Notice of compromised personal and private information for some Oxford County Services

Oxford County is advising the public that personal and private information collected by some programs and services was compromised as part of the County’s cyber incident discovered in September 2025. 

Oxford County has been conducting a comprehensive review of current and archived files and records to determine who was impacted and what types of personal information was accessed. While this work continues, the County is advising the public that personal and private information was accessed or acquired for the following programs and services.

• social housing and social assistance programs between 2020 and 2025, including Ontario Works, licensed child care service providers, and child care fee subsidy applications;
• housing funding programs between 2022 and 2025, such as the Home Ownership Program, My Second Unit, or the Residential Repair Program; and,
• job applicants who were selected for an interview at Oxford County. 

Individuals whose personal health care information may have been accessed will receive direct notification from Oxford County by mail.

Oxford County has reported this incident to Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner as required by law and is fully cooperating with the Office’s investigation into this matter. 

As required by privacy legislation, a formal notice with full details about the kind of information accessed has been publicly posted to www.oxfordcounty.ca/notices and www.oxfordcounty.ca/it-incident-updates. If you were part of these programs but do not have access to email, a printed copy can be requested by calling 1-800-755-0394. 

The County is further advising residents at this time to be wary of any unexpected outreach from Oxford County asking for financial or any other personal information. Please contact Oxford County if you receive such a call to verify if it is legitimate at privacy@oxfordcounty.ca.  

Anyone can register a warning on their credit information free of charge at each of Canada’s two credit bureaus to heighten security for any credit applications initiated in their name: www.transunion.com/fraud-alerts and https://www.equifax.ca/personal/education/identity/articles/-/learn/how-can-i-place-a-fraud-alert-on-my-equifax-credit-report. For more information about preventing fraud and identity theft, visit www.oxfordcounty.ca/it-incident-updates. 

For updates or more information, please visit www.oxfordcounty.ca/it-incident-updates.

Comment

Marcus Ryan, Warden, Oxford County

“This is not the update we had hoped to deliver to our community. We appreciate the trust and confidence our residents and partners place in us every day, and we are working to maintain that trust by responding to this incident as fully and in as forthcoming a way as we can.

”Through each step of our investigation so far, and as we have worked through the tremendous level of detail required by this process, our focus has been on people: getting information to our residents and employees as quickly as we can, and supporting those affected as we learn more.”

Background

• Oxford County announced it had discovered, and was responding to, a technical incident relating to its information system on September 10, 2025. This was confirmed to be a cybersecurity incident on September 22 through the course of the County’s ongoing forensic investigation, which was undertaken with the support of third-party cybersecurity experts. More
• On September 24, Oxford County informed the public it had reason to believe the personal information of current and former employees may have been compromised as a result of the cyber incident. More
• Under Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Oxford County must carry out specific actions to inform people if their protected information has been compromised. This includes notifying affected individuals as quickly as possible and providing a description of what information specifically was compromised.
• Ongoing updates related to the cyber incident can be found online on the Oxford County website at www.oxfordcounty.ca/it-incident-updates

About Oxford County

Located in southwestern Ontario at the crossroads of Highways 401 and 403, Oxford County has a population of approximately 140,000 people across eight area municipalities that are “growing stronger together.” A partnership-oriented, two-tier municipal government, Oxford County is committed to 100% renewable energy, zero waste, zero poverty, and being 100% housed. Oxford County is situated in one of Ontario’s richest areas for farmland, with a diversified local economy that is home to an innovative agricultural industry, leading automotive manufacturers, and the Oxford County Cheese Trail. Oxford also offers a thriving local arts and culinary community, as well as conservation parks, natural areas and more than 100 kilometres of scenic trails. The County’s Strategic Plan puts forward a vision of “Working together for a healthy, vibrant, and sustainable future.” The Oxford County Administration Building is in Woodstock, Ontario. Visit www.oxfordcounty.ca, follow us on social media, or download our Facts and Stats to learn more.