Freedom of Information
Freedom of Information
Ontario's Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) provides an individual with the right to access records of information, including one's own personal information, under the custody and control of a local government institution.
In this Section
- Basis of the Act
- Routine Access To Municipal Government Records
- Formal Requests Under MFIPPA
- Fee Charges For Requests For Personal Information
- Fee Charges For Requests For General Information
- Other Fees
Learn more about the Act
Basis of the Act
- Access rights are balanced with privacy protection
- All paper documents, microfilm/fiche, computer files, e-mail and other forms of stored data are all considered to be records of the "institution" (i.e. the Corporation of the City of Kingston)
- Subject to certain limitations, there is a right of access by the public to records in the City's custody and control
- Subject again to certain limitations, the personal information of individuals has to be protected and is not accessible by other individuals
The City of Kingston promotes open government and fosters an organizational structure that advances the fundamental principles of the Act:
- Information (general records) should be available to the public
- Individuals should have access to their own personal information
- Exemptions to access should be limited and specific
- The City should protect the privacy of individuals with respect to the personal information it collects and maintains.
Routine Access to Municipal Government Records
- Individuals wishing routine access to municipal government records should begin by contacting the City of Kingston at 613-546-0000. A customer service representative will connect you with the City department holding the records you are seeking.
- The appropriate departmental staff will then determine if the request should be submitted formally under MFIPPA, or if the records will be provided as a routine disclosure. It is important to note that the rules governing access and privacy under MFIPPA apply to both formal and informal requests for information.
Formal Requests under MFIPPA
Individuals wanting to submit a formal request for information under the access to information legislation (MFIPPA) may contact the City's information access coordinator:
Corporate Records & Information Officer
Blair Johnson
bjohnson@cityofkingston.ca
Formal requests must be made in writing using the MFIPPA Access/Correction Form and accompanied by a $5 application fee. In addition to the application fee, you may be required to pay other fees. The rules regarding the payment and amount of fees are set out in the Act and its regulations.
Personal Information Requests
If you are requesting information about yourself, your request is considered a "personal information request". The following fees may apply to requests for your personal information:
Personal Information Requests Fees
- Application fee - $5.00 (paid when you submit your request)
- Photocopying - $0.20 per page
- Computer programming - $15.00 for each half-hour if needed to develop program to retrieve information
- CD or Memory stick - $10.00
General Information Requests
Requests for information about a person other than yourself or about a municipal program or activity are considered "general information requests" and have different fees than for personal information requests. The following fees apply for requests for general information:
General Information Requests Fees
- Application fee - $5.00 (paid when you submit your request)
- Search time - $7.50 for every 15 minutes required to search and retrieve records
- Record preparation - $7.50 for every 15 minutes required to prepare records for release
- Photocopying - $0.20 per page
- Computer programming - $15.00 for each half-hour if needed to develop a program to retrieve information
- Floppy Disks - $10.00 for each disk
You will be given a fee estimate if it is anticipated fees are more than $25.00. If the estimate of fees to be paid is $100.00 or more, you may be required to pay a 50% deposit.
Other Fees
- N.S.F. cheques - $25.00
- Appeals - General - $25.00
- Appeals - Personal - $10.00
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA)?
The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies to all local government organizations, including:
- municipalities
- school boards
- public utilities (except electrical distribution)
- transit and police commissions
- fire departments
- conservation authorities
- boards of health
- other local boards
There are separate Acts that apply specifically to provincial ministries, agencies and federal government institutions.
Effective January 1, 1991, MFIPPA requires municipal institutions to protect the privacy of an individual's personal information existing in government records and provides a right of access to information held by the municipal institution. The Act creates a privacy protection scheme the government must follow to protect an individual's right to privacy. The scheme includes rules regarding the collection, use, disclosure and disposal of personal information in the custody and control of a municipal institution.
What rights do I have for requesting information under the Act?
In keeping with the spirit of the legislation, the City of Kingston is committed to providing individuals with the right of access to information in its custody and control including most operational records as well as records containing their own personal information, where applicable. This process is called routine disclosure and allows certain records to be disclosed, without having to make a formal request under the Act. Only under limited circumstances does the City require an individual to make a formal MFIPPA request.
- The Act gives individuals the right to access municipal government information, including most general records and records containing their own personal information, subject to very specific and limited exemptions.
- The Act provides individuals with the right to request a correction of their personal information which they believe to be false or inaccurate and/or to attach a statement of disagreement to their records.
- An individual is also provided with the opportunity to request an independent review from the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario of the decisions made under MFIPPA by the head of an institution.
If I make an MFIPPA request, when will I receive the information?
The MFIPPA legislation states that an institution must provide the requester with the information and/or a decision regarding their request within 30 calendar days from the date a complete request is received. On occasion, an institution may ask for an extension, if the request is for an extensive number of records and/or if an outside third party needs to be contacted.
Who in the City of Kingston is responsible for MFIPPA?
Each municipal organization is required to appoint a head who is responsible for overseeing the administration of the legislation within the institution and for decisions made under the legislation. At the City of Kingston, City Council, by bylaw, designated the Mayor as the head, who in turn delegated the powers and duties of the head to the Manager of the Council Support Division (City Clerk).
The City Clerk forms access and privacy procedures for use by City staff, is responsible for processing all access requests, gives direction to City staff on informal information requests and implements privacy protection practices.
How do I contact the City Clerk?
The City Clerk may be contacted at:
City of Kingston
216 Ontario Street
Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3
Telephone: 613-546-4291, ext. 1262
Fax: 613-546-5232
You may wish to view or download a complete copy of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, accessible at the Web site of the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC).