Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) is an independent oversight body established to uphold and promote open government and the protection of personal privacy within the province of Ontario, Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, the IPC operates autonomously from the government, reporting directly to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The IPC's core mandate involves overseeing compliance with Ontario's access and privacy laws, specifically the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), and the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). Its services include resolving access to information appeals and complaints, investigating privacy complaints, ensuring compliance with these acts by public institutions and healthcare providers, educating the public on their rights, conducting research on access and privacy issues, and providing expert advice on proposed government legislation and programs.

Patricia Kosseim has served as the Commissioner since July 1, 2020. In recent developments, the IPC has actively addressed the responsible use of artificial intelligence, releasing joint principles with the Ontario Human Rights Commission for AI in the public sector and new guidance on AI scribes to protect patient privacy in early 2026. The Commissioner has also voiced strong concerns regarding recent legislative changes by the Ontario government to FIPPA, warning that these amendments, passed in April 2026, would significantly weaken privacy protections, transparency, and independent oversight by retroactively limiting public access to records of the premier, cabinet ministers, and their staff. The IPC continues to advocate for the modernization of Ontario's access and privacy legislation.