Privacy breach notice

On February 25, 2025, the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) discovered a privacy breach related to improper record disposal. Some of these records contained personal information of WCB clients. These records were in recycling bins under staff desks, and cleaning staff mistakenly threw them out in the regular trash.

The records were placed in trash bags and sent to the landfill. There is no evidence that any were accessed or compromised before disposal, but we cannot confirm that none were affected.

Some of these improperly disposed records may have contained personal information related to WCB clients, including names, addresses, Social Insurance Numbers, medical information, diagnostic information, Personal Health Information Numbers and benefit records.

The WCB notified the Manitoba Ombudsman of the breach as required by subsection 41.1(4) The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and 19.0.1(4) of The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA).

The WCB values individuals’ privacy and is committed to protecting the information we collect. While we have strict policies in place, we did not meet those standards in this case.

We have investigated the privacy breach, determined how and why it happened and planned the next steps to prevent it from happening again. These steps are to update internal polices and practices to ensure that sensitive records are placed in locked shredding containers as soon as possible.

We advise individuals who have had a recent claim with the WCB to monitor their banking statements and credit card activity closely. If you notice any suspicious activity, you should report it to the police, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and Service Canada immediately.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact the WCB’s Access and Privacy Officer at (204) 954-4557.