There is great interest in how the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada (IPC) has approached privacy and public safety issues, by bringing them together in a positive-sum manner. In this paper, the IPC shares its approach to applying Privacy by Design (PbD) which is relevant in the context of public safety and law enforcement, including the application of PbD to surveillance programs and the use of associated technologies. The hallmarks of this approach include an emphasis on communication, understanding divergent points of view, and focusing on protecting, preserving and enhancing individuals’ privacy.