The Allowance and the Allowance for the Survivor
Protecting your privacy
Your privacy is protected by law.
The Old Age Security Act and Regulations ensure that only specific agencies authorized by the Minister of Social Development are entitled to review the relevant parts of your records. Personal information in your file cannot be given to other agencies or individuals without your consent.
The Access to Information Act also prevents the release of information about you without your consent. There are two exceptions: information can be released if it has already been made public or if the release is allowed under the Privacy Act. The government can use information only for the purpose for which it was collected, except to comply with a warrant or subpoena or to enforce a law.
Can I have access to information on my file?
You have the right to review information about you that is kept on file by the Government of Canada.
To help Canadians find information about themselves, the Government of Canada publishes Info Source: Sources of Federal Government Information.
To make a request, you must fill out an information request form. These forms and Info Source are available in government offices open to the public, such as Human Resource Centres of Canada. They are also available at public libraries, at most rural post offices, at Canadian missions abroad and on the Internet. You can find the Info Source Web site at: http://infosource.gc.ca.