Ontario government introduces new bill for strengthening cybersecurity and for responsible AI

The Government of Ontario recently introduced the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, 2024 (Bill 194) seeking to strengthen cybersecurity programs in the public sector and provide the groundwork for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) among various public sector entities. If passed, Bill 194 will enact the Enhancing Digital Security and Trust Act, 2024 (the Act) and significantly amend the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). 

The Act and changes to FIPPA will have an important impact on provincial and municipal public services, as well as create new digital protections for children. We summarize the key features of the proposed Act and amendments to FIPPA below. 

Enhancing Digital Security and Trust Act, 2024

The Act aims to mitigate risks associated with cybersecurity and AI systems within Ontario’s public sector. This includes organizations operating in Ontario’s critical public services such as those in the education, healthcare, and children’s services sectors. 

Defining AI Systems

The Act formally defines “artificial intelligence systems” as “a machine-based system that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers from the input it receives in order to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments” (AI system). 

Regulating Cybersecurity, AI, and Technology Affecting Minors in the Public Sector

While more detailed guidance has been reserved for subsequent regulations, the Act will create uniform cybersecurity and AI system requirements for organizations operating in Ontario’s public sector as follows:

Cybersecurity

• Obligations to develop, implement and govern cybersecurity programs with a corresponding incident reporting scheme; and
• Specific requirements for such cybersecurity programs including: defining roles and responsibilities, progress reporting, education and awareness initiatives, and response and recovery measures in relation to incidents.

AI

• Requirements for AI system usage – namely:
  • public disclosure on its development and use; 
  • implementation of an accountability framework;
  • risk mitigation requirements; and
  • human oversight and governance of AI systems concerning their use and reporting mechanisms.

Technology Affecting Minors

• Standards, restrictions and reporting obligations concerning the impact of digital technology made available to minors¹ by children’s aid societies and school boards regarding the collection, use, retention and disclosure of digital information.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Bill 194 introduces significant changes to FIPPA, which governs how the Ontario government and prescribed public sector entities (“institutions”) collect, use and disclose personal information. Institutions will be required to adhere to the following new and expanded responsibilities. Notably, Bill 194 does not extend the same requirements to organizations governed by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).

Obligation to Protect Personal Information

FIPPA regulations require that institutions take reasonable measures to protect records against unauthorized access or inadvertent destruction or damage.² Bill 194 would expand institutions’ responsibilities for personal information protection and safeguarding privacy by mandating that institutions protect personal information in their custody or control against theft, loss, unauthorized use or disclosure, as well as unauthorized modification, copying or disposal.

Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)

Bill 194 will require institutions to conduct PIAs prior to collecting personal information. A PIA is a written assessment of prescribed considerations, including the purpose, legal authority, type, source, limitations, restrictions, period of retention and safeguards in place for collecting, processing, and disclosing personal information. Upon request, institutions will be required to provide the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) with copies of their PIAs.  

Breach of Privacy Safeguards – Reporting and Notification Requirements

If passed, Bill 194 will impose mandatory privacy breach notification and reporting obligations on institutions consistent with the requirements of private-sector organizations operating in the province. 

Bill 194 adopts the “real risk of significant harm” threshold for notification and reporting of privacy breaches from the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which governs the personal information practices of private-sector organizations operating in Ontario. Bill 194 also mirrors PIPEDA’s definition of “significant harm” and factors for assessing the real risk of significant harm, including the sensitivity of the personal information at issue and the probability of its misuse, as well as any direction or guidance issued by the IPC. 

When it is determined that a real risk of significant harm is presented by an incident, the institution is required to report the matter to the IPC in a prescribed form and notify affected individuals “as soon as feasible.” Notification to individuals will be required to include a statement informing them of their right to make a complaint to the IPC within one year after the subject matter of the complaint came to or should reasonably have come to their attention. Additionally, institutions will be required to keep a record of every reported theft, loss or unauthorized use or disclosure of personal information. The IPC will be empowered to compel institutions to produce a copy of that record upon request. 

Expanded Powers of the IPC

Bill 194 provides the IPC with the formalized power to review an institution’s information practices on the basis of a complaint or if the OIPC believes an institution has not complied with the mandated privacy safeguards. 

