Terms used in this guide

CYFSA – Child, Youth and Family Services Act

The CYFSA is an Ontario law that governs certain programs and services for children, youth, and families. The CYFSA is divided into parts, and it is Part X of the CYFSA that is the subject of this guide. Part X sets the rules that service providers must follow to protect privacy and enable access to records of personal information.

IPC – Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner is the oversight body for Part X of the CYFSA. The commissioner is appointed by and reports to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and is independent of the government of the day. The IPC is the author of this guide.

Other privacy legislation:

FIPPA – Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

MFIPPA – Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

PHIPA – Personal Health Information Protection Act

These are three other Ontario privacy laws overseen by the IPC. These laws impact some service providers, and not others. They are not the subject of this guide but are discussed in the introduction.

Personal information 

Personal information means recorded information about an identifiable individual.

When a service provider is collecting information, personal information also includes information that is not recorded. See the full definition and discussion.

Service provider

Part X of the CYFSA introduces requirements for “service providers,” which is defined to include persons or entities that provide services funded under the CYFSA, or under the authority of a licence under the CYFSA. See the full definition.

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