Freedom of Information

Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA):

  • Any member of the public may request to view or obtain copies of general records and information held by the Municipality
  • Individuals may request to view, copy or correct any personal information about themselves that may be held by the Municipality
  • The Municipality must protect privacy

According to the Act, information may be withheld from release dependent on its limited and specific circumstances.

Public Records

Many Municipal public records are available electronically or by appointment during regular office hours. Some of those records include:

  • By-Laws
  • Agendas and Minutes
  • Financial Statements of The Corporation

Routine Disclosure Requests

Many records are available through Routine Disclosure without a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

Making a Request to access Municipal Information

Before making a formal FOI request, please complete our online Request for Information Form and review our Routine Disclosure and Active Dissemination Policy to better understand how we release various corporate documents.

Launch Request for Information Form

Common Routine Disclosure Requests

You may be able to request the following records through routine disclosure (exceptions may apply):

  • Your own building permit
  • Your own planning and zoning records
  • Your own fire permit or inspection records
  • Your property tax bill
  • Documents required to be publicly available under various laws

Please note that while there is no fee to submit a request under Routine Disclosure, there may be fees attached to the disclosure of records as outlined on our Fees page.

Freedom of Information Requests

The following information will assist you with a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request started under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). The Act applies to all Ontario Municipalities.

Making a Formal FOI Request

If the information you are requesting is not routinely available (as outlined above), please follow this process to submit a formal FOI request::

Municipality of Highlands East
2249 Loop Road, Box 295
Wilberforce, ON, K0L 3C0

Launch Freedom of Information Request Form

Common FOI Requests

The following types of records are commonly requested by a formal FOI request:

  • Incident Reports by the Municipality of Highlands East Fire Department
  • Municipal Law Enforcement case files
  • Building Department Inspection files for properties that are not your own
  • Public Works records regarding maintenance of roads
  • Other municipal-held records that may contain personal information, or where another exemption under MFIPPA may apply

Note:

  • FOI Requests will not be initiated without receipt of the $5 fee
  • Except where an extension is necessary, all FOI Requests will be completed within 30 calendar days.

Additional information

For more information, visit the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) website.

If you have any questions about Freedom of Information at the Municipality of Highlands East, contact the CAO/Treasurer.