Freedom of Information

The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) (the "Act") applies to:

• Municipalities
• Local boards
• Agencies
• Commissions

Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville is required:

1. To provide the right of access to the information held by institutions covered by the Act, subject to limited and specific exemptions; and
2. To protect the privacy of individuals with respect to their personal information held by government institutions.
3. The Act also gives people the right to request corrections to their own personal information. 

These are Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

The County Clerk's office administers the Act on behalf of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.

The Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) sets out rules about the type of personal health information (PHI) a government institution can ask for, use, or release.

These rules apply to people responsible for keeping and protecting PHI. These people are called Health Information Custodians (HIC). The rules also apply to people and organizations that receive PHI from HICs.

The Act balances a person's right to privacy with respect to their own PHI with the needs of healthcare providers to access and share this information.

As an upper-tier municipality, the County handles private health data through specific public services like Paramedic Services (Land Ambulance) and Long-Term Care (such as Maple View Lodge). PHIPA establishes the strict rules governing how County employees in these divisions collect, use, and share that data.

In most cases, it is not necessary to apply under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to obtain access to Counties' records. Requests for information can generally be made by calling, writing, or visiting the appropriate department office. When it is deemed appropriate, staff may request that a formal MFIPPA request be made.

To request records under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, follow these steps:

Step 1: Complete a Request Form, or write a letter stating you are requesting information under the act. Any clear written request referring to the Act will also be accepted. Include as much detail as you can when you submit your request.

Step 2: Forward the completed request form or letter to the County Clerk. Please note a $5.00 application fee must accompany the form and payment to:

United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
County Clerk
25 Central Ave. W.
Suite 100
Brockville ON K6V 4N6

Usually, a request is processed within 30 calendar days. This means the Counties must either provide access to the requested record or notify you that the information is exempt under the specific provisions of the Act. If the Counties requires a time extension for any reason, you will be notified.

When the Counties must spend time assembling the records responsive to a request, the Act provides for the application of fees. In addition to the application fee, the Act provides that additional costs may apply; however, these fees may sometimes be waived by the County.

Costs that may apply are:

Search time/Record Preparation Charges

A charge may be applied for every hour of manual search time needed to locate a record and/or the time involved in physically severing exempt material in preparation for disclosure

$7.50 per 15 minutes per person.

Photocopying Charges

$.20/page

Shipping Costs

Shipping charges such as postage or Courier can be applied

Where the Counties collects personal information about individuals, the Act provides that individuals have the right to correct their own personal information if it is in error. This applies only to personal information about you. After access has been granted to personal information, the individual has the right to request:

a) Correction of personal information;

b) A statement of disagreement to be attached to the record;

c) Notification of correction or disagreement be sent to another that received your information within the previous year.

The right of correction applies only to personal information to which an individual is provided access.

How to Apply

You must complete a Request Form and remit a $5.00 payment.

The Decision Process

The County decides whether the correction will be made. Once it has been decided whether or not the information is to be corrected, the County Clerk will notify you. These decisions may be appealed to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC).