Access to Information and Privacy

The Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) mission is to promote and protect the health of Canadians. To achieve its mission, many of the Agency's programs and services require the collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information and records.

• The Access to Information Act governs access to information contained in federal government records. This means that Canadian citizens, permanent residents, persons present in Canada, or corporations can, formally or informally, request records under the control of the Agency.
• The Privacy Act governs the collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information and gives all individuals in Canada access to information about themselves.

The Access to Information and Privacy Division at PHAC facilitates Agency compliance with Canada's laws on access to information and on the protection of personal information.

We prepare an Annual Report to Parliament outlining how we operate, the volume of requests received, and how we have responded to those requests.

We prepare Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) that justify the collection of personal information.

• Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program
  This is a PIA for the national evaluation of the Agency’s component of the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP). The objectives of this PIA are to determine if there are privacy risks associated with the CPNP, and if yes, to provided recommendations on the reduction or elimination of the risks. Read more
• Performance Discussion Process and Personal Learning Plans Automated Application Project (January 2011)
  In the January 2004 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada called for the creation of a Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC, hereinafter) to deliver on the Government of Canada's commitment to help protect the health and safety of all Canadians. Read more