Lethbridge Polytechnic is under the jurisdiction of the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act and Access to Information Act, which establish two important rights:
- the right of the public to access information held by public bodies (i.e. the polytechnic)
- the right of individuals to the privacy of their personal information
These Acts replaced the FOIP Act on June 11, 2025.
The Protection of Privacy Act (POPA):
• Control the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by a public body,
• Allow individuals a right to request corrections to personal information about themselves,
• Control the creation, use and disclosure of data derived from personal information and non-personal data by a public body, and
• Provide for independent reviews of decisions made by public bodies under this Act and the resolution of complaints under this Act.
The Access to Information Act (ATIA):
• Allow a right of access to records held by public bodies subject to limited and specific exceptions,
• Allow a right of access to an individuals own personal information about themselves, subject to limited and specific exceptions, and
• Provide the for independent decision made by public bodies under this Act to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Access to Information Requests
Any member of the public can make an Access to Information Request under the Access to Information Act. To submit a formal Access to Information Request, please complete the Access to Information Request Form.
Once the request is submitted, the Privacy Officer will contact you to clarify the request and discuss any potential fees that may apply. Once the request is active, the Polytechnic has 30 business days to complete the request. The Acts (POPA and ATIA) govern which information the Polytechnic will disclose to a requestor.
Some records are available without a formal Access to Information request. For students and employees, your personal information may be available within your polytechnic self-service account. Contact our Privacy Officer at privacy@lethpolytech.ca for more information on how to best access the information you want.
You can also request to have your information corrected. If you believe that there has been an omission or that your personal information has been incorrectly recorded, you can request a correction by contacting the service area that holds the information or the Privacy Officer at privacy@lethpolytech.ca.
Protection of Privacy
Lethbridge Polytechnic advocates that personal information belongs to each individual and they have a right to privacy. Alberta's privacy legislation establishes limitations to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by the polytechnic to protect the privacy of individuals.
Definition of personal information
The Protection of Privacy Act states that personal information is:
- an individual’s:
- name, home or business address, or home or business telephone number, home or business email
- race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religious or political beliefs or associations
- age, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, marital status or family status
- identify numbers or symbols assigned to the individual
- fingerprints, other biometric information, blood type, genetic information or inheritable characteristics
- information about the individual’s:
- health and health care history, including information about a physical or mental disability
- educational, financial, employment or criminal history, including criminal records where a pardon has been given
- anyone’s opinion about the individual
- an individual’s personal views or opinions, except if they are about someone else
Personal Information Banks
A Personal Information Bank (PIB) is a collection of the types of personal information held by Lethbridge Polytechnic. Each PIB entry provides information about:
- the name or title of the PIB;
- where the PIB is located;
- what personal information is contained in the PIB;
- who the information is about;
- why the information is collected; and
- the legal authority authorizing collection.
The purpose of a PIB is to help the public know and understand what personal information the polytechnic might have about them as individuals. This document does not provide direct access to an individual’s records. Information on obtaining access to records in the custody and control of the polytechnic can be found by:
- visiting the polytechnic website;
- contacting the Privacy Officer by phoning (403) 320-3361;
- emailing privacy@lethpolytech.ca; or
- writing to 3000 College Dr S, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 1L6 c/o Privacy Officer.
Please note that a PIB Directory is a living document; entries in the PIB are added, modified, and deleted on an ongoing basis as records change.
You can access Lethbridge Polytechnic's Personal Information Bank in our forms document centre.
Consent forms
All consent forms used to provide written consent for the use and disclosure of personal information can be found in our forms document centre.
Any questions you have about the appropriate use of these consent forms can be directed to our Privacy Officer within the Policy, Privacy and Risk office.
Correction Requests
If an individual believes personal information held by the polytechnic contains an error or omission, they have a right to request that the polytechnic correct their personal information that it has in its custody or under its control.
- Error: Information that is incorrect, mistaken, or does not accurately reflect the true situation.
- Omission: Information that is incomplete, missing, or overlooked, resulting in an incomplete record.