Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program - Businesses

Privacy Impact Assessment Overview

1. Name of Program or Activity: 

Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program - Businesses

2. Institution responsible for delivering Program or Activity: 

Public Safety Canada

3. Government Official Responsible for the Privacy Impact Assessment: 

Director, ATIP and Executive Services, Portfolio Affairs and Communications Branch, Public Safety Canada

Director, Privacy, ATIP Branch, Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Corporate Secretary and Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Management Division, Corporate Secretariat Branch, Employment and Social Development Canada

4. Head of Institution/Delegate:

Assistant Deputy Minister, Firearms Program Branch, Public Safety Canada

Deputy Commissioner, Specialized Policing Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Senior Associate Deputy Minister, Integrated Services Strategy and Operations, Employment and Social Development Canada/ Service Canada

5. Description of Program or Activity (from Results Framework):

In the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Throne Speeches and associated mandate letters to the Minister of Public Safety, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, and the Deputy Prime Minister, the government committed to a broad gun control agenda that includes a ban on assault-style firearms (ASFs). As of May 1, 2020, an Amnesty Order has been in place to protect lawful owners of the now-prohibited firearms.

The purpose of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP) is to provide fair compensation for eligible businesses and individuals who possess these prohibited firearms. The amnesty period will expire on October 30, 2026.

The ASFCP is to provide fair compensation for eligible businesses and individuals who possess these prohibited firearmsFootnote 1. The program is two phased: Phase 1 is directed at firearm businesses (i.e., industry), and Phase 2 at individuals. The ASFCP supports PS’s commitment to reducing crime and enhancing the safety of our communities through effective prevention and intervention.

PS will work closely with its partners to develop and implement a results-driven program, namely RCMP and ESDC/Service Canada who are collaborators on this multi-institutional Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA). All three institutions are committed to working together for the purposes of the program to facilitate the self-declaration of ASF owners; the collection, validation, and destruction of ASFs; and issuing compensation.

6. Class of records associated with the program or activity:

Channel Management (CoR)

Description: Records relate to the management of a service delivery channel (that is, Internet, telephone, in-person, or mail), including information, content of knowledge repositories (programs descriptions, procedures, and scripts) that support service delivery interactions between agents and the public, planning, quality assurance and research into the optimal functioning of the channels.

Document types: Agendas; briefing materials; business requirements: privacy impact analyses; procedures; processes; directives; training manuals; communiqués; correspondence; statistical reports; service frameworks; general information related to channels and enabling services; standards; strategies; surveys; tools; directives; policies; and frameworks.

Record number: ESDC CCS 007

7. Personal Information Bank:

With respect to the PIA identified in this Summary, two PIB need to be created:

Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program

Description: This bank describes the collection of personal information related to the administration of the ASFCP. Information maintained in this bank may include: name, address, contact information, date of birth, language preference, financial information, BIN, BLN, and firearm information.

Bank Number: PS PPU 051

Call Center Operations

Description: This bank describes information used to reply to general enquiries received on 1 800 O-Canada and various other Customized Information Services (CIS) enquiries by the Program. Personal information collected through various mechanisms (for example telephone, email, Fax, TTY) may include: name, contact information and voice recording. Personal information collected from CIS clients may include date of birth, as well as other program specific personal identifiers, such as service number, client account numbers, banking and credit information.

Bank Number: ESDC PPU 729

The following existing PIBs are also identified in the PIA:

Canadian Firearms Information System (CFIS)

Description: This bank describes the collection of personal information held in the CFIS.

Bank Number: RCMP PPU 037

Canadian Firearms Program

Description: This bank describes the collection of personal information related to the activities under the CFP, mainly via collection instruments (applications) for  firearm licensing of businesses, for registration of restricted and prohibited firearms, etc.

Bank Number: RCMP PPU 100

8. Legal Authority for Program or Activity:

The ASFCP was created as an exercise of federal spending power. The Minister of Public Safety will exercise the Crown's authority, as a natural person, to spend its funds; and will do so under the mandate of the Crown agency derived from the Minister's general responsibilities described in the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, SC 2005 c. 10, sections 4 and 6(1). As the role of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness is to support the Minister in carrying out his responsibilities, the Program falls within the Department's mandate under the same provisions.

9. Summary of the project / initiative / change: 

This multi-institutional PIA is being led by PS and supported by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada (ESDC/Service Canada). All three institutions are committed to working together for the purposes of the program to facilitate the self-declaration of ASF owners; the collection, validation and destruction of ASFs; and issuing compensation.

This PIA is an evaluation of Phase 1 of the ASFCP which focuses on businesses and considers the application of safeguards and the development of critical processes and features. The two main data components covered in this PIA include the Case Management System (CMS) and the Web Portal which are administered in accordance with relevant legislation and privacy related policies, including the Privacy Act. The PIA will also include information regarding the flow of information for the ASFCP; the Contact Centre; the non-digital process; roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders; as well as critical processes, such as the Security Assessment and Authorization (SA&A) process.

Information Sharing Arrangements

ASFCP for Businesses – Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Title

Information Sharing Arrangement between Public Safety Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the delivery of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (For Businesses)

Date of entry into force

October 7, 2024

Duration of the Arrangement

This arrangement will expire at the end of the ASFCP.

Date of review

Annually

Purpose

To facilitate the collection, use, retention, disclosure, accuracy, correction, update, sharing, storage and disposal of information and Personal Information between Public Safety Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the purpose of administering and delivering the Business Phase of the ASFCP.

Legal authorities

Subsections 4(1) and 6(1) of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code of Canada.

Information being disclosed and collected

Registration information, business information (e.g. license and business numbers, license expiry date, legal name, contact information and address), business representative information (e.g. first name and surname, date of birth, address, phone number and email), firearm information, firearm collection and destruction information.

Personal Information banks (including the title and number)

ASFCP for Businesses – Employment and Social Development Canada

Title

Information Sharing Arrangement between Public Safety Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada (ESDC/Service Canada) for the delivery of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (For Businesses)

Date of entry into force

October 7, 2024

Duration of the Arrangement

This arrangement will expire at the end of all close-out and archiving activities of the ASFCP.

Date of review

Annually

Purpose

To facilitate the collection, use, retention, disclosure, accuracy, correction, update, sharing, storage and disposal of information and Personal Information between Public Safety Canada and ESDC/Service Canada for the purpose of administering and delivering the Business Phase of the ASFCP.

Legal authorities

Subsections 4(1) and 6(1) of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, the Department of Employment and Social Development Act, and Order in Council P.C 2005-1637.

Information being disclosed and collected

Legal business name, business licenses number (BLN) and expiration, primary business representative first name and surname, primary business representative date of birth, business address and mailing address, BIN (last three digits only), email address, primary business representative job title, business phone number and extension, language preference and preferred method of communication. ESDC may also retain name and contact information for the purpose of providing a call back under limited situations.

Personal Information banks (including the title and number)

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