Privacy and Policies

Lakelands Public Health supports transparent access to information while protecting personal privacy.

Submitting Your Request

Completed forms can be submitted:

•  Email: privacy@lakelandsph.ca
• In person: at any Lakelands Public Health office location
  

If you need assistance completing a form or require an accessible format, please contact us at privacy@lakelandsph.ca.

We manage, store, and dispose of information in accordance with the following legislation:

• Health Protection and Promotion Act
• Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) – governs access to general municipal information and privacy
• Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) – specifically protects personal health information
  
  

The Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) is Ontario’s health‑specific privacy legislation. It governs how health information custodians (HICs) including Medical Officers of Health and local public health units collect, use, and disclose personal health information.

PHIPA sets out:

• Collection, use, and disclosure rules: ensuring personal health information is handled lawfully and securely. 
• Individual rights: including the right to access your own records, request corrections, and authorize substitute decision‑makers in certain circumstances. 
• Purpose and intent: PHIPA protects personal health information while allowing necessary sharing to support effective healthcare delivery, public health functions, and health system management.

Personal health information includes details such as medical history, test results, treatment information, diagnostic reports, and billing or insurance data.

How PHIPA and MFIPPA Work Together

Public health units must comply with both:

·       MFIPPA: a broad public‑sector privacy and access law governing general municipal records.

·       PHIPA: a specialized law protecting personal health information. MFIPPA applies to general records (e.g., administrative, operational, program information), while PHIPA applies to personal health information. Lakelands Public Health follows both laws, applying each according to the type of information involved, along with other applicable provincial and municipal legislation.

Online privacy

We collect information when you visit our website, including your Internet Protocol (IP) address to track visitor movement to analyze trends and gather broad demographic information to improve our website. Please note that IP addresses do not include personally identifiable information.

Voluntary survey feedback

We may request information from website visitors in the form of surveys. Participating in a survey is voluntary. Survey information is only used for monitoring and improving the use and satisfaction of our website, services, and programs.

• Maintain and, upon request, make publicly available accessibility policies that guide our practices and responsibilities.
• Provide information and communications in accessible formats upon request.
• Continue to ensure our website complies with the requirements for accessible websites and web content as outlined in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) under the AODA.
• Offer accessible programs and services, and ensure staff receive training on accessibility requirements and inclusive practices.

We look forward to interacting with you online and encourage your participation across our channels @PHLakelands.

Terms of Use

Lakelands Public Health aims to provide safe spaces for all residents, both in-person and online. All interactions on our social media accounts must be respectful, professional and constructive. All accounts are monitored daily and we reserve the right to remove any comments that include any content we deem inappropriate, such as:

• Harassment, bullying, threats, slander, obscenity, profanity, and any other posts that are hateful, degrading or abusive.
• Inaccurate information, opinion-based theories, conspiracy theories or harmful health practices.
• Violation of a staff or client’s privacy.
• Violation of legal rights of another party, including intellectual property, or infringement of Canadian copyright regulations.
• Contains unsolicited promotional material (including promotion/endorsement of political parties and/or religious organizations)
• Promotes illegal activity.

In addition to removing inappropriate comments, we reserve the right to block or remove access to repeat offenders of this policy.

When interacting with Lakelands Public Health online, please refrain from including personal information as all our social media pages are public. If personal information is posted on our public pages, we reserve the right to remove it and we take on no responsibility for usage of your information by third parties.

Reuse of Video Content

Lakelands Public Health welcomes the reuse of its videos for educational purposes. Should you wish to use a video, please email info@lakelandsph.ca for permission.

Please note that we will not allow for any video modification or editing and will require that credit is given.

Online Interaction

Lakelands Public Health social media accounts are monitored Monday – Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

We follow, like, and share content that we deem is of value to our followers. Please note that being followed, liked or re-posted does not imply endorsement of any kind.

Direct messages, replies and comments on our social media accounts are monitored regularly and will be responded to as needed.

By posting any content on our social media pages, users agree to these Social Media Community Standards.