In 1991 the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act came
into force for all municipalities and local boards in Ontario. Its two main purposes
are: 1) to provide the right of access to information held by institutions covered
by the Act; subject to limited and specific exemptions and 2) to protect the privacy
of individuals with respect to their personal information held by government institutions.
The Office of the Regional Clerk administers the Act on behalf of The Regional
Municipality of Niagara.
The Act has a number of provisions dealing with the collection, use and disclosure
of personal information. To access detailed information about exemptions and
procedures relating to the act or its regulations, refer to the Ontario Information
and Privacy Commissioners Office www.ipc.on.ca
Website.
How to Make a Request
In most cases, it is not necessary to apply under the Municipal Freedom of Information
and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) to obtain access to the Region’s
records. Requests for information can generally be made by calling, writing,
or visiting the appropriate department office. When if is deemed appropriate,
department staff may request that a formal MFIPPA request be made.
To request records under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection
of Privacy Act, follow these steps:
Step 1: Complete a request form, or write a letter stating
that you are requesting information under the Act. Any clear written request
that refers to the Act will also be accepted. Requesters should provide as much
detail as they can about the records sought.
Step 2: Forward the completed request form or letter to the
Corporate Records Manager. Please note: A $5 application fee must accompany
your request, payable to “The Regional Municipality of Niagara. Send the
completed request form and payment to:
Corporate Records Manager
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
2201 St. David’s Road P.O. Box 1042
Thorold, ON
L2V 4T7
Usually, a request is processed within 30 calendar days. This means that the
Region must either provide access to the requested record or notify the individual
that the information is exempt under the specific provisions of the Act. If
the Region requires a time extension for any reason, then the requestor must
be notified.
Fees – General
When the Region must spend time assembling the records responsive to a request,
the Act provides for the application of fees. In addition to the $5.00 application
fee, the Act provides that costs are to be borne by those who request access
to information, or in certain instances where fees can be waived under Section
45 of the Act.
Where a department presently charges a fee for a copy of a type of document
under the "traditional access" or where another Act provides that
certain costs can be charged for access to records, it can continue to do so
after January 1, 1991.
All cheques must be made payable to The Regional Municipality of Niagara.
Fee Schedule:
Established by Regulation 823/96, applicable costs which can be charged to the
requester are listed below. If, however, the cost to prepare a request is over
$25.00 the requestor may be given a fee estimate before completing the request.
NOTE: The records will not be severed, copied or released until the fee is paid
or waived.
| Fee |
Explanation |
Rate |
Search Time/
Record Preparation Charges |
A charge may be applied for every hour of manual search time needed to
locate a record and/or the time involved in physically severing exempt material
in preparation for disclosure |
$7.50/15 minutes/person |
| Photocopying Charges |
|
$.20/page |
| Shipping Costs |
Shipping charges such as postage or courier can be applied. |
|
How to correct information held about you
Where the Region collects personal information about individuals, the Act provides
that individuals have the right to correct their own personal information if
it is in error. This applies only to personal information to which the requestor
has been given access. After access has been granted to personal information,
the individual has the right to request:
The right of correction applies only to personal information to which an individual
is provided access.
Again, requestors must complete a Request Form and remit a $5.00 payment.
The Region decides whether the correction will be made. Once it has been decided
whether or not the information is to be corrected, the Corporate Records Manager
notifies the requestor. These decisions may be appealed to the Office of the
Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Request Form
|
