Canadian privacy & access decisions

An individual complained after an insurance company refused to provide access to her personal information following an incident at a store. The individual sought access to her insurance claim file, including case management notes and a video of the incident. The company initially refused, citing confidential commercial information and the personal information of third parties. Through the OPC's early resolution process, the company agreed to allow the individual to view the video and provided a redacted copy of the case management notes. The OPC's Early Resolution Officer reviewed the redactions to ensure they were properly applied. The complaint was resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.

• Whether an organization must provide an individual with access to their personal information upon request
• Whether case management notes constitute "confidential commercial information" under PIPEDA paragraph 9(3)(b)
• Whether a video containing images of third parties can be withheld from an access request
• Whether an organization can fulfill its access obligations by allowing viewing of a record rather than providing a copy
• Whether redaction of confidential commercial information or third-party personal information is an appropriate method to grant access