Freedom of Information and Routine Disclosure

Accessing Municipal Records and Information

The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990 (MFIPPA) regulates and controls the information that is made available to the public and provides a formal procedure to request records. The Act not only provides rights to the public to gain access to Municipal records, but also protects the privacy of individuals.

The purpose of the legislation is to provide a right of access to information. The Act 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

The Municipality of Hastings Highlands is committed to the protection of privacy. It manages the collection, use and retention of personal and non-personal information, in compliance with the requirements set out by MFIPPA.

In fostering a cultural of openness and transparency the Municipality of Hastings Highlands is also committed to providing as much information as possible to the public without the need to make a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request. However, requests for information containing personal information or third-party information may require a formal request.

There are two ways individuals can gain access to information or internal records:

Routine Disclosure Requests

The Municipality's Routine Disclosure Policy identifies records that may be released to the public directly by the department responsible, without the requirement to submit a formal Freedom of Information (MFIPPA) Request.
Examples of records that may be routinely disclosed are:
- - Municipal Bylaws and Policies, Council/Committee Agendas and Minutes, Building Permits and select records etc.
View a full list of records that are available for Routine Disclosure to the public (Schedule 'A' Routine Disclosure and Active Dissemination Policy)

How to submit a Routine Disclosure Request

Submit the required Routine Disclosure Application Request form to the Responsible Department along with the required $25.00 application fee
The $25.00 application fee allows for a ½ hour of search time and up to 10 photocopies or scans of the record(s) at no additional cost, anything over this threshold is subject to additional fees (refer to the Municipality's User Fees and Service Charges Bylaw)

Processing Timeline
In accordance with the Routine Disclosure Policy, Routine Disclosure Requests shall be completed in the following timeline:

10 Business Days (excluding holidays)
In cases where the request cannot be completed within 10 business days due to department workload or voluminous requests, the responsible department will provide the requestor with an estimated time for completion
Requestors will be notified when the search for records is complete. If no steps are taken by the requestor to view or obtain copies of the record(s) within 30 days, the request will be deemed abandoned, and the file closed

Fees and Payment Options

The charges related to the Routine Disclosure of records are specified in the Municipality’s User Fees and Service Charges Bylaw. These charges will be applicable unless the record(s) are noted separately in the bylaw (i.e. Tax Certificates/Compliance Letters)

Application:	$ 25.00*	per application	Application Fee includes: - ½ hour of search time - Up to 10 photocopies or scans of the record(s)
Record Preparation and Search Time:	$ 7.50*	per 1/4 hour
Photocopies/Scan:	$ .20*	per page	Option to send Electronic Record(s) via secure email (No Fee)
Electronic Media (i.e. USB):	$ 10.00*	per device
Shipping Costs:	As incurred
Other Costs:	As incurred
*HST Not Applicable

A cost estimate will be prepared for records that require significant research, and/or staff resources
Where the total fee is estimated to exceed $100.00, an estimate will be provided to the requestor before staff begins to process a request
The payment of a deposit equal to 50% of the estimated cost may be required before proceeding
No records shall be provided until the required fee has been paid

Payment Options

The Municipality accepts payment in the form of cash, cheque or etransfer (upon request). Cheques should be made payable to the Municipality of Hastings Highlands

Freedom of Information (MFIPPA) Requests

Follow these steps to make a Freedom of Information Request:

Complete a Freedom of Information Request Form
Prepare your $5 application fee by cash, cheque, debit or etransfer (by request) to the Municipality of Hastings Highlands
Submit your request with the $5 application fee by mail or in-person to:

Municipality of Hastings Highlands
Box 130
33011 Hwy 62
Maynooth, ON K0L 1C0
If you are an agent please submit an original signed authorization from your client(s) with the request
Your request and fee are received and verified by the Office of the Clerk (Head of MFIPPA)
Department staff are notified of your request
The Municipal Clerk decides if any exemptions apply and that no confidential information is included
You might receive a letter asking for more information or letting you know about fee estimates for your request, third party notices or time extensions
Pay any additional fees required
Once approved, the information you requested or a decision about the request is usually provided within 30 days
If your request is rejected you can ask that the decision be reviewed by sending a letter to the Information and Privacy Commissioner at: 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON M4W 1A8

Do I need to submit an official FOI request if I want to access Municipal records?

Not necessarily; the Municipality will often routinely disclose records and information to the public Refer to the Municipality's Routine Disclosure and Active Dissemination Policy for more information
A formal FOI request may be required when:
- You are requesting access to records to which a mandatory exemption to disclosure may apply, such records containing another individual’s personal information or confidential information provided by other businesses or government 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.