Before conducting a review, the IPC may try to resolve the matter through mediation, conciliation or any other informal means of dispute resolution the IPC considers appropriate. If, after giving the institution an opportunity to be heard, the IPC determines an information practice contravenes the protection of individual privacy, the IPC may order the institution to do any of the following, provided it is not more than what is necessary to achieve compliance:

• Discontinue or change the information practice;
• Return, transfer or destroy personal information collected or retained under the information practice;
• Implement a different information practice; and
• Make a recommendation on how the information practice could be improved.

Consent for Retaining and Using “Customer Service Information”

Bill 194 requires consent for the retention and use of collected “customer service information,” the definition of which is expanded to include:

• Individual information such as sex, gender identity, preferred language, date of birth, email address or other contact information; 
• Information provided by the service provider, including order status, shipping status, product identification number and expiry date; and 
• Communication between the service provider organization and the individual.

Next steps

The Ontario government is currently seeking feedback on Bill 194. The comment period will remain open until June 11, 2024. 

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Traffic Resumes Through Port of Baltimore

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BALTIMORE — Authorities anticipate commercial shipping traffic through the Port of Baltimore will soon return to normal levels since the channel fully reopened earlier this week for the first time since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

“They are back open for business, ready to bring in the largest containerships that call there,” U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said during a virtual press briefing June 11.

Some shipping companies rerouted their cargo to other ports following the deadly bridge collapse in March. The disaster halted most maritime traffic through Baltimore’s busy port as crews worked around the clock to clear an estimated 50,000 tons of fallen steel and concrete from the Patapsco River — a roughly $100 million effort that involved federal, state and local agencies, officials said.

Companies that steered clear of Baltimore during the cleanup efforts will likely come back now that the channel has been returned to its original depth and width, officials said. The city’s port processes more cars and farm equipment than any other in the country.

Thanks to the grit and resilience of Governor Moore, our Unified Command, and every last man and woman who worked tirelessly in response to the France Scott Key bridge collapse –

The Port of Baltimore is open for business again. pic.twitter.com/NpegBJTA9y

— President Biden (@POTUS) June 12, 2024

All that rerouted commercial traffic “belongs in Baltimore today,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “We have every indication that that is what is taking place, but we will be reinforcing that expectation as we speak with players up and down the supply chains.”

Crews were able to reopen portions of the deep-draft channel in phases, restoring some commercial traffic in recent weeks. Some cruise ships and large containerships have already passed through, officials said.

But thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse and its economic ripple effects, which extend well beyond the Baltimore region.

Officials estimated the salvage operations will cost up to $75 million, while the Coast Guard response has cost $24 million to date.

Rebuilding the bridge could cost nearly $2 billion, officials have said. They hope it’s completed by 2028.

The Biden administration approved $60 million in immediate federal aid, which Buttigieg referred to as “a down payment on the work ahead.” All of that aid has been committed, said White House Deputy Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian.

The full channel is open again and our great @ILAUnion is back to doing what they do best.

Let’s hear from them on how they feel about being back to work. pic.twitter.com/r8CjoIAbD0

— Port of Baltimore (@portofbalt) June 11, 2024

President Joe Biden has pledged that the federal government will cover the full cost of rebuilding the bridge, though officials said the funding is still awaiting approval from Congress.

In a statement June 11, Biden praised the work of everyone involved in the recovery effort to date.

“Baltimore can count on us to stick with them every step of the way, and we will continue to have your back until the bridge is rebuilt,” he said.

The cargo ship Dali crashed into a critical support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of March 26, collapsing the span and sending six members of a roadwork crew plunging to their deaths. The ship had lost power shortly after leaving Baltimore for Sri Lanka. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found it experienced power outages before starting its voyage, but the exact causes of the electrical issues have yet to be determined. The FBI is also conducting a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the collapse.

The Dali remained stuck amid the wreckage for almost two months, with a massive steel truss draped across its damaged bow. On May 20, the ship was refloated and guided back to port. That allowed officials to open a channel that was 50 feet deep and 400 feet wide, big enough for most of the largest commercial vessels.

The full federal shipping channel is 700 feet wide. Officials said two-way traffic can resume now that it has reopened. They said additional safety requirements have also been lifted because of the increased width.

