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Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
The County of Bruce tries to provide as much information as possible to the public, without requiring a formal request under the Act. Persons wishing access to any records held by the County of Bruce should first contact the department which holds the records. If you are unable to get all of the information you want informally, a formal written request under the Act can be filed. Your request for information under the Act must be made in writing, and accompanied by a non-refundable $5.00 application fee. (make cheque payable to the County of Bruce) A request for information under the Act can be made by completing an Information Access/Correction Request Form which is available through the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario website. Please complete the form in full, making sure you provide as many details as possible about the information you are requesting. Mail or drop off your completed Information Access/Correction Request or Letter to: County of Bruce Attention: County Clerk 30 Park Street PO Box 70 Walkerton ON N0G 2V0
The mandatory $5.00 application fee must accompany each request for information and depending on the request, additional fees may apply as follows: Personal Information Requests Photocopies - $0.20 per page Diskettes/CD's - $10 Computer Programming - $15 per 1/4 hour if needed to develop a program General Information Requests Photocopies - $0.20 per page Record search and preparation - $7.50 per 1/4 hour required to search for and retrieve responsive records and to sever and prepare records for release Fee Estimates If it appears that the cost of processing your request will be more than $25.00, the County will provide you with a fee estimate before granting access to the record. If the cost estimate is $100.00 or more, you may be required to pay a deposit of 50% of the estimate before completing the processing of your request.
The County makes every effort to provide you with as much information as possible. However, the Act contains a number of exemptions that may be used to limit the release of information. For example, if a record contains someone else's personal information or commercial information provided in confidence by a third party, the County is normally required to deny access. Where the information requested deals with a law enforcement matter or solicitor-client privilege, the County may also decide to withhold the information.
The Act sets out specific time limits that the County must follow when processing requests for information. Generally, the County has 30 calendar days from the date a completed request is received (including the $5.00 application fee) to respond to the request. The County may seek a time extension in certain circumstances, in which case the requester will be notified.
If you are not satisfied with the County's decision regarding your access request, you can file an appeal Appeal with the Information and Privacy Commissioner. The Information and Privacy Commissioner is an independent body which makes impartial decisions under the Act. If you decide to file an appeal, you must write to the Commissioner and request a review of the County's decision within 30 days of receiving the decision letter. You must also submit the following: a) Your name, address and telephone number; b) The County’s name and the file number; c) A copy of the County’s decision; d) A copy of the request; e) A brief explanation of the basis for the appeal The appeal fee must accompany your appeal in the form of cheque or money order addressed to the “Ministry of Finance”. Appeal fees are as follows: a) Personal Requests - $10 b) General Requests - $25 The Commissioner’s Office is located at 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8. Telephone (416) 326-3333 or toll free 1-800-387-0073.
Linda White
Clerk
Department: Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Tel : 519-881-1291
