Canadian Privacy Decisions

An individual complained that a department store disclosed his personal information to a third party for a mail solicitation, despite his prior request not to share his data. The investigation found that no personal information was actually disclosed; the mail-out was conducted by the department store on behalf of the third party. The store agreed to clarify its mailings and review its opt-out policies. The complaint was settled.

• Disclosure of personal information to a third party
• Clarity of consent and opt-out mechanisms
• Cross-promotion versus disclosure to non-affiliated third parties

The complainant alleged that a collection agency failed to report a paid-off debt to credit bureaux, negatively impacting his ability to secure credit. After the OPC's involvement, the agency investigated, confirmed the debt was paid, and updated the credit bureaux, resolving the issue. The complaint was settled during the investigation.

• Accuracy of credit reporting
• Timeliness of information updates to credit bureaux