We previously wrote about the proposed amendments to Saskatchewan’s freedom of information (FOI) legislation including The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FOIP”) and The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“LAFOIP”). Read more about the key amendments in our earlier post.
The amendments received Royal Assent earlier this year with only one minor change, and were proclaimed into force last week effective as of January 1, 2018. As such, these amendments will be law as of January 1, 2018.
Read the announcement of the Government of Saskatchewan.
Read the announcement of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Saskatchewan.
The amendments create various new obligations and potential liability for public bodies as well as for third parties such as contractors and information management service providers (IMSPs) who do business with public bodies.
Public bodies and third parties would be well advised to determine how the amendments impact them and to review existing policies, procedures and contractual agreements to ensure that they appropriately reflect and mitigate potential risks relating to the amendments.
MLT Aikins has experience with advising organizations relating to the amendments – including developing new documents and/or updating existing documents to reflect the amendments. A member of our privacy and FOI team would be pleased to discuss the amendments with you.
Note: This article is of a general nature only and is not exhaustive of all possible legal rights or remedies. In addition, laws may change over time and should be interpreted only in the context of particular circumstances such that these materials are not intended to be relied upon or taken as legal advice or opinion. Readers should consult a legal professional for specific advice in any particular situation.