Access to Information for Studies and Research

The University of Alberta may make available, information including personal information that is deemed necessary to conduct approved studies of the university. The Access to Personal Information for Research/Studies Procedure sets out the process to be followed in order to obtain approval to use personal information under the custody or control of the university for the purposes of performing a study, a survey or research.

https://policiesonline.ualberta.ca/policiesprocedures/procedures/access-to-personal-information-for-research-studies-procedure.pdf

Disclosure for original or consistent purpose (Section 40(1)(c))

This provision permits disclosure for the purpose for which the information was collected or compiled or for a purpose consistent with that purpose. The purpose for which personal information was collected or compiled means the object to be attained or the thing intended to be done.

A consistent purpose is one that has a direct and reasonable connection to the original purpose and that is necessary for performing the statutory duties of, or for operating a legally authorized program of, the public body that discloses the information (section 41). A disclosure is therefore permissible if it is a logical extension of the original use.

Examples of a consistent purpose

Evaluation of a program: Public bodies will have a regular need to evaluate the operation and success of their programs. This is particularly true of new programs or those that have changed in some way. This provision allows a public body to select clients or participants who can participate in that evaluation through questionnaires or interviews.

Research: Section 42 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act enables a public body to disclose personal information for a research purpose, including statistical research, only if

  • the research purpose cannot reasonably be accomplished unless that information is provided in individually identifiable form or the research purpose has been approved in accordance with university policy and procedures;
  • any record linkage is not harmful to the individuals the information is about and the benefits to be derived from the record linkage are clearly in the public interest;
  • the head of the public body has approved conditions relating to the following:
    • security and confidentiality,
    • the removal or destruction of individual identifiers at the earliest reasonable time,
    • the prohibition of any subsequent use or disclosure of the information in individually identifiable form without the express authorization of that public body
  • the person to whom the information is disclosed has signed an agreement to comply with the approved conditions, the Act and any of the public body's policies and procedures relating to the confidentiality of personal information.

The provision enables research to take place while at the same time ensuring that privacy is protected. This is accomplished by the strict conditions set out above. Prior to disclosing personal information for research purposes under this provision, a public body must ensure that all four requirements are met.


January 2014