Access to Information and Privacy Protection at FINTRAC
The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act provide Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or any person or entity present in Canada the right to obtain information—in any format—that is under the control of a government institution.
The Access to Information Act gives individuals the right to access records under the control of a federal government institution. The Act is based on three principles: government information should be available to the public; exemptions to this right should be limited and specific; and decisions on disclosure of information should be reviewed independently of government.
The Privacy Act protects the personal information of individuals that is held by a government institution. It provides individuals with the right to access this information and request correction to it. Under the Act, personal information can only be used by a government institution in accordance with the purpose for which it was collected or for a use consistent with that purpose.
FINTRAC ensures that information it holds is collected, stored, used, shared, and disposed of in accordance with statutory requirements established in the Privacy Act, the Proceeds of Crime and (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and the Library and Archives Act.
FINTRAC's Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that information in FINTRAC's custody or control is made accessible to the public in accordance with both the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.