Voicemail, recording and messages
Is call recording legal in Canada and how do I set it up?
Canadian law generally requires that callers be informed that a call is recorded and, in a business setting, the purpose of recording. Most businesses meet this with a short announcement at the start of the call. 3CTel configures the announcement with you, then you choose which calls to record, who can listen, and how long recordings are kept. This article describes general practice, not legal advice.
Step by step.
Decide what you record
Options include all inbound and outbound calls, only calls to certain groups such as sales or support, or on-demand recording that a user starts during a call.
Write the announcement
"This call may be recorded for quality and training purposes." Say it before the call is connected to a person. Include the same wording in your French greeting if you serve callers in French.
Configure it
In the admin portal, open Call Routing → Recording, choose the scope, attach the announcement and set the retention period. A 3CTel specialist can make this change for you.
Set access
Limit who can search and play recordings to the people who need them, typically managers and quality reviewers. Access is logged.
Tell your team
Staff should know which calls are recorded, how to pause recording for card details, and where the recordings policy lives.
What Canadian practice generally looks like
Businesses in Canada generally inform callers that a call is recorded, and are expected to identify the purpose, such as quality assurance, training or order verification. Privacy rules that apply to a business also apply to the recordings it makes, which is why retention, access and secure storage are part of the setup rather than an afterthought. Regulated sectors such as financial services may have record-keeping expectations of their own; check with your regulator or advisor.
Nothing here is legal advice. If your situation is unusual, for example recording calls with people in other countries, get advice specific to it.
Practical decisions
- Scope: recording everything is simplest to explain; recording by group keeps storage smaller.
- Outbound calls: the announcement plays to the person you call as well, or agents state it themselves.
- Retention: keep recordings only as long as you need them for the stated purpose, then let them expire automatically.
- Pause: enable pause and resume so payment details are not captured.
- Storage: recordings are stored with your account and reachable from the portal; export before expiry if you need a copy for a dispute.
Who uses recording and why
Contact centres use recordings for coaching and quality reviews. Sales teams use them to confirm what was agreed. Clinics and professional firms often record only specific lines, such as a booking line, to resolve disputes. The AI receptionist's calls are recorded and transcribed as part of how it works, and the same announcement practice applies.
Related questions.
Do I need to announce it on every call?
General practice is to inform the caller each time a call is recorded, which the automated announcement handles. Some businesses also mention recording in their privacy notice and on their website so customers have written notice too.
Can employees be recorded on internal calls?
Internal extension-to-extension calls can be excluded from recording, and most businesses do exclude them. If you do record internal calls, staff should be told in a written policy that explains the purpose, who can listen and how long recordings are kept.
Where are recordings stored and who can access them?
Recordings are stored with your 3CTel account and accessed through the portal by users you have granted permission. Access is logged. Details of storage and retention are confirmed with you during planning.
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