City of Langford councillors and staff have undergone training after an investigation concluded the council had breached privacy law when sharing a residentB次元官网网址檚 personal information.

The findings of the investigation by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. (OIPC), are a result of a complaint made by Langford resident Ed Court in 2021.

At that time, Court was involved in a parking dispute with his neighbour, the son of Coun. Lillian Szpak, which began in 2020. 

Court had lodged a complaint with the cityB次元官网网址檚 bylaw department regarding SzpakB次元官网网址檚 son parking in front of his property.

In his original complaint to OIPC in 2021, he alleged Szpak had B次元官网网址渋llegally obtainedB次元官网网址� his personal information from the cityB次元官网网址檚 bylaw department, which she then shared with other city staff and councillors.

B次元官网网址淎fter a careful review of the record, I found incidents of what I believed to be unauthorized disclosure of your personal information within the public body,B次元官网网址� said the investigator in a letter to Court, shared with Goldstream Gazette.

According to the investigator, CourtB次元官网网址檚 personal information was shared internally with "those in the city" who had a "personal rather than work-based interest" in his bylaw enforcement complaint.

It was also noted by the investigator the city had agreed there were B次元官网网址渋nstancesB次元官网网址� where personal information was disclosed in contravention of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

In an emailed statement, the City of Langford said it fully cooperated with the investigation.

B次元官网网址淭he city has ensured that all staff and officials have received up-to-date training regarding freedom of information and protections of privacy requirements,B次元官网网址� said a city spokesperson. B次元官网网址淭he OIPC has indicated its satisfaction with the proactive measures taken by the city and, as a result, has closed its file on this matter.B次元官网网址�

Coun. Szpak was invited to comment on the OIPCB次元官网网址檚 decision, but declined, instead standing by the cityB次元官网网址檚 response.

B次元官网网址淚 will have no further comment on the matter,B次元官网网址� she said.

Court says the decision has come as a B次元官网网址渉uge reliefB次元官网网址� to him and his wife.

B次元官网网址淚t was three long years of wondering what was going on, and when it would ever end,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e both feel vindicated now that the truth has been revealed.B次元官网网址�

This is the second investigation connected to CourtB次元官网网址檚 dispute with the Szpak family.

In 2023, the BC Ombudsperson investigated allegations made by Court that Szpak had unfairly used her position as councillor to influence and direct city staff to take action on the matter of the parking disagreement with her son.

While the ombudsperson report did not find any definitive examples of B次元官网网址渁dministrative unfairness,B次元官网网址� it did note several concerns with both SzpakB次元官网网址檚 and the cityB次元官网网址檚 actions.

As a result of the 2023 investigation, the city agreed to take remedial action, including amending the Council Code of Conduct and the provision of additional training to officials on the code and other aspects of good governance and conflict of interest.

While both investigations were ongoing, in June 2022, Szpak resigned from her role as chair of the protective services committee.

Despite feeling relieved by the findings of the OIPC investigation, Court says he would still like to see Szpak take more responsibility for her role in his complaint.

B次元官网网址淐oun. Szpak knowingly violated her oath on multiple occasions and she should immediately resign,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭he final step for us in this whole process are the legal resolutions, which are shaping up to be both civil and municipal,B次元官网网址� he added.