Freedom of Information
The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) states that an individual has a right to access certain information kept by a municipality, and that a municipality must protect the personal and proprietary information in its custody. MFIPPA contains mandatory and discretionary exemptions that a municipality may use to limit the disclosure of certain records, to ensure that privacy is protected. These exemptions only apply in specific instances, and will determine how much information is provided in response to a request made under MFIPPA.
MFIPPA allows access to records held by the municipality in accordance with the following principles:
- Information should be made available to the public;
- Individuals should have access to their own personal information;
- Exceptions to access should be limited and specific;
- The privacy of individuals with respect to the personal information the municipality collects and maintains shall be protected; and
- Decisions on the disclosure of government information may be reviewed by the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Most of the time, a formal request for information under the Act is not required to access information from the Town of Minto. Many records are available online or by contacting the department responsible for the records. If you would like to access any records held by the Town of Minto, please contact the Clerk at 519-338-2511 ext. 230.
Freedom of Information Request
If a Freedom of Information (FOI) request is required, please follow these steps:
- Fill out a Freedom of Information Request Form
- Return the completed form to the Town of Minto Office at 5941 Highway 89, Harriston
- Pay the $5.00 application fee stipulated by the Act in order to initiate the request.
MFIPPA Fees
In addition to the $5.00 application fee, the municipality is permitted under MFIPPA legislation to charge the following fees:
- $7.50 per 15 minutes of time spent searching for, retrieving, and preparing a record for disclosure. This includes the time to sever any part of the record in accordance with the exemptions under the Act.
- Other fees may be charged depending on the nature of the request. The Clerk will apprise you in advance of what these fees are in accordance with the Act.
If Town staff believe the request will cost more than $25.00, we will contact you for approval prior to proceeding with the request.
If Town staff believe the request will cost more than $100.00, we will contact you to request a 50% deposit of the estimated cost before proceeding with the request. No records will be released until all outstanding fees are paid.
Response Timeframe
The Town has 30 calendar days (including weekends and statutory holidays), from the date we receive your request and application fee, to respond to your FOI request. There are circumstances where we may require an extension. If such an extension is required, we will notify you in writing. In the case where a 50 per cent deposit is required, our work on your request will cease once we notify you of the need for the deposit, and resume once we receive your deposit.
Personal Information Bank
The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), requires the Town of Minto to keep an updated Personal Information Bank and to make it available for the public to view.
A Personal Information Bank is defined in MFIPPA as “a collection of personal information that is organized and capable of being retrieved using an individual’s name or an identifying number or particular assigned to the individual.” The Register includes a description of the Personal Information maintained to support each department’s programs and activities. For each Personal Information Bank, the following information is provided: the department maintaining the records, location, legal authority for collection, identifying data, how the information is used, who is authorized to use the information, and retention and disposition.
Routine Disclosure Policy
In order to improve public accessibility of records and information and support improved transparency, this Routine Disclosure Policy establishes principles and procedures for releasing certain types of records and information without requiring the submission of a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request. The policy identifies records and information that may be requested and disclosed routinely. It will also identify records and information that could be regularly and actively shared with the public.