British Columbia’s health sector is mainly governed by two privacy laws. The first is the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) which applies to government bodies including hospitals, health authorities, and clinics. The second is the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) which applies to the private sector offices of doctors and other […]
Read MoreYour ability to access court records will depend on the court you were attending and the types of charges. Court files contain many different documents about a legal matter. The public’s access to court files and documents is determined by policies set by the Provincial Court, B.C. Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeal. The […]
Read MorePast employees can request all their work emails, as individuals have a right to their personal information; however, the disclosure of work emails will be subject to several exceptions. The rights and rules around accessing work emails largely depend on whether your previous employer was a private sector organization or a public body, and what […]
Read MoreBC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) is a non-profit organization whose goal is to empower citizens by increasing their access to information and their control over their own personal information. BC FIPA provides public assistance and public legal education. BC FIPA cannot and does not provide legal advice. Introduction The legislation governing access […]
Read MoreReasons for refusal depend on the information you are requesting and from whom. If an information holder refuses your request partially or fully, the information holder must explain the refusal to you. List of some reasons a request could be refused: The disclosure would compromise an investigation or law enforcement operation The disclosure would risk […]
Read MoreThe Privacy Commissioner of Canada has reviewed the Passenger Protect Program and has significant concerns about it. The Commissioner has said that the Passenger Protect Program involves the secretive use of personal information. Some problems include: The process for putting an individual’s name on the list is secretive and not transparent Individuals are not told […]
Read MoreThe purpose of your request is usually irrelevant; however, it may be necessary for you to prove your identity if you are requesting personal information. A public body typically has a legal duty to assist individuals requesting information. If your request doesn’t include enough detail, the organization should work with you to identify what you […]
Read MoreSince 2001, the Canadian federal government has undertaken a startling number of programs and initiatives requiring the collection and sharing of vast amounts of previously uncollected personal information of Canadians. Many of these programs have been shown to have inaccuracies in the data resulting in demonstrably arbitrary decision-making. The most recognizable program is the Passenger […]
Read MorePrivate sector organizations generally must give you access to your personal information; however, there are exceptions, which differ depending on whether BC’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), or the Federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) applies to the organization. Under PIPA, an organization may refuse to give you access to your personal […]
Read MoreThere is usually no fee for you to request your personal information. In some cases, a fee may apply to general information requests, but you have the right to file a complaint about the fee or request the fee to be waived for justified reasons. For example, under BC’s Personal Information Protection Act, private sector […]
Read MoreYou have the right to access your personal health information held by your healthcare provider. In general, your healthcare provider cannot refuse to let you see the information in your file, except if they believe that the access may put you or someone else at risk. Typically, the easiest way to access your health records […]
Read MoreOnce a request is submitted, the information holder usually has 30 days to respond to the request; however, it is common for the information holder to extend the response deadline by an additional 30 days. Information holders can extend the response deadline if it is approved by the Privacy Commissioner, if the requestor has not […]
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