Privacy at McMaster

Personally Identifiable Information (PI) is any recorded information about an identifiable individual, including: home address;  phone number; email address; identifying numbers; sexual orientation; ethnic origin; race; religion; age; sex; Education, financial, employment, medical, psychiatric, psychological or criminal history; Personal opinions of, or about, an individual; Personal correspondence; name where it appears with or reveals other personal information.

Student@mcmaster.ca accounts are personal information!

Employee name, position, and records about routine work matters are NOT usually considered personal information.

The Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 is an Ontario law that governs the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information within the health sector. The object is to keep personal health information confidential and secure, while allowing for the effective delivery of health care. Under this legislation, persons and organizations that provide health care are collectively known as health information “custodians.