The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), provides individuals with a right of access to certain records and personal information under the custody or control of the Municipality and provides for the protection of personal information collected, used and maintained by the Municipality.
The Clerk administers the Act on behalf of the Municipality of French River.
How to make a request
In most cases, applying under the Act is unnecessary to obtain access to the Municipality's records. Requests for certain information can generally be made by calling, writing, or visiting the Municipal Office and accessing information directly on our website by using the Search Tool. When it is deemed appropriate, staff may direct you to request that a formal MFIPPA request be made.
To request records under the Act, follow these steps:
Step 1 - Complete a Freedom of Information Request. Requesters should ensure that the request is clear and provide as much detail as they can about the records sought.
Step 2 - Forward the completed request form to the Clerk's Department. Please note that there is a standard $5.00 application fee which must accompany your request, payable to the Municipality of French River. Send the completed request form and payment to the attention of the Clerk in person, by mail or by email.
Usually, a request is processed within 30 calendar days. This means that the Municipality must either provide access to the requested record or notify the individual that the information is exempt under the specific provisions of the Act. If the Municipality requires a time extension for any reason, the requestor must be notified.
Fees
When the Municipality must spend time assembling the records responsive to a request, the Act provides for the application of fees. In addition to the $5.00 application fee, the Act provides that the costs are borne by those who request access to information or in certain instances where fees can be waived under Section 45 of the Act.
The following additional fees may be applied in accordance with the Act:
- photocopying (20 cents per page); and
- search and preparation time ($7.50 per 15 minutes per staff).
This 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. If the record has to be shipped, the requester will be charged the applicable fee for postage and/or courier that may be applied.