Privacy impact assessment summary for the Impact Assessment Program

Description

Impact assessment is a process for evaluating how proposed actions, projects or policies could disturb or harm the environment. The Parks Canada impact assessment program and related environmental surveillance activities supports Parks Canada’s obligations under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) and related legislation. Impact assessment is a key tool that helps Parks Canada minimize environmental impacts and fulfill its mandate.

The impact assessment program ensures that projects carried out on Parks Canada–administered lands comply with policy and legislation and that the mitigation measures identified through Parks Canada’s impact assessment process are applied effectively. As part of this compliance function, a Parks Canada surveillance officer may inspect project sites during the construction or implementation phases of approved projects to ensure mitigation measures are implemented effectively.

Why a privacy impact assessment was completed

A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for the Impact Assessment Program is required because personal information about on-site contractors or sub-contractors is collected, used and disclosed for operational and administrative purposes. The PIA identifies and evaluates potential risks to the privacy of this information.

Personal information may be collected during on-site environmental surveillance inspection activities when necessary to identify individuals involved in project implementation (for example, project personnel, contractors, site representative, equipment operators, and other responsible contacts), and in documenting and reporting on-site activities, inspection findings and compliance to the appropriate Project Manager, Project Lead, or other related Parks Canada decision-making authority.

The information is stored within the Parks Canada Impact Assessment Environmental Surveillance System, for which access is granted only to Parks Canada personnel who require the information to carry out their responsibilities. Personal information collected will only be used on a project-specific basis to ensure compliance with impact assessment mitigations required by legislation.

Additional information

The PIA found that the risk levels associated with the Impact Assessment Program are low or non-existent, with no compliance issues identified. The Impact Assessment Program was found in compliance with the Privacy Act and the Treasury Board of Canada Policy on Privacy Protection. There are guidelines in place to ensure that personal information is used only for its intended purpose and only accessed by those who require the information to carry out their duties/have received authorization to access it.

Related personal information banks

Impact Assessment Environmental Surveillance Program PC-PPU-003

For more information about this privacy impact assessment

In order to have access to the full PIA, please submit a formal request at the following link: Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Online Request (apps.gc.ca).