Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption Program

Title of the PIA

Privacy Impact Assessment of Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption Program (FACTAP)

Government institution

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)

Head of DFO or delegate for section 10 of the Privacy Act

Director, Access to Information and Privacy Secretariat

Senior official or executive for the new or substantially modified program or activity

Director General, Aquaculture Management

Name and description of the program or activity of the government institution

The FACTAP is a program initiative of sub-program 1.3.1 Aquaculture Management, which is part of Program 1.3 Sustainable Aquaculture Program.

Program 1.3 - Sustainable Aquaculture Program

The goal of the Sustainable Aquaculture Program is to contribute to an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable Canadian aquaculture sector. Canada's aquaculture sector operates under one of the most stringent regulatory frameworks in the world which is designed to ensure the sector's environmental sustainability. Fisheries and Oceans Canada's regulatory mandate for the program is derived from the Fisheries Act, the Fisheries Development Act, and the Oceans Act. The Department has a regulatory role in British Columbia and lead regulatory authority in Prince Edward Island. Fisheries and Oceans Canada implements the Sustainable Aquaculture Program in a horizontal and integrated way with other federal departments and agencies to create optimal conditions for science-based sustainable management of the sector. The Department works collaboratively with industry, provinces and territories, Aboriginal groups, and others to ensure the success and long-term sustainability of Canada's aquaculture sector.

Sub-program 1.3.1 - Aquaculture Management

The Aquaculture Management sub-program's objective is to enhance the Department's aquaculture management regime, using a range of regulations, policies, and public reporting to implement its regulatory mandate for the sector. In doing so, efforts are made to improve current regulations and policies as well as develop new ones, which are streamlined and coherent across federal and provincial/territorial regimes while ensuring protection of the aquatic environment. These activities are supported by public reporting on the management of the sector and its economic and environmental performance. Delivery of this sub-program is aligned with Canada's international obligations and ensures that domestic regulatory responsibilities are consistent with international commitments to sustainable aquaculture management. The Department, in partnership with other government departments, supports Aboriginal communities interested in aquaculture and helps them develop viable aquaculture business plans and establish businesses that bring long-term sustainable economic benefit to their communities.

Legal authority

Section 4.4 (1) Fisheries Act and Financial Administration Act.

Personal Information Bank

This initiative is covered by the PIB Grant and Contribution Initiatives - DFO PPU 047

Short description of the project, initiative or change 

The FACTAP will assist Canada's fisheries and aquaculture industries in improving their environmental performance. To achieve this objective, the program will offer funding to assist the industry-driven adoption of market-ready clean technologies, processes, and/or sustainable practices in the day-to-day operations of aquaculture facilities and wild capture harvesting. This includes changes or modifications (e.g. adaptation) of technologies, processes, and/or sustainable practices in order to render them operational for use in the Canadian context.

This objective contributes to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' (DFO) Core Responsibility of Fisheries, under the program Aquaculture Management and Fisheries Management, as improvements to environmental performance may result in greater market acceptance and demand for some products, as well as potential reductions in operating costs over time as more efficient technologies are implemented.

The FACTAP contributes to the Governments of Canada's (GoC) Innovation Agenda, and the broader pan-Canadian and intergovernmental initiatives concerning the protection and conservation of Canada's natural environment, by making clear progress in reducing the environmental impact of the fisheries and aquaculture natural resource sectors while setting the stage for continuous improvement and innovation across Canada. This further aligns directly with the GoC's commitment to support clean technology, including in the forestry, fisheries, mining, energy, and agriculture sectors.

Risk area identification and categorization

The following section contains risks identified in the PIA for FACTAP.

Type of program or activity

Personal information is used to make decisions that directly affect the individual (i.e. determining eligibility for programs including authentication for accessing programs/services, administering program payments, overpayments, or support to clients, issuing or denial of permits/licenses, processing appeals, etc.)

Level of risk to privacy: Low

Type of personal information involved and context

Financial information (assets and liabilities, banking information, tax information) about a business operating as a sole proprietorship or partnership is considered personal information about the principle owner(s) of the business; personal information is used to inform and support funding decisions.

Level of risk to privacy: Medium

Program or activity partners and private sector involvement

Program administration does not involve partners and applications are processed within the institution.

Level of risk to privacy: Low

Duration of the program or activity

The initiative is a short-term program expected to last for 4 years.

Level of risk to privacy: Low

Program population

The use of personal information is for external administrative purposes that affects only certain individuals.

Level of risk to privacy: Medium

Technology & privacy

Does the new or substantially modified program or activity involve implementation of a new electronic system or the use of a new application or software, including collaborative software (or groupware), to support the program or activity in terms of the creation, collection or handling of personal information?

No

Does the new or substantially modified program or activity require any modifications to information technology (IT) legacy systems?

No

Does the new or substantially modified program or activity involve implementation of new technologies or one or more of the following activities enhanced identification methods, surveillance, or automated personal information analysis, personal information matching and knowledge discovery techniques?

No

Level of risk to privacy: Low 

Personal information transmission

Personal information is used in a system that has connections to at least one other system.

Level of risk to privacy: Low

Risk impact to the individual or employee in the event of a privacy breach

The privacy impact on individuals in the event of a breach incident is medium, however, the likelihood of it occurring is low. 

Level of risk to privacy: Medium

Risk impact to the institution in the event of a privacy breach

There is risk of financial harm to DFO in the event of a breach incident.

Level of risk to privacy: Medium