Research into privacy impacts of technology among priority funding areas for
renewed grants program

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada welcomes extension of federal funding program that has supported more than 50 privacy-related research initiatives since 2004

OTTAWA , Jan. 19 /CNW Telbec/ - Research into the privacy implications of information technologies will be among the four priority areas for funding support under a renewed privacy research and public awareness Contributions Program, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) announced today.

With the highly regarded program now entering its seventh year, up to $500,000 in funding will be available for research and public awareness initiatives related to important trends and influences affecting the privacy of Canadians. Individual research proposals would be eligible for support of up to $50,000 , while an individual organization could receive a total grant worth up to $100,000 .

Emerging information technologies can threaten the privacy of Canadians or enhance it - and sometimes both simultaneously, the OPC noted. For that reason, the Office is especially interested in receiving grant applications from researchers examining, from a scientific or technical standpoint, the impact of information technologies on privacy.

The OPC is also inviting research proposals that would explore privacy in three other priority contexts: identity integrity and protection; genetic privacy; and national security.

While the OPC prefers projects scheduled for completion by March 31, 2011 , longer-term projects would also be considered for funding. The deadline for applications is Feb. 26, 2010 . Information on applying for grants is posted on the OPC website, along with summaries of previously funded projects.

Created in 2004 to support non-profit research on privacy, the Contributions Program is considered one of the foremost programs of its kind in the world. It has so far allocated close to $2 million to more than 50 initiatives.

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is mandated by Parliament to act as an ombudsman, advocate and guardian of privacy and the protection of personal information rights of Canadians.

For further information: about the Contributions Program, please contact: François Cadieux, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Tel: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Media contact: Anne-Marie Hayden, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Tel: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]