B.C. Government Removes Public Employee Directory, Sparking Transparency Concerns

The British Columbia government has removed its online directory of public employees, a decision it states was prompted by increasing cybersecurity threats and privacy concerns. This action has subsequently led to public and organizational worries regarding a decline in governmental transparency.

Previously, the directory provided direct contact information, including email addresses and phone numbers, for individual government employees. Without this resource, individuals and groups, such as the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C., report facing significant challenges in identifying and reaching the appropriate officials for project approvals and other governmental interactions. Ryan Stuart of the Council noted that trying to contact officials through general mailboxes or phone lines feels like a "black hole," hindering the progress of community-focused initiatives.

B.C.'s Information and Privacy Commissioner, Michael Harvey, has labelled the directory's removal a "very serious transparency issue." While acknowledging the reality of growing cybersecurity risks and the need to protect public servants from threats, Harvey emphasized that public bodies are funded by taxpayers and must remain accountable. He argued that restricting access erodes public trust and that B.C. legislation does not classify general employee contact information as private.

The Ministry of Citizen Services stated that cyber threat actors have been exploiting the directory's access, and that law enforcement partners, including the RCMP, advised the government to take this preventative measure. The ministry indicated plans to launch an updated directory that will offer contact information for senior executives, directing users to ministry, service, and media contacts while minimizing the exposure of individual employee data and associated security risks.

Despite the ministry's assurances of a forthcoming, more secure directory, critics like the B.C. Conservatives and the Information and Privacy Commissioner argue that the complete removal of direct access represents a step backward for transparency. Commissioner Harvey stressed the importance of finding solutions that balance security needs with public accessibility, warning that further eroding trust through reduced transparency could have negative long-term consequences.