Environment and Conservation
May 11, 2015
Upholding the Protection of Personal Information
Department Advising of Error in Big Game Application Mailing and Resulting Privacy Breach
The Department of Environment and Conservation is advising residents that it has been made aware of 15 instances out of a total of 103,000 mailings where Big Game Licence Application recipients have received, in addition to their own application, an application intended for another individual. There have also been two reports of recipients receiving applications in unsealed envelopes.
"This government takes the protection of personal privacy very seriously. We are working with the third party vendor responsible for the mailing to determine exactly what happened and to ensure that something like this does not occur again. We regret this error and apologize to those impacted." - The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation
The Big Game Licence Application mail out process is awarded annually via public tender. In 2015, the tender was awarded to Transcontinental Nova Scotia Media Group Inc., locally operated as The Telegram. This vendor has successfully performed the work in previous years.
Each application contains the intended recipient's name, address, driver's licence number, as well as login and password information for the Wildlife Information Management System.
The department has notified the known impacted individuals by letter, informing them of the breach and advising of their right to contact Service NL and request a new driver's licence number, at no cost.
The department is also asking any individual who has not yet received their application to contact Grant Dicks, Manager of Licensing and Operations, Wildlife Division, at 709-637-2045 or gdicks@gov.nl.ca.
QUICK FACTS:
- An error in the Big Game Licence Application mailing has resulted in a privacy breach. While the exact number of impacted individuals cannot be confirmed, the department is aware of 17 instances.
- The mailing was carried out by Transcontinental Nova Scotia Media Group Inc., locally operated as The Telegram. Certified by Canada Post as a "certified mail service provider," this vendor has successfully performed the work in previous years.
- Known impacted individuals have been contacted and may request a new driver's licence through Motor Vehicle Registration, at no cost.
- Anyone who has not yet received their application should contact Grant Dicks, Manager of Licensing and Operations, Wildlife Division, at 709-637-2045 or gdicks@gov.nl.ca
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Media contact:
| Jennifer Collingwood
Director of Communications Department of Environment and Conservation 709-729-2575, 689-8605 JenniferCollingwood@gov.nl.ca |
2015 05 11 9:15 a.m.