An Alberta woman finds errors about her personal information while reviewing paperwork at a local real estate firm. According to Canadian Standards Association (CSA) principles, how should the firm respond to these errors?

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information forms the foundation of PIPEDA and, by extension, Alberta's PIPA. A core component is the principle of Individual Access (Principle 9). Specifically, clause 4.9.5 of the Code states that when an individual successfully demonstrates the inaccuracy or incompleteness of their personal information, the organization "shall amend the information as required (either by correcting, deleting, or adding information)." Therefore, the real estate firm's primary and direct responsibility upon being notified of errors is to amend its records to ensure they are accurate.

A: Filing an internal report is a procedural step and does not fulfill the legal obligation to the individual to correct their personal information. C: Requesting new forms may help gather correct data, but the firm's obligation is to actively amend the existing erroneous records, not just create new ones. D: Providing names of third parties who received the erroneous data is a required subsequent step (under Principle 4.9.6), but it follows the primary action of amending the information.

1. Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (S.C. 2000, c. 5), Schedule 1, Clause 4.9.5. This clause details the organization's mandatory obligation to amend inaccurate information upon a successful challenge by an individual.

2. Personal Information Protection Act, S.A. 2003, c. P-6.5, s. 36. Alberta's legislation contains a parallel provision requiring organizations to correct an error or omission in personal information upon request.

3. Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. (2012). A Guide for Businesses and Organizations: Your Privacy Responsibilities. The guide explains the right of access and correction, stating "If you are satisfied that the information is incorrect, you must change it." (p. 14).