Act Respecting Access to Documents
Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information
Purpose of the law
Enacted by the National Assembly on June 22, 1982, and amended by Bill 86 on June 14, 2006, the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information governs nearly 2,600 public-sector organizations such as provincial and municipal government bodies, educational institutions, and healthcare and social services establishments. As a government-owned utility, Hydro-Québec is subject to that law.
Commonly referred to as the Access Act, this law enshrines two fundamental rights set out in the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms (the Charter) and provides a concrete and practical way to implement them:
The right to information (access to documents)
"Every person has a right to information to the extent provided by law." (Section 44 of the Charter)
Consequently,
- any person is entitled to consult the documents held by Hydro-Québec; and
- any person is entitled to know what information Hydro-Québec has about her or him.
The right to privacy (protection of personal information)
"Every person has a right to respect for his private life." (Section 5 of the Charter)
Consequently,
- Hydro-Québec may collect only the personal information required for its operations; and
- Hydro-Québec may not disclose any personal information it holds on a person without the consent of the person it concerns, apart from exceptional cases.
