Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy

Queen’s Archives and the Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA)

Universities in Ontario are subject to the Ontario Freedom of Information, Protection of Privacy Act. Therefore, provision of access to university records held in the Archives at Queen's University follows the requirements of the Act.

For information on the Act, the Regulations and other access and privacy guidelines see:

USING UNIVERSITY RECORDS AT THE ARCHIVES

  • Under the Act, access to university records is open except for certain very specific restrictions. Please consult the archivist or the Freedom of Information, Protection of Privacy (FIPPA) Contact in the Archives for help with your access rights and the restrictions.
  • All university records that might otherwise have been restricted and that do NOT contain personal information are open twenty years after their creation.
  • Any personal information about an individual that is collected by the University during the course of its activities and is contained in university records in the Archives will be protected from disclosure.
  • Personal information about an individual is open only to that individual upon request. For access to any of your own information that might be held in university records in the Archives, please contact an archivist or the Freedom of Information, Protection of Privacy (FIPPA) Contact in the Archives for help.
  • Personal information held in the Archives is protected and cannot be disclosed until 30 years after the death of the individual.

USING NON-UNIVERSITY RECORDS AT THE ARCHIVES

The private (non-university) papers of individuals and organizations, (with some few exceptions), are not subject to the Act but only to any restrictions imposed by the donor of the material. Please consult with an archivist when beginning your research.