Woman fails in attempt to return personal information to Canada Revenue Agency
A woman received the personal information of five strangers along with her daughter's tax documents from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). She attempted to return the information to the CRA through various channels but faced difficulties. The OPC launched a Commissioner-initiated investigation, which concluded that the CRA had breached the privacy rights of the individuals whose information was improperly disclosed. The CRA has since implemented remedial measures to improve its procedures for handling misdirected mail and facilitating breach reporting.
- Adequacy of CRA's procedures for handling misdirected personal information.
- Effectiveness of CRA's channels for the public to report privacy breaches.
- Timeliness and appropriateness of CRA's response to the breach.
Complaint well-founded — corrective measures taken.
The investigation found that the CRA breached the privacy rights of individuals whose confidential information was improperly disclosed. The OPC was satisfied with the remedial measures taken by the CRA.
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The CRA implemented improved internal procedures regarding client service and misdirected mail, and offered to courier pre-stamped envelopes to facilitate breach reporting.
This summary is informational only and not legal advice.