BC's Privacy Commissioner Issues Privacy Management Guidance for Public Bodies

Earlier this week, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of BC published Accountable Privacy Management in BC’s Public Sector, a step-by-step guidance document setting out what the OIPC expects to see in the privacy management programs of public bodies in the Province.

The Commissioner states that in order to demonstrate accountability for privacy, public bodies must have a privacy management program comprising comprehensive policies, procedures and practices that are consistent with the principles outlined in the guidance document and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. These programs need to be current, practical, effective, properly-resourced and adapted to the unique needs of each public body.

Importantly, the Commissioner states that her Office intends to use the document in its enforcement work and will be looking for evidence of a privacy management program in future investigations and audits.

The new guidance document is available for download on the OIPC’s website at: https://www.oipc.bc.ca/tools-guidance/guidance-documents/

Any questions relating to the information presented in this article may be forwarded to Frances Doyle, Partner.