Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
2023-2024
Annual report to parliament
Privacy Act

Introduction

The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) is pleased to submit to Parliament its annual report on the administration of the Privacy Act for the reporting period commencing on April 1, 2023, and ending on March 31, 2024.

This report is prepared and tabled in accordance with section 72 of the Privacy Act which requires that the head of every federal institution prepare and submit an annual report to Parliament on the administration of the Act in the institution during the fiscal year.

This report is being prepared in the capacity of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada as the head of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Purpose of the Privacy Act

The purpose of the Privacy Act is to provide:

• individuals with the right to access and correct personal information about themselves that is under the control of a government institution
• the legal framework for the collection, retention, use, disclosure, disposition and accuracy of personal information in the administration of programs and activities by government institutions subject to the Act.

Mandate of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada

Under the Historic Sites and Monuments Act, the Board is the statutory advisory body to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the national historic significance of places, people, events of Canadian history. The Government of Canada has designated over 2,200 subjects of national historic significance on the advice of the HSMBC since its inception in 1919. The HSMBC is also responsible for providing advice on the designation of heritage railway stations under the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act and on the designation of heritage lighthouses under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.

The Indigenous Affairs and Cultural Heritage Directorate of Parks Canada (the Directorate), offers secretariat services to the HSMBC and receives approximately 1,000 queries annually from the public, MPs, media and heritage organizations across Canada related to the designation process, information about the HSMBC and previous HSMBC deliberations.

The Directorate also processes and responds to about 50 nominations for subjects of possible national historic significance each year. It also administers the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act, the National Program for the Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers and the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.

Organizational structure

HSMBC modified their ATIP Delegation Order in June 2023, granting full authority to Parks Canada’s Access to Information and Privacy Office.

During this reporting period, Parks Canada’s ATIP Office was part of the Corporate Communications Branch. The Access to Information and Privacy Office is comprised of six (6) full-time employees responsible of implementing and managing services related to the administration of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act for Parks Canada and HSMBC.

Internal tools and procedures have been developed to support the Agency in meeting its obligations under the Access to Information and Privacy Act, regulations and Treasury Board policies and are regularly reviewed and improved.

HSMBC handles a relatively low number of requests received under the Privacy Act.

Delegation order

Performance 2022-2023

The Statistical Report submitted on behalf of the HSMBC to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) for the period of April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024.

Over the past 11 years (2013-2014 to 2023-2024), the HSBMC has not received any requests under the Privacy Act. As a result, there is no data to report.

Training and awareness

No training or awareness activities took place during this period.

Policies, guidelines, procedures and initiatives

Given that no requests have been made in the past 10 years, the HSMBC has not instituted any new or revised institution-specific policies, guidelines or procedures related to privacy above those already available from the Parks Canada ATIP office. All of the HSMBC’s information holdings are accessible to the public upon release by the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, subject to the exemptions provided for in the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act.

Initiatives and Projects to Improve Access to Information

For the reporting period commencing on April 1, 2023, and ending on March 31, 2024, the delegation under the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act on behalf of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada was granted to Parks Canada employees responsible for the Parks Canada Access to Information Office. This change was implemented to ensure that access to information and privacy requests are treated by a dedicated and specialized organizational unit.

Summary of key issues and actions taken on complaints

No complaints were filed with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada during the reporting period under review. There have been no audits or investigations.

Monitoring compliance

No monitoring related to the time to process privacy requests was conducted in 2023-2024, as the HSMBC did not receive any privacy requests nor requests for the correction of personal information during this reporting period.

Material privacy breaches

There were no material privacy breaches reported to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and to the Information and Privacy Policy Division, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat during this period.

Privacy impact assessments

No Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) were completed during the reporting period of 2023-2024.

Public interest disclosures

There were no disclosures of personal information made pursuant to 8(2)(m) of the Privacy Act during the reporting period.