The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) requires Vancouver Island University (VIU) to protect all personal information in its custody or control from unauthorized access, collection, use, duplication, modification, disclosure, or disposal. Under Section 29 of FOIPPA an individual whose information is in a public body’s custody or control who believes there is an error or omission in their personal information can make a request to the Head (or designate) of the public body to correct the information.
VIU is also required to correct or annotate personal information in its custody or control when it receives notification of a correction or annotation of personal information from another public body.
Scope
This protocol applies to all VIU employees and contracted service providers.
Definitions
Personal information means recorded information about an identifiable individual other than contact information.
Contact Information means information to enable an individual at a place of business to be contacted and includes the name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number of the individual.
Procedures
- Within 5 business days of receiving written or verbal direction from an individual to correct or annotate their personal information, VIU must annotate or correct the information unless unable to do so, either because the applicant has not submitted adequate proof in support of the requested correction or because the information is such that it cannot be corrected. When informed of a correction or annotation by another public body, VIU must make the same correction or annotation as that made by the informing public body.
- While factual information may be corrected, an opinion, which is a subjective assessment or evaluation of a person’s abilities, performance or other characteristics, usually cannot. In these circumstances, VIU must annotate the record with a statement to the effect that the applicant does not agree with the opinion given by the other person. If the opinion is based on inaccurate or incorrect information, the person who supplied the opinion may provide an amended opinion.
- VIU must advise any service provider also in possession of the information to correct or annotate their records.
- Within 5 business days of correcting or annotating any personal information VIU, and the service provider if appropriate, must:
- Inform any other third parties to whom the information was disclosed to within the prior year of the correction or annotation.
- Inform the individual in writing that:
- the information has been corrected,
- the information has been annotated, or
- why a correction is inappropriate or why the proof provided is insufficient or inadequate.
- When incorrect factual information was used to make a decision directly affecting an individual and the corrected factual information could have influenced the outcome of the decision, VIU should review that decision.
- Ensure the correction or annotation will always be retrieved with the original record.
Questions Regarding this Protocol
If you have any questions regarding this protocol, please contact VIU’s Privacy Office at Privacy.Officer@viu.ca.