The difference between your right to access your own information and your right to access records held by government.
This page provides legal information, not legal advice. Consult a qualified privacy lawyer or CIPP/C-accredited privacy professional before taking action on access requests, breach response, complaints to a Privacy Commissioner, or Federal Court applications.
Last verified: September 2026
TL;DR
Privacy laws protect personal information and give you rights over your own data. Access-to-information laws give you (and any citizen) a right to request government records for transparency. Both regimes often live in the same statute but serve different purposes.
Privacy side of the law
The privacy side of FIPPA, FOIP, ATIPP, the Privacy Act, and health privacy statutes gives you rights over your own personal information: access, correction, and consent. These rights are personal to the subject of the information.
Access side of the law
The access side of the same statutes lets any member of the public request records about government activities. Requests are subject to exemptions for Cabinet confidences, policy advice, law enforcement, and third-party personal information.
How the two sides interact
When you request records under the access regime, personal information about others is generally redacted. When you request your own file under the privacy regime, information about others is also withheld, but you have broader access to information about yourself.