Title
Policy C-459 - Protection of Privacy
Proposed Motion
That Policy C-459 - Protection of Privacy be approved, as presented.
Body
Administration Recommendation
That Council approve the Protection of Privacy Policy.
Purpose
To present the Protection of Privacy Policy to Council for consideration.
Summary
The Protection of Privacy Policy ensures Parkland County meets its legal obligations under Alberta’s privacy legislation and maintains a consistent, documented approach to protecting personal information and responding to privacy breaches.
The policy establishes clear expectations for how personal information is collected, used, disclosed, safeguarded, retained, and securely destroyed. It provides a structured framework for identifying, investigating, documenting, and responding to privacy breaches, including assessing risk and implementing corrective actions.
The policy supports transparency, accountability, and responsible information management while reducing legal, operational, and reputational risk and maintaining public trust.
Background
Parkland County collects, uses, and stores personal information as part of delivering municipal programs and services. Alberta legislation requires public bodies to manage personal information responsibly, safeguard it against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, and respond appropriately to privacy breaches.
The Protection of Privacy Policy formalizes existing legislative obligations and operational practices and supports Parkland County’s broader Privacy Management Program by providing clear direction, accountability, and consistency.
Key Elements of the Policy
The Protection of Privacy Policy:
1. Clarifies roles and responsibilities for privacy compliance and breach management;
2. Establishes a risk based framework for assessing the severity of privacy breaches;
3. Sets requirements for breach reporting, investigation, documentation, mitigation, and notification;
4. Requires reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards;
5. Ensures alignment with records retention and access-to-information requirements; and
6. Supports ongoing training, oversight, and continuous improvement.
History
Strategic Plan/Policy/Legal/Staff Implications:
This policy is in compliance with the following legislation:
Protection of Privacy Act (POPA)
Access to Information Act (ATIA)
Municipal Government Act (MGA)
There are no financial or staffing implications associated with this policy. The policy formalizes existing legislative requirements and current operational practices.