What federal legislation applies to Western?
The federal Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act do not apply to Western; these Acts apply only to federal government institutions. The federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) may apply to some activities on university campuses. PIPEDA was enacted by the federal government to promote and enforce a unified privacy principle across Canada with a focus on personal information in relation to commercial activities. Its impact at Western is rather narrow, as most activities associated with universities are considered to be primarily educational, rather than commercial, in nature. This assessment is supported by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada which has indicated that, as a general rule, PIPEDA does not apply to most university activities. For additional information, see the [Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals Fact Sheet].
The federal Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act do not apply to Western; these Acts apply only to federal government institutions. The federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) may apply to some activities on university campuses. PIPEDA focuses on access to, use, and dissemination of personal information in relation to commercial activities. Since most activities associated with universities are considered to be educational, rather than commercial, its impact on universities is minimal. For additional information, see the [Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals Fact Sheet].
