Important Notices
Disclaimer
The material provided on Health Canada Online is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Health Canada is not engaged in rendering medical service or advice and the information provided is not a substitute for a professional medical opinion. If you have a medical problem, please contact a qualified health professional.
Hyperlinking
Links to Web sites not under the control of the Government of Canada (GoC) are provided solely for the convenience of users. The GoC is not responsible for the accuracy, currency or the reliability of the content. The GoC does not offer any guarantee in that regard and is not responsible for the information found through these links, nor does it endorse the sites and their content.
Users should be aware that information offered by non-GoC sites that are not subject to the Official Languages Act and to which Health Canada links, may be available only in the languages used by the sites in question.
(Please note: Links to documents housed on external sites will open in a new browser window.)
Also see Criteria for Hyperlinking To and From Health Canada's Web Sites.
Official Languages
Health Canada respects the  Official Languages Act and the relevant Treasury Board policies, and is committed to ensuring all information and services on this site are available in both English and French. However, users should be aware that some information from external sources that are not subject to the Official Languages Act is only provided as a convenience and is available only in the language in which it was provided.
Information and services that are provided on this site in languages other than English or French are only provided as a convenience to the user when available.
Copyright/Permission to Reproduce
Materials on this Web site were produced and/or compiled by Health Canada for the purpose of providing Canadians with direct access to information about the programs and services offered by the Government of Canada.
The material on this site is covered by the provisions of the Copyright
Act, by Canadian laws,
policies, regulations and international agreements. Such provisions serve to identify the information
source and, in specific instances, to prohibit reproduction of materials without written
permission.
Non-commercial Reproduction
Information on this site has been posted with the intent that it be readily available for personal and public non-commercial use and may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from Health Canada.
We ask only that:
- Users exercise due diligence in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced;
- Health Canada be identified as the source; and,
- The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made, in affiliation with or with the endorsement of Health Canada.
Reproduction rights refer only to text. Logos, symbols, photographs and any other graphical material may not be used or reproduced without permission unless explicitly stated in the source document.
Commercial Reproduction
Reproduction of multiple copies of materials on this site, in whole or in part, for the purposes
of commercial redistribution is prohibited except with written permission from the Government of
Canada's copyright administrator, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). Through
the permission granting process, PWGSC helps to ensure that individuals/organizations wishing to
reproduce Government of Canada materials for commercial purposes have access to the most accurate,
up-to-date versions. To obtain permission to reproduce materials on this site for commercial purposes,
complete our online Application for Copyright Clearance
on Health Canada Works or contact:
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Publishing and Depository Services
350 Albert Street, 4th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1A 0S5 or
copyright.droitdauteur@pwgsc.gc.ca
Third-party Materials
Some of the materials and graphical elements found on this Web site are subject to copyrights held by other organizations. This is particularly true of sites that are jointly operated by Health Canada and an external organization as part of a collaborative arrangement. In such cases, some restrictions on the reproduction of materials or graphical elements may apply and it may be necessary to seek permission from the rights holder prior to reproducing the material.
To obtain information concerning copyright ownership and restrictions on reproduction on this site, please contact Health Canada's Copyright Coordinator by email at pubsadmin@hc-sc.gc.ca or by sending a detailed fax to (613) 957-1395.
Privacy Notice
The Government of Canada and Health Canada are committed to providing visitors with Web sites that respect their privacy. This page summarizes the privacy policy and practices on Health Canada Web site and provides information about accessing personal information.
- The Health Canada Web site does not automatically gather any specific personal information from you, such as your name, phone number or e-mail address. We would only obtain this type of information if you supply it by sending us an e-mail or registering in a secure portion of the site;
- All personal information created, held or collected by this department is protected under the federal Privacy Act. At any point of collection, you will be informed of the purpose for which your personal information is being collected and how to exercise your right of access to that information. By submitting your personal information, you are consenting to its collection, use and disclosure according to the policy notice.
