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Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), the public has the right to information about their municipal government, and the information it keeps. The Act also ensures private information is protected and kept confidential. Anyone wishing to obtain information kept by the Town of St. Marys should contact the Clerk for information on Freedom of Information Requests.
In most cases, requesters are granted full access to all of the information they asked for. However, the Act contains a number of mandatory and discretionary exemptions which allow the Town to deny access to records containing certain types of information. Mandatory exemptions include:
For example, if a record contains someone else's personal information, or other information which was provided to the Town in confidence, the Town will sever (or blackout) this information from the record and you will be provided with a copy of the severed document. The discretionary include:
If we do withhold information under one or more of the exemptions, we will tell you why. All requesters receive a decision letter outlining the decision, the reasons for the decision, the costs, etc. Under the legislation, the Town must respond within 30 calendar days of receipt of your request. However, in the interest of good customer service, the Town of St. Marys will try to fulfill your request as quickly as possible. In circumstances where there is a large volume of records or it is necessary to consult with outside agencies, the Town may ask for an extension of the 30 day time limit.
A minimum $5 charge for photocopies applies. Fees are payable by cash, cheque or debit to the Town of St. Marys.
The fees under the Act are set by the Province. They are as follows:
Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Application Form