BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
Your Data Your Rights
Provincial and Territorial Elections
General Information
Most of the provinces and territories have very similar legal frameworks surrounding elections. While all provinces and territories gather your personal information in the process of carrying out their elections, the information they collect and the way they handle it can vary from province to province. So, too, can the process of accessing or removing your personal information from their databases.
To understand what pieces of your personal information your provincial or territorial government has, how it’s used, and how you can control it, it’s important to understand the typical structure governments use to collect your information.
Specific details for each Canadian Province and Territory : Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Yukon
Ontario
Permanent Register of Electors
In Ontario, your personal information is stored in the permanent register of electors. This information is gathered when you register to vote and can be supplemented by any other source Elections Ontario considers to be reliable [s.17.1(4)]. Information in the register is shared with candidates, registered political parties, Elections Canada, and some municipalities strictly for electoral purposes, which includes communicating with you (the voter) to solicit your vote, party membership, and/or campaign contribution [ss. 17.2, 17.3, 17.4].
Controlling your Personal Information
You may have the option to remove your personal information from the register or have it redacted from the register when it’s shared with political entities.
To have your information removed from the register, you can use Elections Ontario’s online registration portal, or you can fill out this form and email it to register@elections.on.ca with a copy of your ID attached.
To have your information redacted, Elections Ontario (the Chief Electoral Officer) must reasonably believe that the inclusion of your personal information in the distributed list would endanger your life, health, or security [s. 4.7]. To request a redaction of information, please email priv@elections.on.ca or write to:
- Elections Ontario
- Attn: Chief Privacy Officer
- 26 Prince Andrew Place
- Toronto, Ontario
- M3C 2H4
Sources
- Election Act, RSO 1990, c E.6.
- Guidelines for the Use of Electoral Products
- Remove voter information
- Privacy and Security of Personal Information
These pages were last updated and reviewed in the summer of 2024.
The information on these pages only contains general information and guidance; none of the information constitutes legal advice. If you have a specific issue that you believe is a legal problem, the best practice is to consult a lawyer.
The information is non-partisan, dynamic and ever changing. It is the result of FIPA’s research and public education programs.
If you note something that needs to be added, corrected, or removed, please contact us by email: fipa AT fipa.bc.ca.