- Health Canada employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. This software receives and records the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the computer that has contacted our Web site, the date and time of the visit and the pages visited. We make no attempt to link these addresses with the identity of individuals visiting our site unless an attempt to damage the site has been detected;
- Health Canada does not normally use "cookies" to track how our visitors use this site or to determine sites previously visited. The system will notify you before any cookies are used so that you may refuse them. (A "cookie" is a file that may be placed on your hard drive without your knowledge by a Web site to allow it to monitor your use of the site.);
- Information on individual visitors is used by Health Canada employees who need to know the information in order to respond to your request or to ensure the security of this system. We only share the information you give us with another government department if your inquiry relates to that department. We do not use the information to create individual profiles, nor do we disclose this information to anyone outside the federal government; and,
- Unless specifically noted otherwise, neither electronic systems nor e-mail are secure information transmission methods. It is not recommended that sensitive personal information be transmitted electronically.
Questions or comments regarding this policy, or the administration of the Privacy Act in Health Canada may be directed to the Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator by e-mail to ATIP-AIPRP@hc-sc.gc.ca or by calling (613) 954-8744 or writing to:
Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
Health Canada
1010 Somerset Street West
1 st Floor,
Postal Locator: 2301D
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
Access to Information
To help you identify the information held by the Government of Canada, the government publishes details on information holdings in a publication titled Info Source.,
The Access to Information Act establishes the rights of all individuals and corporate entities present in Canada to have access to information contained in federal government records. The
Privacy Act governs the collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information and gives all individuals in Canada the right of access to information about themselves. However, some information may be exempt or excluded under these Acts.
Exemptions
Access to Information Act: Information that is requested may be exempted in part or in full if it relates to federal / provincial affairs, foreign affairs, personal information, third party information, solicitor-client privilege, etc.
Privacy Act: Disclosure of personal information is restricted and shall not be disclosed without the consent of the individual to whom it relates, except in accordance with Subsection 8(2) of the Privacy Act.
Exclusions
The Access to Information Act does not apply to information that is already publicly available, such as publications or material in libraries and museums. Cabinet documents are also excluded for a period of 20 years. Furthermore, the Act cannot give you access to records that are not controlled by the federal government.
Fees
Each formal request filed under the Access to Information Act requires an application fee of $5.00, payable by money order, cash, or cheque to the Receiver General of Canada. The first 5 hours of search and preparation time are included with the application fee. Additional charges may apply if copying, computer processing or further search and preparation time is required.
Note: There is no application fee for information requested under the Privacy Act or for informal requests for access to information.
Types of Requests
There are two types of requests:
- Access to Information Request for requesting information not of a personal nature
- Personal Information Request for requesting your own personal information.
These requests can be made either formally or informally.
- Informal request is a request for records that does not invoke the right of access provided by the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act. There are no formal time constrints, fees or opportunities for independent review of decisions for these types of requests.
- Formal request is a request made under the Act in writing to the government institution that controls the record.
The Access to Information Request form and Personal Information Request Form can be used for making formal requests under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act respectively.
Applying for Information
- Remit or enclose the application fee for formal requests made under the Access to Information Act.
- Send the completed form, letter or email to the Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator at the appropriate department or agency.
At Health Canada, you can apply for access to information by mailing us at the following address:
Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
Health Canada
1010 Somerset Street West
1 st Floor,
Postal Locator: 2301D
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
You can also contact us by email at mailto:atip-aiprp@hc-sc.gc.ca or by calling (613) 954-8744.
Appeals
If you are refused information, you should note which exemption has been applied to the document(s). If you do not agree with the exemptions that have been applied to the document(s), you may file a complaint with the Information Commissioner for review of the exemption. There may be cases where contacting the ATIP Coordinator of the department can resolve issues without formal complaints.
Complaints
You may file a complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner should you not be satisfied with the processing of your request under the Access to Information Act. You may file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner should you not be satisfied with the processing of your request under the Privacy Act.
The Offices of the Commissioners investigate all complaints confidentially. There are no costs involved. Your identity will be known only to the staff who investigate your complaint and to the officials of the institution to which you have made your request, who must respond to the Commissioner's investigation.
Once you have received the Commissioner's report, you may apply to the Federal Court of Canada for a review of the department's decision to deny access to the requested information, whether or not he or she supports your complaint. In some cases, the Commissioner may decide to take the case to the Federal Court of Canada him or herself on your behalf.
More information about Access to Information and Privacy at Health Canada is available in the About Health Canada section.
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