West Vancouver Council will consider new rules for municipal surveillance cameras that would prohibit audio recording of identifiable individuals, restrict access to footage and require privacy assessments before cameras are installed.
The proposed video surveillance policy and accompanying procedure are on council’s November 9 agenda. They would govern surveillance systems owned, managed or maintained by the district or its service providers on municipal property.
Under the proposal, surveillance would be permitted for municipal purposes such as protecting public safety and district assets, deterring vandalism and investigating unlawful activity or serious misconduct.
However, departments would first have to consider less intrusive security measures and find them insufficient or unworkable. Departments seeking cameras would need to identify the need for surveillance and complete a privacy impact assessment approved by the corporate officer or a designate.
Cameras would be prohibited in private spaces such as washrooms and change rooms. They could only be installed in defined public areas and could not monitor adjacent buildings or spaces where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Signs would have to identify the area under surveillance, the legal authority and purpose for recording, and district contact information for privacy inquiries.
The proposal would also establish rules for handling footage. Access would be restricted to authorized purposes, with recordings stored securely and disclosed through approved sharing methods. Footage that has not been accessed, used or disclosed would generally be retained for approximately 30 days. The exact period could vary depending on system configuration, storage capacity and the recording medium.
When footage is released to someone requesting access to their personal information, other identifiable people generally must be blurred or otherwise obscured, unless disclosure without redaction is permitted.
Employees and service providers operating surveillance systems would be required to undergo annual privacy training. The procedure also calls for regular internal audits and immediate reporting of unauthorized collection, use or disclosure of footage.
The policy would exclude vehicle-mounted cameras, council and committee meeting cameras governed by a separate policy, and surveillance operations conducted by or obtained through West Vancouver police or another agency. A staff memorandum says the documents were developed using recommendations from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and comparable municipal practices.
Staff recommend council approve both documents.
