|
Purposes of the Freedom of Information Act
The Act provides a right of access to information under the control of government organizations in accordance with the following principles:
- information should be made available to the public
- exceptions to the right of access should be limited and specific
- decisions on the disclosure of government information may be reviewed by the Information and Privacy Commissioner
To protect personal information held by government organizations and to provide individuals with a right of access to their own personal information.
The Act allows for any person to make a request for information held by an institution. Section 4 of the Act outlines a procedure for handling such requests. In Richmond Hill, residents must make their request(s) in writing, and provide sufficient detail to enable us to locate the record. We will respond within 30 days to your request.
It is important to note that, in some cases, it is necessary to protect the confidentiality of certain records and to protect the privacy of personal information held by the Town. The following is a list of information that may be exempt under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1989 and therefore may not be accessed by the public.
- draft bylaws, private bills and private meetings (Section 6)
- advice or recommendations (Section 7)
- law enforcement (Section 8)
- relations with governments (Section 9)
- third-party information (Section 10)
- economic and other interests (Section 11)
- solicitor-client privilege (Section 12)
- danger to safety or health (Section 13)
- personal privacy (Section 14)
- information available or soon-to-be published (Section 15)
We welcome you to contact us if you are interested in a particular matter. Should you have a request for information, please contact the department responsible for the particular area. If you are uncertain about which department to contact or have difficulty in obtaining the information that you have requested, please direct your request to
Manager of Corporate Records, Freedom of Information and Privacy Coordinator
Corporate and Financial Services Department
P.O. Box 300
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 4Y5
You will receive a reply within 30 days to your request. A $5.00 application fee made payable to the Town of Richmond Hill must accompany each formal request.
For more information regarding the Act, please contact the provincial government at:
Information and Privacy Commissioner - Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Telephone: (416) 325-3333
Toll Free: (800) 387-0073
Information and Privacy Commissioner - Ontario
|
