Ombudsman finds too much personal info needed when buying park passes, fishing licences

The Manitoba Ombudsman has ruled that the province’s online system for buying park passes and fishing licences requires too much personal information.

The Ombudsman began its investigation after receiving complaints that Manitoba Conservation and Climate’s e-licensing system requires both personal and health information for the purchase of wildlife, fishery and outdoor licences. The system takes information such as driver’s licence numbers, passport numbers, and personal health information.

In a report, the Manitoba Ombudsman ruled that the e-licencing system contravenes the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA). It said that the system collects more personal information than is reasonably necessary.

The Ombudsman recommends that the province complete its privacy impact assessment of both steps of its e-licensing system, and make any changes to ensure it complies with legislation.

It also recommends the department immediately stop collecting personal health information; destroy all the collected data that violates PHIA and FIPPA; and re-examine if collecting birth dates for customer accounts is necessary. The final suggestion is that the department update the online privacy statement to be accurate, comprehensible and information.

The Manitoba government said it is working on addressing the Ombudsman’s recommendations and has already completed three of the five.