Information Privacy
The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56 (MFIPPA), applies to local government institutions, including municipalities, police services boards, public library boards, school boards, conservation authorities, boards of health and transit commissions.
1 The purposes of this Act are,
(a) to provide a right of access to information under the control of institutions in accordance with the principles that,
(i) information should be available to the public,
(ii) necessary exemptions from the right of access should be limited and specific, and
(iii) decisions on the disclosure of information should be reviewed independently of the institution controlling the information; and
(b) to protect the privacy of individuals with respect to personal information about themselves held by institutions and to provide individuals with a right of access to that information. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56, s. 1.
Accessing Municipal Records
Municipalities will often routinely disclose records and information to the public. Individuals are encouraged to contact the institution they believe has custody or control of the record to see if the information can be disclosed informally.
A formal request may be required when:
You are requesting access to records to which a mandatory exemption to disclosure may apply, such as records containing another individual’s personal information or confidential information provided by other businesses of governing agencies.
You are requesting access to records where a discretionary exemption under MFIPPA is applicable, such as records subject to solicitor-client privilege, records relating to law enforcement investigations, etc.
You are requesting access to a voluminous amount of information.
How to submit a Freedom of Information request under MFIPPA:
Determine if your request is for general records or personal information and complete the MFIPPA Request Form, including as much detail as possible (such as specific dates, names, search terms, etc.). This can help staff to fulfill your request more efficiently, and may cut down on administrative fees associated with the request.
There is a mandatory $5.00 application fee. Payment methods at the Municipal Office include cash, debit or cheque (made payable to “The Municipality of Marmora and Lake”).
Submit the completed form and application fee to the Municipal Office at 12 Bursthall Street, P.O. Box 459, Marmora, ON, K0K 2M0 - by mail or in-person.
Your request may be subject to additional fees, as per sections 6 and 6.1 of R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 823 (see table below). If so, you will be provided with a fee estimate based on the anticipated cost of completing your request. If that estimate exceeds $100, you may be required to pay 50% of the fee before any further steps are taken to respond to your request.
Processing time for requests:
Your request will be completed within 30 calendar days from the day the Municipality receives both your completed written request and the $5.00 application fee.
If your request is subject to additional fees (see above), the 30 days will not begin until the fee estimate has been issued and the deposit has been paid, where required.
Where voluminous records are requested, a third-party notice is required, and/or consultation with persons outside the Municipality is required, an extension of the 30-day limit may be necessary, at which point you will receive a Notice of Extension.