Freedom of Information (FOI) & Protection of Privacy

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) helps to make public bodies more accountable and to protect personal privacy by:

• providing the public with access to records whenever possible, and
• preventing the unauthorized collection, use, and disclosure of personal information.

The Village of Lytton is defined as a public body according to the Act.

The main principle of the Act is that all municipal information should be available to the public, with some exemptions identified in the Act.

Find guidelines on this page for how you can access public records and how the Village of Lytton protects personal privacy.

How to request information from the Village

You can access most public records in the custody or under control of the Village through either:

• a routine information request, or
• a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

Routine information requests

Routinely available records do not require a formal request.

You can access records such as agendas and minutes from regular Council meetings, bylaws, policies, procedures, and information related to your property on the Village’s website or by contacting staff.

How to make a routine information request

Contact the department responsible for the information you are looking for.

If you are told that the information you are seeking is not routinely available, you must make a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

Formal Freedom of Information (FOI) requests

For municipal information that is not routinely available, you must make a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request in writing. These types of records may contain sensitive or confidential information.

Representing another person
If you are representing a person, whose personal records you are trying to access, you must provide authorization to represent that individual and receive their personal information.

How to make a formal FOI request

Complete this form or send an email or letter to the FOI Coordinator.

Include sufficient detail to help staff to process your request.

Timing
The Village will fulfill your FOI request within 30 workdays (excluding weekends and holidays). If the retrieved records include third-party materials that require consultation, the Village may require an extension and will let you know.

Fees
For a large volume of records, you may be required to pay a fee. The FOI Coordinator will inform you if this is the case. A deposit would then be required to complete the request.

Fees are outlined in Schedule A of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bylaw.

Narrow your request
Requesting “all records related to xxxx subject” is too broad, as this could cover a period of more than 30 years of records.

Instead, narrow down the scope of your request to a specific time range, type of record, property address, or municipal process. The FOI Coordinator can help you clearly define the records to search, so you can access the exact documents that you are looking for.

Protection of Personal Privacy

The Act protects personal privacy by restricting the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

Please note: Only private individuals have personal privacy rights; businesses do not.

Collection of personal information

The Village of Lytton only collects personal information when:

• the municipality has the clear authority to do so, or
• the collection is related directly to and is necessary for the operation of a program.

Use and disclosure of personal information

According to the legislation, personal information must only be used for the purpose it was collected or for a use consistent with the reason that it was collected.

The Village of Lytton may also use or disclose personal information in other ways, but only if the municipality has the legal authority to do so.