Webinar: Understanding the Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) – Practical Considerations and Real-World Examples
This webinar is eligible for 1 CEP credit for regulated member’s professional learning.
Join Teresa Haykowsky on September 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. for a 60-minute webinar designed for system education leaders to have a deeper understanding of the Protection of Privacy Act.
The Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) establishes important requirements for how school authorities collect, use, disclose, retain, and safeguard personal information. For system education leaders, understanding these obligations is essential to ensuring the privacy of students, families, staff, and community members while supporting effective decision-making and service delivery. As leaders responsible for governance, operations, and oversight, it is critical to understand how personal information should be managed and protected in everyday practices across the school authority.
This practical webinar provides an accessible overview of the Act, focusing on key privacy principles, organizational responsibilities, and common situations that arise in the workplace. Participants will learn how to identify personal information, assess privacy risks, respond appropriately to information requests, and apply privacy requirements when sharing information internally and externally.
Through realistic scenarios and case-based examples, participants will explore topics such as collecting only necessary information, determining when consent is necessary or may not be appropriate, protecting personal information from unauthorized access, managing privacy breaches, and balancing transparency with privacy obligations.
Participants will learn:
- The purpose and key principles of the Protection of Privacy Act
- What constitutes personal information under the Act
- Rules governing the collection, use, disclosure, and retention of personal information
- Common privacy risks and how to mitigate them
- Best practices for responding to access and privacy-related requests
- Considerations for developing a Privacy Management Program
- Real-world examples that illustrate how privacy requirements apply in everyday operations
Whether you are new to privacy legislation or looking to strengthen your understanding of compliance obligations, this webinar will provide practical guidance and actionable insights to help you confidently apply privacy principles in your organization.
This webinar will be facilitated by Teresa Haykowsky.
Teresa Haykowsky is a highly respected bilingual lawyer with extensive expertise in education, labour and employment, constitutional, administrative, municipal, privacy, and occupational health and safety law. She advises public, separate, Francophone, charter, and independent school authorities across Alberta, as well as municipalities, government organizations, and employers in various sectors. Her practice includes labour relations, employment litigation, grievance arbitration, collective bargaining, governance matters, workplace investigations, school board hearings, and policy development. Teresa is particularly well-versed in Alberta’s School Act and Education Act and has significant experience supporting governance and human resources matters in education settings. Fluently bilingual in English and French, Teresa regularly appears before courts and administrative tribunals in both languages, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Known for her practical advice, strong advocacy, and client-focused approach, Teresa is trusted for delivering thoughtful solutions in complex, high-conflict, and time-sensitive situations, particularly within Alberta’s K–12 education sector.