National > Access to Information:What are access to information laws?Every day, public bodies across Canada generate a tremendous amount of information. (Public bodies can include governments at various levels, hospitals, and educational institutions, for example.) They also collect and store a large amount of information about businesses, organizations, and individuals. This information is necessary for their daily work and means they possess a lot of information about people. Information about individuals is also collected, used, and retained by organizations such as private businesses, charities, and health organizations. Access to information laws govern how this information can be accessed, and by whom. They set the guidelines for determining when the release of information is appropriate, when it is not, how information is collected, how it is retained, and when information might need to be corrected.
June 2006 |
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