Public notice of break-in at Whitehorse Victim Services office

The Government of Yukon is reporting a break-in that occurred at the Whitehorse Victim Services office sometime between the evening of March 15 and the morning of March 16, 2024.

The Whitehorse detachment of RCMP “M” Division is investigating the break-in and the Department of Justice is following the appropriate procedures to respond to the privacy breach affecting confidential files that contain sensitive personal information.

Confidential files and other items have been accessed. Individuals who have obtained services through Victim Services may be affected, as may other individuals who may be referenced in victims’ files. It is still unclear the extent to which confidential information may have been compromised. Files that may have been accessed often include individuals' names, contact information and birthdates, as well as information about legal proceedings. Some such files contain additional personal information, as do some cell phones that were stolen.

The Victim Services office in Whitehorse will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, March 18 to 19. This will support Victim Services staff in being able to complete an inventory of records and determine whether any specific individuals were particularly affected. In cases where staff are able to ascertain that a specific file has been accessed and that this raises a risk of significant harm, Victim Services staff will make best efforts based on contact information available to us to reach out directly to particularly impacted individuals where there is a significant risk of harm.

The trust our clients place in us to obtain our services safely and confidentially is one of the things we value most and we deeply regret the impacts this crime may have had on anyone who has accessed services or whose personal information is included in our files.

We understand that that those potentially affected may have serious concerns about their personal information having been accessed and how this information could potentially be used to cause significant harm, such as initiating unwanted contact, attempting identity theft, or attempting to cause reputational damage.

The phone line for Victim Services will be staffed as normal during the building closure, and people can contact 867-667-8500. Staff are available to discuss your specific questions and provide available support as appropriate. For example, staff are able to assist with covering the financial cost of changing phone numbers for anyone whose contact information has been affected by this privacy breach and has concerns about their safety. Our top priority at this time is responding to the specific concerns of those who may have been affected.

The stolen cell phones have been disabled. The Department of Justice will review security protocols and other measures to strengthen the security of information held in Victim Services offices to protect those who rely on being able to safely and discreetly access supports suited to their unique needs.

For individuals who may wish to discuss concerns about their rights under the Access to Information and Privacy Act you can contact the office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner with questions at info@yukonombudsman.ca or to make a complaint at intake@yukonombudsman.ca.

In accordance with the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the following sections of the Act are provided for ease of reference for anyone wishing to contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

37 Privacy complaint

An individual may, if they reasonably believe that a public body has collected, used or disclosed their personal information in contravention of this Part, make a complaint to the commissioner by filing the complaint in accordance with section 90.

90 Filing complaint

1. Subject to subsection 106(2), a person who has a right under this Act to make a complaint, and who wishes to have the complaint investigated by the commissioner, must file the complaint
   • in the case of an access to information complaint made under section 61 (third party complaint), at least five business days before the response date for the access request to which the complaint relates; or
   • in the case of any other type of complaint, not later than 30 business days after the day on which the complainant is provided with notice of, or becomes aware of, the decision or matter that is to be the subject of the complaint.
2. The commissioner may accept a complaint for filing despite the expiry of the time provided for filing of the complaint under paragraph (1)(b), if satisfied that the complainant’s inability to file the complaint within the time provided was because of circumstances beyond the control of the complainant.