The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies to local government organizations including, but, not limited to municipalities and library boards. Municipalities are required to protect the privacy of an individual's personal information that exists in government records. It also gives individuals the right to request access to municipal government information, including most general records and records that contain their own personal information.
Routine Disclosure
Many municipal records, which do not contain personal information are available routinely which is called routine disclosure. Some examples include:
- Request for Information
- Building Plans and Drawings
- Approved Subdivision Listings
- Assessment Rolls and Tax Statements
- Agendas, Minutes, By-laws, Agreements, Council Remuneration and Election Documents
- Fire Incident Reports
Freedom of Information
All requests made under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (The Act) must be made in writing and be accompanied by a $5 application fee. The Act provides a right of access to records held by the municipality however, the general right of access is limited by certain exemptions that are in place to protect one's right for privacy and the needs of the institution.
Fees
There is a $5 fee to make a Freedom of Information request and this initial fee must be received before we start processing you request. You can pay in person by cash, debit, credit card or cheque (payable to The City of Belleville) at City Hall, or mail in your request along with a $5 cheque.
Additional charges may apply for searching and preparing records for disclosure. You will be provided with a fee estimate in cases where charges will be more than $25. If the estimate is over $100, you will need to pay a 50% deposit before we start your request.
Common charges include:
- Searching for records is $7.50 per 15 minutes
- Preparing records for disclosure is $7.50 per 15 minutes
- Photocopies are $0.20 per page
Formulating your Request
All requests should clearly state exactly what information is required.
Requests for information should clearly describe the records being sought. If you request “any or all information,” all City Departments must initiate a search of all records under their control. When every department is involved in a search for records, the cost for processing the request can increase quickly. To avoid costly fees, we encourage you to make your request as specific as possible.
Appeal Process
If you are not satisfied with the decision regarding your request, you may file an appeal with the Information and Privacy Commission (IPC) within 30 days of receiving the decision.
The appeal fee is $25, which you must pay to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC).
For more information about filing an appeal go to the IPC website.