or running large-scale campaigns.
How Cakemail helps you stay CASL compliant
Unlike platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact, which are built primarily for the US market, Cakemail is a Canadian email marketing platform designed to support CASL compliance and help businesses meet Canada’s anti-spam laws.
We help you:
Collect and manage express and implied consent in line with CASL guidelines
Automatically include required sender details and unsubscribe options
Track opt-ins and consent expiration to reduce compliance risk
Use our built-in email law compliance tool to spot issues before they become problems
All data is stored in Canada, helping ensure compliance with both privacy and spam laws. To review the differences between CASL(Canada) and CAN-SPAM (United States) compliance, read our guide to email compliance across North America.
Use our free CASL checklist to see if your email practices are compliant
Quickly assess your consent practices, message formatting, and unsubscribe process. In just minutes, you’ll know how your emails stack up against Canada’s anti-spam law.