Lethbridge College ordered to disclose survey responses

An Adjudicator with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has ordered Lethbridge College to disclose survey responses it withheld in relation to an access request.

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the FOIP Act), the applicant asked Lethbridge College for anonymous surveys completed by team members of the women’s volleyball team about coaching staff, along with documentation referring to the surveys.

The College provided the survey questions but withheld the responses, citing exceptions to disclosure for third party personal privacy, health or safety of an individual, and advice from officials.

The Adjudicator determined that most of the information withheld by the College was not personal information as the volleyball team members could not be identified individually from the survey responses. She also found that there was no reasonable expectation that harm to team members would result from the disclosure of their statements. In addition, the Adjudicator found that records did not contain consultations or deliberations, but rather an objective description of a state of affairs.

Lethbridge College was ordered to disclose the information in the records to the Applicant, with the exception of some limited information that could identify a third party.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner works independent of government to protect the access and privacy rights of all Albertans.

For a copy of Order F2013-28, please visit our website at www.oipc.ab.ca.