Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

About Privacy Legislation

In the municipal sector, the Municipal Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) presides over access to information and privacy. MFIPPA states that an individual has a right to access certain information kept by a municipality, and that a municipality must protect the personal and proprietary information in its custody.

MFIPPA contains mandatory and discretionary exemptions that a municipality may use to limit the disclosure of certain records, to ensure that privacy is protected. These exemptions only apply in specific instances, and will determine how much information is provided in response to a request made under MFIPPA.

Requests

Anyone may request information from the Town. The Town makes every effort to provide information without the need to make a formal request under MFIPPA. However, when an individual requests information about another person, or the information contains details regarding a third party, a formal request is necessary.

To make an information request

  1. Please complete a Freedom of Information Request and return it to the Clerk's Office at Town Hall with the $5 application fee.
  2. According to MFIPPA, the Town must respond within 30 days of the date of the request.
  3. If you are requesting records that contain third party information, the Town will notify the third party of the request within the 30-day timeframe. The third party then has 20 days to inform the Town whether he/she agrees or disagrees with the disclosure of his/her information.
  4. If you are acting as an agent for someone else, please include a signed consent form with your request that states that the individual is authorizing you to act on his/her behalf, as well as a photocopy of a piece of his/her identification with a signature (such as a driver's license) for verification purposes.

Correction of personal information

Someone who is given access to his/her own personal information may request that the Town make a correction to that information if he/she believes the information is incorrect. The Town will decide whether to make the correction or not. If the information is not corrected, the person may ask that a Statement of Disagreement be attached to the record to indicate that he/she does not believe that the information is accurate.

To request a correction of personal information

  1. Please complete a Request to Correct Personal Information form.  
  2. Return it to the Clerk's Office at Town Hall. The address is located on the left side of this page.  

Fees

In processing a request for information under MFIPPA, the Town incurs certain costs. MFIPPA sets out the following fees:

  • $5 application fee must be enclosed with your request
  • $7.50 per 15 minutes of search time (does not apply to requests for own personal information)
  • $7.50 per 15 minutes to prepare the records for disclosure (does not apply to requests for own personal information)
  • 20 ¢ per page for photocopies and/or computer printouts
  • $15 per 15 minutes, if necessary to develop a computer program to retrieve information
  • $10 for disks
  • Shipping costs

Fees

Details

Under $25

If it costs less than $25 to process a request, the requester will not receive an estimate of fees. The requester will be notified of the fee amount in the decision letter. The Town may not release the records until the fee has been paid.

$25 - $100

If it costs between $25 and $100 to process a request, the requester will be given an estimate of the fees required to be paid prior to the release of the records.

$100 and over

If it costs $100 or over to process a request, the requester will be given a fee estimate. The Town may require that a deposit of 50% of the estimated fee be made before the request will continue to be processed. The records will not be released until the full fee has been paid.

Appeals

If you are not satisfied with the Town's response to your request or fee estimate, you may make an appeal to the Information & Privacy Commission (IPC) within 30 days of receipt of the decision letter or fee estimate. Further information regarding appeals can be found on the IPC's website .

Who to Contact for Information

Contact the Town of Milton for information on most local municipal services. Please contact Halton Region for information on the following services:

  • Planning & patterns of development for the Halton Region
  • Purification, supply and distribution of water
  • Sewage collection and treatment
  • Solid waste disposal
  • Environmental information
  • Regional roads and storm sewers
  • Emergency planning for the Halton Region
  • Social services
  • Home for the aged (Allendale)
  • Public health services
  • Regional museum
  • Industrial/commercial development
  • Tourism promotion