The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) is the independent oversight body for the province’s access and privacy laws, including the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA). In the health context the IPC oversees how health information custodians collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal health information, investigates privacy complaints and breaches, and issues orders and guidance.
The IPC’s work is relevant to medical malpractice and patient-rights matters where a privacy breach is alleged, where access to records is refused, or where the handling of a patient’s health information is in question. The IPC enforces the regulatory privacy framework and can order custodians to change their practices, but it operates separately from the courts, where a patient may pursue civil remedies for harm caused by a breach.
Posts tagged Information and Privacy Commissioner analyze IPC decisions and guidance affecting health information and their relationship to civil claims.
A cosmetic surgery clinic recorded patients in consultation rooms and the operating room without telling them. In J.C. v Jugenburg, 2026 ONSC 3061, the court awarded $21.5 million in aggregate damages and $1 million in punitive damages, and clarified how intrusion upon seclusion applies inside the doctor-patient relationship.
A diagnostic radiologist conducted hundreds of unauthorized searches of patient records over six years. The OPSDT imposed a four-month suspension, reprimand, and costs.
A practical guide to obtaining your medical records in Ontario under PHIPA, including what to ask for, how to find every custodian, and what to expect.
Free, confidential consultations. Paul reviews every potential case personally and tells you honestly whether it merits investigation.