Commissioner’s Blog

Starting on October 1, 2017, it will be mandatory for anyone who deals with health information to report certain privacy breaches to the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC). Designed to better protect patient privacy and improve accountability and transparency in the health care system, th...

The IPC is often asked how institutions should handle FOI requests that they deem to be frivolous and vexatious. Ontario’s access and privacy laws give individuals the right to access their own personal information and government-held records unless an exemption applies, or the request is found...

Recently we’ve received several questions about accessing information from a business, and other issues concerning privacy in the private sector in Ontario. Because Ontario doesn’t have its own private-sector privacy law, the personal information-handling practices of businesses in this provi...

Today we released our 2016 Annual Report, Facing Challenges Together, in which Commissioner Brian Beamish calls on the government to modernize Ontario’s access and privacy laws to better protect Ontarians’ rights, especially in the era of big data. In his report, the Commissioner makes seven ...

The IPC is pleased to announce our collaboration with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) in a joint research effort to evaluate online educational services. This collaborative effort is part of a larger, annual “Privacy Sweep” (Sweep) initiative being carried out this week...

Big data is increasingly used by government institutions to shape and improve policies, programs and services affecting the public they serve. While big data may benefit individuals, it also raises a number of privacy, fairness and ethical concerns about how institutions use it to process persona...

Ontarians’ right of access to information held by their government forms an essential cornerstone of both the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and its municipal counterpart, MFIPPA. These laws require institutions to conduct a reasonable search for responsive records...

Commissioner Brian Beamish appeared before the Standing Committee on Social Policy today to provide the IPC’s views on Bill 68, Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act, 2017. Bill 68 proposes to expand the open meeting exceptions of the Municipal Act and City of Toronto Act, which...

What is a Reasonable Search for Records? Ontario institutions are required to conduct a reasonable search for records when they receive an access to information request. To answer some frequently asked questions about reasonable searches, we have developed a new fact sheet that explains: what a ...

Commissioner Brian Beamish appeared before the Standing Committee on Justice Policy today to provide the IPC’s views on Bill 89, Supporting Children, Youth and Families Act, 2017. While the IPC appreciates the Ministry of Children and Youth Services introducing legislation with a goal of enhanc...