The
Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) provides members of the public with a right of access to City records. This right of access can be exercised through an access to information request, which is also known as a freedom of information request.
When is an Access to Information Request Appropriate?
An access to information request is appropriate if you are seeking an existing City record (which could be a document, a video recording, an audio recording or other recorded information).
- Access to information requests do not provide answers to questions. If you have a question, contact Service Brampton at 311 (or 905-874-2000 if calling from outside of the City).
- Access to information requests do not provide analysis or interpretation of information. The City’s response to an access to information request is limited to disclosing existing records.
An access to information request is appropriate if the record you are seeking is not otherwise available to the public.
- The
Records Retention Schedule and the
Registry of Personal Information Banks provide details on the types of records that may be available from the City of Brampton and on the departments that maintain the records.
- Once you
locate the department that has the record you are seeking, staff from that department will be able to advise if the record is available to you through an established process and if fees apply. For records pertaining to a property, such as processes relating to the building, compliance, environmental, and fire occurrences, please visit the
Information about a Property Webpage.
- An access to information request can’t be used to avoid established processes or fees.
Do Fees Apply?
The Act establishes fees that apply to access to information requests.
Application Fee
All requests are subject to a $5.00 application fee.
Processing Fees for Personal Information Requests
Fees that apply to requests for records containing the requestor’s own personal information include:
- Printing/copying $0.20/page
- CD/USB device $10.00/each
Processing Fees for General Information Requests
Fees that apply to requests for records containing general information include:
- Time spent searching for responsive records $7.50/15 minutes ($30.00/hour)
- Time spent preparing records for disclosure $7.50/15 minutes ($30.00/hour)
- Printing/copying $0.20/page
- CD/USB device $10.00/each
- Full recovery of invoiced costs
- Full recovery of postage/shipping costs
How Do I Start the Process?
The Act specifies that requests must be
made in writing and must be accompanied by a
$5.00 application fee (cheques payable to the City of Brampton). Many people find the City’s
Access/Correction Request Form convenient (best opened with Internet Explorer).
Requests can be submitted in person at
City Hall or by mail addressed to:
How Are Requests Processed?
Application of the Legislation and Oversight
When the City receives your access to information request, Records and Information Management staff review it for clarity. You may need to provide clarification before the request can be processed.
When the request is sufficiently clear, staff in the department that maintains the records you are seeking will complete a search for records that are responsive to your request. You will receive a letter acknowledging your request and advising of fees that may apply. Where estimated fees are greater than $100.00, you may be required to pay a fee deposit of 50% of the estimated fees before the request is processed.
When the search is complete, Records and Information Management staff process records identified as responsive to your request to ensure that the provisions of the
Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) are appropriately applied.
When processing is complete, you will receive a letter providing the City’s decision on access. The decision will detail any exemptions to disclosure that apply to your request. Normally the decision is issued within 30 calendar days of receipt of a complete request.
If fees apply, the fees must be paid before the responsive records are disclosed to you.
All of the City’s decisions related to the disclosure of information and fees that apply are subject to independent review by the
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
