Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario limiting appeals

Tom Cardoso and Robyn Doolittle of The Globe and Mail are reporting this week that the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPCO) is now imposing limits on the number of concurrent appeals from individual appellants. The story relates the experience of Jason Plotz, a “frequent filer of freedom of information requests” who was informed by IPCO earlier this month that going forward, he would be limited to two active cases at a time.

From the article, “[t]wenty-three appellants with matters before Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner have been singled out and their disputes put on hold, according to [IPCO]. The agency says it has taken this measure to alleviate pressure on a flooded system.”

Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Patricia Kosseim is quoted as saying current pressures on the access system are “unsustainable”, and noting courts have found tribunals can set their own policies: “These are not willy-nilly decisions that are made.”

The original article is available online at The Globe and Mail.

To limit your institution’s appeals, use the FOI Assist software to track and respond to freedom of information requests. Learn more and request a demonstration today.