Canadian Congenital Anomalies Surveillance System (CCASS) PIA (March 2016)

Description of (Program/Initiative)

The Canadian Congenital Anomalies Surveillance System (CCASS) is a population-based surveillance of congenital anomalies which captures secondary health surveillance information on all infants born in Canada and diagnosed as having a congenital anomaly within the first year of life. Under the CCASS, PHAC collaborates with the provinces and territories and other stakeholders to enhance established surveillance systems and to support the development of new systems where there is currently none.

PHAC manages the CCASS program and works in collaboration with the provinces and territories (PT) to obtain congenital anomalies data through memorandums of agreements and contracts. PTs share their data with PHAC for national reporting on congenital anomalies.

Why was a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) completed?

A PIA was completed on CCASS as the sensitivity of the personal information collected has an impact on privacy and warranted the conduct of a PIA.

The PIA examines the privacy-related risks of the Canadian Congenital Anomalies Surveillance System and proposes methods to lower these risks.

More Information

This PIA focused on the Public Health Agency of Canada's collection, use, disclosure and retention and disposition of personal information involved in CCASS' business processes.

The PIA recommended mitigation actions in the following risk areas: refinement of the Personal Information Bank (PIB), establishing retention and disposition authorities, and updating safeguards.