Tag: Exemptions

  • Verifying the Identity of the Requestor

    Verifying the Identity of the Requestor

    The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Manual (the “FOI Manual”) notes that when a requestor asks an institution for the requestor’s own personal information, the institution must first verify the identity of the requestor before any personal information is disclosed.  The FOI Manual suggests that an institution may be able to fulfill the…

  • Exemptions vs. Exclusions: What is the difference?

    Exemptions vs. Exclusions: What is the difference?

    Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and its Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) both provide members of the public with a general right of access to government information, subject to certain exclusions and exemptions.  But what is the difference between an “exemption” and an “exclusion”? In…

  • What happens if my institution misses the deadline?

    What happens if my institution misses the deadline?

    Freedom Of Information (FOI) laws are intended to provide the public with a right of access to information under the control of government institutions.  When an institution receives a formal FOI request, it is obligated to respond with a decision regarding the disclosure of the requested information within a reasonable timeframe. An effective FOI system…