Student Personal Information Access According to PIPEDA and PIPA

CityU is committed to the responsible collection, use, and disclosure of personal information in accordance with PIPEDA and applicable provincial privacy laws in British Columbia (BC PIPA) and Alberta (AB PIPA).

Under these laws, students have the following rights:

The right to review and inspect their records with some restrictions.
The right to request corrections to their personal information to address inaccuracies or incompleteness.
The right to have some control over disclosures of their personal information.
The right to withdraw or vary consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of their personal information, subject to legal or practical limitations and reasonable notice.
The right to file a complaint with the applicable Privacy Commissioner.

Valid Consent

Consent is required for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information except in limited circumstances outlined below. Consent may be:

Explicit: Clearly and directly provided, such as in writing or verbally.
Implicit: Deemed given when a reasonable person would consider the purpose obvious, and the individual voluntarily provides the information (e.g., enrolment in courses, financial aid applications).

Valid consent requires that individuals understand the nature, purpose, and consequences of the collection, use, or disclosure of their personal information.

Collection, Use, and Disclosure Without Consent

CityU may collect, use, or disclose personal information without explicit consent in specific situations where it is:

Required by law, such as compliance with court orders, audits, or legal investigations.
Necessary to protect health, safety, or security, including responding to emergencies or contacting next of kin.
For archival, research, or legal proceedings where obtaining consent is unreasonable.
In the legitimate interests of the individual, where timely consent cannot be obtained.
Necessary for financial transactions, such as repayment of debts owed to or by the University.
Publicly available information, as prescribed by regulations.

Prevention of Disclosure at Students’ Request

Students have the right to request that the University restrict the disclosure of their personal information. Requests must be made in writing to the Office of the Registrar. Students should note that restricting disclosure may impact services or communications, and CityU is legally obligated to release certain information under applicable laws.

(Policy #2300.03.02)