How Constant Contact Helps You Be CASL Compliant

The Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) went into effect on July 1, 2014, and is applicable to anyone who makes use of commercial electronic messages. This means if you have an email address in your email marketing campaign that you suspect belongs to a Canadian, or if anyone opens your email in Canada, this law is applicable even if your business is based in the U.S. or any other country outside of Canada. For a brief overview of CASL, watch our quick video.

How does Constant Contact help you be compliant?

CASL requires all businesses to obtain and document consent, either express or implied, to send commercial emails to Canadians. Our products help you easily obtain and manage consent within Constant Contact. 

Here’s a look at some of these features.

Tools for obtaining consent

When a contact gives consent through one of the methods listed below, they will be tracked and documented as express consent within Constant Contact:

1. Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation “Confirm Subscription” Template 

We’ve created a fully-editable email template that you can customize and send to your email contacts. It’s a fast, easy way for you to gain express consent. Here’s how it works:

1. Log in to your account and select the “Confirm Subscription” template from among the templates.
2. Add your logo and business information to the email.
3. Send the email to your contacts.
4. Any contact who clicks on the link in the CASL template will immediately be documented as express consent.

Log in to access the template!

2. CASL-Compliant website sign-up forms 

Our website sign-up forms include the necessary information to obtain express consent from contacts submitting their email address. The footer of the website sign-up form will include the information below if you have added it in My Settings in your Constant Contact account:

• Organization name, address, and website
• Information on how the contact can unsubscribe from the email list

3. Update profile form

It’s a good idea to regularly provide the opportunity for contacts to update their email preferences. When you send an Update Profile email or when contacts click the update profile link in a campaign footer, contacts who submit the update profile form will be tracked as express consent because the form will include the necessary language for a record of express consent.

The footer of the update profile form will include the information below if you have added it in My Settings in your Constant Contact account:

• Organization name, address, and website
• Information on how the contact can unsubscribe from the email list

Tools to document consent within Constant Contact

1. Enable Advanced Email Permissions

Turn on the Advanced Email Permissions to see which email addresses you have express or implied consent for when viewing a contact profile.

Log in to enable this permission under Contact Settings.

2. Export your contacts

When you export your contacts, you will have the option to export data showing you which email addresses have express or implied consent. Additional data fields you can export include:

• Permission status (implied vs. express)
• Email status (active, unsubscribed, confirmed, etc.)
• Date of confirmed opt-in (if the link/confirmed opt-in email is used)

3. Specify implied or express permission on file import

When you upload a file of contacts, you will have the option of selecting if the list of contacts is express or implied permission, and the contacts will be uploaded with that permission status.

4. Add or edit a single contact to specify permission

You have the ability to add a single contact and specify if you have implied or express permission when adding the contact. You can also edit the permission status of a single contact from within your account.

Need help complying with Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation?

Our detailed CASL Resources page has videos, guides, blog posts, and events to help you with CASL compliance. If you have CASL-specific questions, you’ll find lots of helpful information, including our Three Steps to CASL Compliance checklist.

If you need additional help, call one of our specialists to review CASL and ensure you’re in compliance: 866-433-8499.

Note: This article is meant to inform, not to provide legal advice. If you have specific questions about CASL or how it applies to your organization, we recommend reaching out to a qualified lawyer familiar with digital communication laws in your region.