Information about business subsidies received not personal information

On June 15th the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench affirmed an Alberta OIPC finding that amounts of financial assistance received by livestock farmers under two government programs were not the farmers’ personal information. The OIPC held that even if the information could be linked indirectly to individuals (e.g., owners of sole proprietorships or closely held corporations) there was no proof that it had a “personal dimension” sufficient to qualify. The Court held the OIPC’s order was transparent and detailed, “made sense” and was consistent with the purpose of Alberta FIPPA.

Agriculture Financial Services Corporation v Alberta (Information and Privacy Commissioner), 2012 ABQB 397 (CanLII).