Want more news? Listen to today’s daily briefing below or go here for more info:

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MTS Logistics Provides Job Training to Young Adults with Autism by Raising Over $120,000 Through 14th Annual Charity Bike Event, the Largest in Shipping

NEW YORK, June 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — MTS Logistics, Inc., a New York-based freight forwarding and logistics company, announced that its 14^th Annual Bike Tour with MTS for Autism event, held on Saturday, June 8^th, raised over $120,000 for autism awareness and acceptance that will help provide job opportunities for young adults with autism.

MTS Logistics’ bike tour event, the largest bike event in the shipping and logistics industry, has been held annually over the past 15 years. This year’s volume of $120,000 raised, and over 150 participants attending, made this year’s bike tour the largest in the event’s history. All proceeds raised from the event were donated to New Jersey-based non-profit organization Spectrum Works, which provides job training and opportunities for young adults with autism.

At this year’s bike event, participants heard just how strongly the funds raised for Spectrum Works made a real-world difference, with speeches from Sywon Sims, an intern employed by Rent the Runway and Hennessy Kingsley, a high school student who has been gaining work experience at Spectrum Works. Additionally, a speech by Tavon Green, who received job training from Spectrum Works and was hired by FM Expressions as a production artist, was also read to event participants. It was an emotional and educational moment to hear from these individuals and see the positive change that one bike event can have for so many young adults.

This year’s event included numerous participants who biked for a cause, starting in Downtown Manhattan and biking to Brighton Beach, where they enjoyed a healthy lunch before biking back to Manhattan. Participants included adults and children as young as 5 years old.

The event’s numerous sponsors included a wide variety of companies in shipping, logistics, and business, with Turkish Philanthropy Funds and Bergen Logistics helping to organize the event, while Turkish Airlines donated round-trip tickets which were raffled off at the event, and PortX, Inc., Orient Star Group, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, CGA CGM, and dozens of others contributing to the cause of autism awareness.

MTS Logistics President Sedat Saka said in a statement:

“This year’s bike tour event, now in its 14^th year, was our largest ever in the shipping and logistics industry. We raised over $120,000 for autism awareness. I am so proud of all of our supporters who joined us for this great cause, including our customers, employees, families, and friends. Thanks to all of our sponsors who helped raise our highest total ever. I would also like to thank Spectrum Works for its great mission and dedication to increasing autism acceptance and for its support for our event.”

Over the past 15 years, nearly $500,000 has been raised for autism awareness and acceptance through the efforts of MTS Logistics. The impact of its annual bike tour event has been strongly felt by the autism acceptance community.

Spectrum Works CEO Ann Marie Sullivan said in a statement:

“Each year it has been so uplifting to see the shipping, logistics, and business community come together and bike for autism acceptance. This annual event directly helps develop more inclusive workplaces and directly changes the lives of many young autistic adults. We are very thankful for all the sponsors who contributed to this event and appreciative of all the efforts put into making this event such a huge success. Spectrum Works is once again proud to partner with MTS Logistics for its annual bike tour event.”

A variety of prizes were raffled off at the event and the weather saw a gorgeous day for New York City. Bikers had a great time and look forward to biking again next year.

About MTS Logistics, Inc.

MTS Logistics, Inc. is a New York-based international freight forwarder in business for over 24 years, providing fast and reliable logistics services to companies of all sizes around the world. MTS is a leader in bringing cutting-edge technology to the logistics industry with its innovative all-in-one shipping software. The company has spearheaded several Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives within the shipping industry, including an annual bike tour event where it raises money for autism awareness and workforce training.

About Spectrum Works:

Spectrum Works is a (501)(c)(3) designated non-profit organization located in Secaucus, New Jersey dedicated to providing job training and employment opportunities for autistic high school students and other young adults on the spectrum. It was founded by Ann Marie Sullivan, an entrepreneur with two decades of experience in building and managing start-up organizations, to address a critical disconnect between an 85% unemployment rate for autistic individuals and their value to the workforce as employees with inherent skills and abilities. In 2013, she partnered with Robert Butters, founder of Green Distribution and FM Expressions, to make the Spectrum Works vision a reality.

Contact: 
Gerard Boucher 
[email protected]
212-390-1403 

SOURCE MTS Logistics

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