ATIA & POPA for Alberta Municipalities: Access, Privacy, and Good Governance

Audience:

• Municipal administrators and clerks

• CAOs and department heads

• Elected officials (mayors, reeves, and councillors)

• Records, training, and privacy officers

• Contractors working on behalf of municipalities

On June 11, 2025, Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) was repealed and replaced with the Access to Information Act (ATIA) and the Protection of Privacy Act (POPA). The ATIA and POPA apply to public bodies, including government departments, municipalities, police services, and many more.

ATIA establishes rights for persons to access records, as defined in the ATIA, that are in the custody or control of public bodies subject to limited and specific exceptions.

POPA establishes privacy rights for Albertans concerning personal information. It also permits public bodies to collect, use or disclose personal information in new ways, including for data matching and to create non-personal data.

Course Goal:
Enable municipalities to lawfully respond to access requests, protect personal information, and reduce legal, reputational, and operational risk under Alberta’s NEW access and privacy framework.

Course Information

Estimated Time: 1-3 Hours

Difficulty: Beginner

Course Instructor

Shannyn Rus Author

Shannyn's strong academic background and passion for strategic information management systems make her a highly capable advisor for those seeking to integrate legislation compliance with real-world experience and management. Shannyn is a skilled advocate and educator of Canada's Access and Privacy Legislation. In addition to her Human Services degree, Professional Investigators and IAPP Certificates, she is certified with the Canadian Institute of Access and Privacy Professionals at Professional (CIAPP-P) Status. Shannyn is a former municipal Councilor, frequent conference presenter and leads thought-provoking training sessions for public, health, public and private sectors in communities across Alberta.