How to use this document

In addition to specific Standards, this document offers rationales and guidance:

Standards
are requirements that apply to PSOs regulated under the ARA.
Rationales
provide reasons behind the Standards.
Guidance
describes exemplary practices and important considerations to take into account in complying with the Standards.

The Standards reflect consideration of the diverse functions, needs and operational realities of PSOs in Ontario.

Overview of the Standards

  1. Assess, Plan and Prepare
    • Identify need and establish specific organizational objectives for personal information collection based on stakeholder and community input.
    • Determine organizational priorities and resources and conduct a privacy impact assessment.
    • Identify meaningful policy, program, or service delivery outcomes, and establish an analysis plan.
    • Establish data governance processes and develop and plan collection policies and procedures, including measures related to quality assurance and security of personal information.
    • Identify training needs and develop and deliver appropriate training and other resources to support compliance with the ARA, the regulations and the Standards, and relevant privacy legislation.
  2. Collect Personal Information
    • Communicate the purpose and manner of personal information collection to clients and communities.
    • Implement the collection of personal information based on voluntary express consent.
  3. Manage and Protect Personal Information
    • Implement processes for quality assurance and the security of personal information.
    • Maintain and promote secure systems and processes for retaining, storing, and disposing of personal information.
    • Limit access to and use of personal information
  4. Analyse the Information Collected
    • Calculate and interpret racial disproportionality or disparity statistics.
    • Apply thresholds and interpret whether notable differences exist that require further analysis and/or remedial action.
  5. Release of Data and Results of Analysis to the Public
    • De-identify data sets and results of analyses before making information public, consistent with Open Government principles.
    • Include results of racial disproportionalities or disparities in the reports to the public, along with thresholds used.
  6. Support and Promote Anti-Racism Organizational Change
    • Use information to better understand racial inequities, and to inform evidence-based decisions to remove systemic barriers and advance racial equity.
    • Continue to monitor and evaluate progress and outcomes.
    • Promote public education and engagement about anti-racism.
  7. Participant Observer Information (POI)
    • Plan to collect, manage and use POI with input from affected communities and stakeholders.
    • Implement the collection of POI according to requirements for indirect collection.
    • Have measures in place to ensure the accuracy of POI before use.