Step-By-Step Guide for Contractors

Effective April 2022, FOIPPA Foundations replaced the previous course, Privacy and Information Sharing: Awareness Training for Contractors and Service Providers. FOIPPA Foundations is offered for free and should be used to fulfil contractor training requirements.

Background

This guide supports the steps to complete contractor training requirements as outlined in the Privacy Protection Schedule (PPS). The PPS is attached to contracts that have been assessed to involve personal information. The PPS includes a requirement that contractors take privacy training prior to providing services involving personal information.

The steps below may vary between ministries as each ministry is responsible for the personal information in their custody or under their control. Please co-ordinate completion of the course with your contract manager.

Step 1: Determine who needs to take the training

No Personal Information

If it is determined that personal information is not accessed, collected, or created as part of the contracted services, then contractors are not required to complete the privacy training.

Personal Information Involved

If it is determined that personal information is involved, each individual working for, or on behalf of the contractor who accesses, collects or creates personal information as part of delivering services on behalf of the Province must take the training prior to providing those services. This includes volunteers and sub-contractors of the contractor.

There may be cases where there is a record of individuals having already taken the training (e.g. as part of a different contract, or simply as a proactive measure), in which case they may not be required to take the course again. However, if this training was prior to 2022 they may want to take FOIPPA Foundations to ensure they are working with up-to-date information.

Ministries are responsible for ensuring their contractors or service providers complete the training. The process for validating completion may vary, based on ministry specific procedures. Please consult with your contract manager for more information.

If you have questions about course completion, please contact the Privacy and Access Helpline.

Step 2: Take the course

Now that you’ve determined that personal information is involved in the contracted services, and who is required to take the privacy training, the next step is to complete the training.

How to complete the course

1. Visit the FOIPPA Foundations course online. This course is free. No payment is required.

2. Open the course material by selecting Module 1 and complete the module. Follow the same steps for Modules 2 and 3, ensuring to read through each module.

• Upon successful completion of Module 3 and the exam, the course will prompt you to retrieve a certificate of course exam completion
• A pop-up box will appear where you will enter your first and last name
• Once entered, the certificate will automatically download
• Contractors and service providers are responsible for retaining their certificate; it will be used to verify course completion

Note: The Corporate Privacy Office (CPO) does not track completion of FOIPPA Foundations. Failure to retain certificates of course exam completion may result in having to retake the course.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if a contractor used to work for government? Do they have to take the course?

All government employees are required to take a similar privacy course to the contractor course. Therefore, those contractors who previously worked in government and for which CPO has a record of their course completion, can receive credit for the contractor course and upon request, can be provided a certificate confirming their completion. Contractors may want to take FOIPPA Foundations to ensure they are working with up-to-date information.

What if a contractor has many employees that would be required to take the course?

Alternative arrangements to meet the training requirement can be made in extenuating circumstances. These arrangements must be made and approved through CPO prior to implementation in order to receive credit for the course.

Who can I contact if I have further questions?

For additional information, to request a certificate of completion of the government privacy training course, or to discuss alternative arrangements to meet the training requirement, please contact the Privacy and Access Helpline. When you contact the helpline, please include “contractor training” in the subject line.