County Updates Privacy Policy | Sherwood Park News
County Updates Privacy Policy | Sherwood Park News
Publish Date: 2026-05-28 11:36:00
Source Domain: www.sherwoodparknews.com
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Published May 28, 2026 • 2 minute read
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Strathcona County council has approved a new privacy and access policy as the municipality moves to comply with Alberta’s updated access and privacy laws, marking a shift from a decades-old framework to a more detailed and prescriptive regime.
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The change follows the repeal of the province’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act on June 11, 2025, when it was replaced by two statutes: the Access to Information Act and the Protection of Privacy Act.
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During a presentation to council, John Anderson, the county’s coordinator of access and privacy, said the transition has been eased by existing practices already in place.
“The county’s existing privacy policy and existing privacy and access practices have streamlined the transition process, allowing the administration to focus on the new requirements,” he said.
Some of the changes are procedural, including a shift from calendar days to business days for processing access requests, as well as new powers for public bodies to manage overly broad or duplicative applications.
But the broader overhaul introduces more substantial requirements, including a mandatory privacy management program that all public bodies must have in place by June 11, 2026.
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“The program is to consist of documented policies and procedures that promote the county’s compliance with its duties under privacy legislation,” Anderson said.
The county’s framework will be built on a council-approved policy, a directive issued by the chief administrative officer, and detailed internal procedures, alongside updated governance documents such as…
