Public Interest Advocacy Centre

Public Interest Advocacy Centre

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre, a non-profit Ottawa based organization, was founded in 1976. PIAC is primarily concerned with the delivery of important public utilities and services to Canadian consumers and, in particular, vulnerable consumers. As part of its mandate, PIAC provides legal representation for consumer, senior and other public interest groups in regulatory proceedings for telecommunications, broadcasting, energy and transportation. PIAC also advocates, both inside and outside the regulatory process, on behalf of ordinary and vulnerable consumers on such issues as banking, privacy and competition. PIAC undertakes significant research and maintains a library of published reports on matters of concern in the issue areas of its mandate. PIAC was the model for British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre (BCPIAC), which was founded in 1981, and carries out public utilities, environmental, human rights and poverty-law work in Vancouver.