Tag: MFIPPA

  • To whom can a head delegate his or her powers and duties?

    To whom can a head delegate his or her powers and duties?

    As discussed previously, both the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FIPPA”) and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“MFIPPA”) impose responsibility for an institution’s FOI program directly on the individual who is the “head” of such institution.  However, in practice, at many institutions, the head is not closely…

  • Get your head straight – what is the role of your institution’s head?

    Get your head straight – what is the role of your institution’s head?

    Every institution to which Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) or its Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) applies has its own function.  I’ve set out a few examples below: Institution Function Legislative Assembly of Ontario To represent Ontarians and their constituencies; to debate and pass legislation;…

  • Say what? Clarifying and narrowing requests

    Say what? Clarifying and narrowing requests

    Today’s article is intended for institutions in Ontario responsible for responding to FOI requests under either the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) or the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). Often, an institution will receive an FOI request that is incomplete or unclear.  It isn’t always easy to know…

  • Resources for FOI professionals in Ontario

    Resources for FOI professionals in Ontario

    Below are some resources and reference materials that FOI professionals working at Ontario’s provincial and municipal institutions should find helpful. Online Resources Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario https://www.ipc.on.ca/ The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPCO) provides oversight of Ontario’s access and privacy laws.  The IPCO website publishes hundreds of guidance documents intended to promote…

  • How to count time and how to determine the initial 30-day deadline

    How to count time and how to determine the initial 30-day deadline

    Both federally, under the Access To Information Act (ATIA), as well as provincially in Ontario, under both the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) government institutions are permitted up to thirty (30) days to respond to requests for information. In…

  • What are the requirements of a valid Freedom of Information (FOI) request?

    What are the requirements of a valid Freedom of Information (FOI) request?

    Government institutions across Canada generally have an obligation to respond to requests for information so long as the requests satisfy certain formal requirements.  A well-formed Freedom of Information (FOI) request will legally compel a response from government; in contrast, a request that does not comply with the formal requirements is normally regarded as an informal…