Freedom of Information

Huron East strives to provide as much information as possible to the public, without the necessity of submitting a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request.  If you would like access to our records please contact the Clerk's Office at 519-572-0160 and we can release the information informally or guide you the through the FOI process. 

On this page: 

1. Freedom of Information (FOI) 
2. Making a request
3. Process
4. Fees
5. Appeals

Freedom of Information (FOI)

The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) give an individual the right to request access to government-held information.  It applies to all local government organizations including municipalities, school boards, public utilities, transit and police commissions, fire departments, conservation authorities, board of health and other local boards. There are separate Acts that apply to provincial ministries, agencies and federal government institutions. 

MFIPPA ('the Act') came into effect January 1, 1991 and required municipalities to protect the privacy of an individual's personal information that exists in government records.  The Act creates a privacy protection that must be followed to protect an individual's right to privacy and includes rules regarding the collection, use, disclosure and disposal of personal information in the custody or control of a municipality. 

Making a request

To submit a formal request for information fill out and return the Freedom of Information Request Form along with a $5 fee.  As part of the form, you will need to indicate if your request is for your own personal information, access to general information, or correction to your personal information.  Please provide a clear explanation, with as much detail as possible, on the type of information you are requesting. 

Forms can be submitted, along with a $5 fee, online, dropped off at Town Hall or mailed, to the attention of the Clerk. 

If you are unsure if a formal request is required, please contact the Clerk.

Process

Once the request is received it is reviewed by designated staff, you may be contacted by them if more information or clarification is required.  The Act requires that a response to a request be made within thirty (30) calendar days.  This may be extended depending on the type and volume of information being requested.  Extensions must meet the criteria outlined in the Act, the requestor will be notified if an extension is required. 

Municipal records are examined to determine the responsiveness of the request.  The responsive records are carefully examined to see if they meet any exemptions, as defined by the Act.  An example could be a partial release of the record because it contains personal information not related to the requestor, or full exemption because the information was supplied in confidence during closed session.  The Act contains a full list of exemptions that could be applied prior to release of a record.  

If the record being requested applies to another institution your request will be transferred, if this happens you will be notified. 

If a record contains information or is authored by a third party we must notify them, in writing, they are then provided the opportunity to comment and/or provide direction on if the information requested can be released. 

Upon completion of the review you will be notified and provided a summary of the responsive records found, and any additional charges. 

Fees

Additional fees may apply, beyond the initial $5 request fee.  These fees are set by the Act.  If the municipality determines that additional fees apply to your request, a fee estimate will be sent to you for approval before moving forward with the rest of the process, unless the fee estimate is less than $25. A fee deposit may be required for fees above $100. 

Additional fees:

Appeals 

The Act allows a requestor or a party whose information was affected by a request to appeal decisions. All appeals are to be filed to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) within thirty (30) days of a decision being issued.  The fee to appeal is determined by the IPC and varies between personal and general information requests.  Appeals may be filed by mail or online through the IPC website.