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Privacy

The purpose of the Privacy Act is to protect the privacy of individuals with respect to personal information about themselves held by a government institution and to provide individuals with a right of access to that information.

Principles for Assisting Requesters

In processing your privacy request or correction request under the Privacy Act, we will

  1. Process your request without regard to your identity.
  2. Offer reasonable assistance throughout the request process.
  3. Provide information on the Privacy Act, including information on the processing of your request and your right to complain to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
  4. Inform you as appropriate and without undue delay when your request needs to be clarified.
  5. Make every reasonable effort to locate and retrieve the requested personal information under the control of the government institution.
  6. Apply limited and specific exemptions to the requested personal information.
  7. Provide accurate and complete responses.
  8. Provide timely access to the requested personal information.
  9. Provide personal information in the format and official language requested, as appropriate.
  10. Provide an appropriate location within the government institution to examine the requested personal information.

The Access to Information and Privacy Online Request Service

This service offers a convenient way to

  • Enable individuals to make an online request for information that is held by a Government of Canada institution;
  • Eliminate the need to print, scan, and email or mail a form to an institution.

What you will need for a personal information request

Submit an online request for personal information

Annual Reports on the Privacy Act

Privacy Impact Assessments