Privacy Act - Annual Report to Parliament 2018-2019

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Administration of the Act
  • Departmental Mandate
  • Departmental Structure
  • Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP)
  • Delegation of Authority
  • Departmental Policies and Procedures
  • Training and Outreach
• Trends and Statistics
  • Requests Received Pursuant to the Privacy Act
  • Operational Costs Associated with Administering the Act
• Annex A – Statistical Report
• Annex B – Delegation Order

Introduction

Administration of the Act

Departmental Mandate

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) was established in 1987 to promote the development and diversification of the economy of Western Canada and to advance the interests of the West in national economic policy, program and project development and implementation. The Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development is responsible for this organization.

The Department operates under the provision of the Western Economic Diversification Act, which came into force on June 28, 1988. WD’s mandate allows the department to deliver a wide range of initiatives across the West and make strategic investments to build on regional competitive advantages. Its western base enables the department to foster strong partnerships with business and community organizations, research and academic institutions, Indigenous peoples, and provincial and municipal governments. These connections help WD reflect western perspectives in national decision-making.

Departmental Structure

WD employs 353 individuals across Western Canada and in Ottawa, including economists, commerce officers and policy analysts. Specialists in such areas as communications, corporate administration, financial management, human resources, information management and information technology, and procurement provide the policy and programs analysts with support.

WD is headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, and organized into four regional units (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), with offices located in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and an office in Ottawa.

Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP)

The Human Resources and Corporate Services unit (HRCS) is responsible for a broad range of services, including Access to Information and Privacy, administered by the unit’s ATIP Centre of Expertise. HRCS is part of the Finance and Corporate Management Directorate located in Edmonton, Alberta.

The ATIP Coordinator, who is supported by the Deputy ATIP Coordinator and a Corporate Services Advisor, oversees WD’s ATIP Centre of Expertise. The Coordinators fulfill their responsibilities in addition to numerous other functions within the department. The Corporate Services Advisor processes all access and privacy requests. Approximately .07 FTEs were dedicated to privacy activities in 2018-2019.

The ATIP Centre of Expertise is responsible for the implementation and management of the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act programs and services for WD. Specifically, the ATIP Centre of Expertise:

• makes decisions on the disposition of personal information requests;
• conducts consultations with other federal government departments, other levels of government and third parties with respect to access to information and privacy issues, if required;
• promotes awareness of the legislation to ensure departmental responsiveness to the obligation imposed by law;
• monitors and advises on departmental compliance with the Acts, regulations, procedures and policies; and
• acts as the spokesperson for the Department when dealing with the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Information Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner, and other government departments and agencies.

Other access to information-related activities undertaken by the ATIP Unit in 2018-2019, include:

Additionally, the ATIP team has worked in conjunction with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s ATIP unit concerning preparations for additional proactive publishing requirements for the Minister once Bill C-58 receives royal assent, as well as coordinating the department’s preparations for publishing requirements for the Deputy Minister.

The ATIP Centre of Expertise monitors all personal information requests, and no additional reporting or monitoring is conducted by other departmental officials due to the confidential nature of these requests.

Delegation of Authority

The current delegation order was issued in June 2016. In accordance with section 73 of the Privacy Act, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, delegated his full powers, authorities and responsibilities to the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Management (ATIP Coordinator) and Manager, Corporate Administration (Deputy ATIP Coordinator). The delegation also extends limited authority to the ATIP Officer (see Annex B).

Departmental Policies and Procedures

There were no changes made to WD’s Privacy Protection policy suite during fiscal year 2018–2019 as a result of changes in TBS policies or directives, or as result of issues raised by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner or other agents of Parliament.

Training and Outreach

The department maintains an Access to Information and Privacy presence on its intranet site that includes policies, procedures, training and awareness presentations, and relevant links to useful sites related to access and privacy.

WD’s ATIP Centre of Expertise provided ATIP training in WD’s BC Regional office to 12 participants in August 2018. As well, ATIP training was provided to the Saskatchewan Regional office and the DMO in the same month.

Trends and statistics

The following overview provides a summary of the statistical details found in WD’s 2018-2019 statistical report (Annex A – Statistical Report).

• WD traditionally receives very few requests for personal information. As WD’s programs and services collect very little personal information, requests relate to human resource issues or staffing actions.
• WD did not receive any privacy consultations during the reporting period.
• No complaints were received in 2018–2019 pursuant to the Privacy Act, and there were no appeals or applications submitted to the Federal Court.
• No material privacy breaches were reported in fiscal year 2018-2019.
• WD did not complete any Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) in 2018–2019.
• Personal information collected by WD in the course of its programs and activities is disclosed only for the purpose for which it was collected, in accordance with paragraph 8(2)(a) of the Privacy Act.  WD did not disclose personal information for any other purposes as outlined in paragraph 8(2)(m) during the 2018–2019 reporting period.

Requests received pursuant to the Privacy Act

The department did not receive any requests for personal information pursuant to the Privacy Act during this reporting period. This represents a 400% decrease from fiscal year 2017-2018.

One request was completed during the reporting period. This request was carried forward into the 2018-2019 reporting period from the previous fiscal year.

The single privacy request processed by WD was completed in thirty days. 245 pages were disclosed in whole or in part. No consultations or time extensions were required to complete this request.

The accompanying chart shows the comparison of the number of formal requests for personal information received and closed, as well as the number of privacy-related consultations received by the department over the past five years.

Operational costs associated with adminstering the Act

WD’s cost for administrating the Privacy Act by the ATIP Centre of Expertise was calculated as a portion of the overall cost of the ATIP program. Given there was only one privacy request processed, it was calculated as .0588 of the overall ATIP program.

Other costs pertaining to goods and services, including professional services contracts and other expenses, including supplies, are also calculated at .0588 of the overall ATIP program’s costs. These costs are reported in the annual statistical report (see see Annex A). The total cost reported was $6,134.

Annex A – Statistical Report

Statistical Report on the Privacy Act

Name of institution: Western Economic Diversification Canada

Reporting Period: 2018-04-01 to 2019-03-31

Part 1 – Requests Under the Privacy Act

Part 2 – Request Closed During the Reporting Period

2.1  Disposition and completion time

2.2  Exemptions

2.3  Exclusions

2.4 Format of information released

2.5 Complexity

2.5.1 Relevant pages processed and disclosed

2.5.2  Relevant pages processed and disclosed by size of requests

2.5.3  Other complexities

2.6 Deemed refusals

2.6.1 Reasons for not meeting the statutory deadline

2.6.2 Number of days past deadline

2.7 Requests for translation

Part 3 – Disclosures Under Subsections 8(2) and 8(5)

Part 4 – Requests for Correction of Personal Information and Notations

Part 5 – Extensions

5.1 Reasons for extensions and disposition of requests

5.2  Length of extensions

Part 6 – Consultations Received From Other Institutions and Organizations

6.1 Consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions and other organizations

6.2 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions

6.3 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other organizations

Part 7 – Completion Time of Consultation on Cabinet Confidences

7.1 Requests with Legal Services

7.2  Requests with Privy Council Office

Part 8 – Complaints and Investigations Notices Received

Part 9 – Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs)

Part 10 – Resources Related to the Privacy Act

10.1  Costs

10.2  Human Resources

Annex B – Delegation Order