Electronic signatures or e-signatures have been in use in Canada
for over two decades. Their use and acceptance have become more
necessary and more widely accepted because of the COVID-19
pandemic, as people have to rely on the use of e-signatures in
situations where they would have previously provided their
signatures in-person.
Currently, in Alberta most commercial agreements can be signed
electronically except where expressly excluded by the parties,
including, but not limited to: (i) sales agreements; (ii) service
agreements; (iii) user manuals; (iv) purchase orders; (v) lease
agreements; and (vi) employment contracts. The use of electronic
signatures is optional and parties to a transaction would usually
obtain consent from one another to use electronic signatures. It is
recommend that the consent be a written authorization and in the
case of contracts, the consent should be a clause in the contract
if a contract is intended to be signed electronically. In
