What do I do if I am not happy about the way a public body is treating my personal information?
If you are concerned about the way a public body collects, uses, discloses, retains or safeguards your personal information, you should first complain directly to the public body. If you have not given the public body an opportunity to respond to and attempt to resolve your complaint, we will normally refer you back to the public body in the first instance before we examine your complaint. Please
click here for a helpful form you may use when raising your complaint with the public body.
What if I remain dissatisfied with the response of the public body to my complaint about the treatment of my personal information?
If you are dissatisfied with the response of the public body to your complaint, you may write to us. Please include the name of the public body and describe your complaint in detail, or
click here for a form to use when complaining to us.
Please note, the OIPC does not accept complaints via
e-mail.
Does it cost money to make a privacy complaint?
There is no fee for complaining to us.
How is a privacy complaint resolved?
Once we have agreed to investigate your complaint, the Portfolio Officer that has been assigned to the file will contact you. The Commissioner has fully delegated to the Portfolio Officers the authority to investigate the complaint, make findings and determine whether the complaint is substantiated or unsubstantiated. Portfolio Officers also have the authority to attempt to resolve the complaint through mediation. If the Portfolio Officer finds that a public body has violated your privacy rights, we may recommend
to the public body that it change the way it collects, uses, discloses or secures your personal information. If your complaint raises issues that affect a larger population, we may issue a formal Investigation Report or in rare circumstances, conduct a formal inquiry on the complaint and issue an order. If the findings of the Portfolio Officer’s investigation do not support your complaint, we may dismiss your complaint.
Is there any compensation for a violation of my
privacy rights under the Act?
FIPPA does not provide for compensation for a violation of privacy rights. You may receive an official apology from a public body, but the Commissioner cannot
issue monetary awards to complainants or penalize public bodies in other ways.
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