Outgoing Privacy Commissioner Michael Harvey says while ATIPP legislation in this province is the best in the country, “it is under a lot of pressure.”

Harvey has tendered his resignation and has been appointed as the new privacy commissioner in British Columbia effective early May. He says the decision to leave came as he entered the final stretch of his six-year term as the employment opportunities before him were limited.

Harvey says among the challenges faced by his replacement will be the operational challenges presented by a big increase in access requests.

“It’s a good thing, it’s good when people are asking for information from our government, but it creates significant operational challenges, and so we at the OPIC need to support public bodies in how they respond to them, while also making sure that they maintain compliance with the law.”