Canadian privacy & access decisions

A condominium owner filed a complaint after his request for access to his personal information was met with a demand for payment for photocopies or an offer to view documents at the organization's lawyer's office. The individual argued that this was not access at "minimal or no cost" as required by PIPEDA Principle 4.9.4. The OPC's early resolution unit intervened, and the organization initially offered free viewing with the option to select pages for free copies. The complainant, citing a disability, found viewing 1000 pages unreasonable. The OPC proposed that the individual narrow his request, which he accepted. Consequently, the organization agreed to provide free copies of the specific documents containing his personal information, leading to the complainant's satisfaction.

• Whether the organization's initial response to an access request met the "minimal or no cost" requirement under Principle 4.9.4 of PIPEDA
• Whether an offer to view documents without free copies constitutes adequate access under PIPEDA
• Whether the organization's proposed solution of viewing documents at a lawyer's office was reasonable given the complainant's disability
• Whether narrowing the scope of an access request can facilitate resolution and compliance with PIPEDA