The City has many reasons to collect information about individuals: for property taxes, recreation registration, social services, parking permits, speakers at committee meetings, etc.

Under provincial law, the City can collect personal information when necessary, and use it only for the reason that was given when it was collected. You see evidence of this when you fill out any City form - there is a collection statement, usually at the bottom, that explains how your information will be used, and where to call if you have any questions about it. We also have a specific standard about online privacy.

The City Clerk's Office helps City divisions make sure information will be available only for its intended purpose. There are rules that allow personal information to be used or given out for very specific reasons. These exceptions are explained on the Corporate Access and Privacy site.

If you believe that there may be incorrect information about you in a City record, you have the right to ask to see the record and request a correction. You must request a specific record, because personal information is not all stored in one file.

Possible reasons for requesting to see personal information in a City record:

• finding incorrect information in a bill or other statement from the City
• if a staff person has wrong information about you when you are discussing a service such as social services, child care, licensing, etc.

The first step in finding out about personal information is to contact the office that has the information. There are a few exceptions to seeing information about yourself, but in most cases, the division should be able to help you.

If you have a problem: If you think your personal information has been wrongly used, or if you need help correcting personal information, contact the City Clerk's Office for help. See the Corporate Access and Privacy site for details.