Personal Information Sharing Agreements: Public Health Agency of Canada
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Overview
The Public Health Agency of Canada relies on personal information to deliver many of its programs and operations. In some cases, we need to share personal information with third parties to support critical functions. When we do, we follow the Privacy Act and federal privacy policies to ensure that privacy is protected and information is handled responsibly.
Personal Information Sharing Agreements
Whenever the Public Health Agency of Canada shares personal information with a third party, we create a written agreement that outlines what information we will share, how the third party can use it, and the privacy and security safeguards in place. The type, format and duration of these agreements vary depending on the nature of each activity.
To promote transparency and meet the requirements of the Directive of Privacy Practices, the Public Health Agency of Canada publishes summaries of agreements that involve the ongoing sharing of personal information.
Types of agreements:
- Information Sharing Agreement (ISA) or Data Sharing Agreement (DSA): Used when the Public Health Agency of Canada shares information with an external private or public sector organization.
- Information Sharing Arrangement (ISA): Used when the Public Health Agency of Canada shares information with another federal institution.
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): An agreement between two or more parties that outlines their shared goals, plans, and responsibilities. MOUs may include the sharing of personal information.
- Contract: Used when the Public Health Agency of Canada shares personal information as part of a contractual relationship, the contract sets out the terms and conditions of the information sharing.
Sharing formats:
- One-way disclosure: One party shares personal information with another party.
- Two-way disclosure: Both parties share personal information with each other.
- Multi-party one-way disclosure: One party shares personal information with two or more parties.
- Multi-party two-way disclosure: More than two parties share personal information with each other.
Agreement lengths:
- Determinate agreement: Has a set end date.
- Indeterminate agreement: Has no set end date.
Personal Information Sharing Agreement summaries
- Information Sharing Arrangement Between Employment and Social Development Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Public Health Agency of Canada regarding Law Enforcement Record Checks in support of the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act Security Clearance Program