Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act

The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) is legislated under the Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act to give the public a right of access to records.

The Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act (FOIPP Act) has two main purposes:

• Freedom of Information: To make public bodies more open and accountable by providing the public with a legislated right of access to government records, and
• Protection of Privacy: To protect your right to personal privacy by prohibiting the unauthorized collection, use or disclosure of your personal information by public bodies.

Make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request

There are two ways to request information from the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District:

• Informal Request via routine channels: Since a lot of the Regional District's information is available through routine channels, you should always start by making an informal request. To do this, contact the department you think might have the information you are looking for.

  When you make an informal request we will respond to you as quickly as possible. Depending on the kind of information you are requesting, you may be able to get an answer over the phone.

  View the Routinely Releasable Information for further details.

• Formal FOI Requests: If the information you are seeking is not available through routine channels, an applicant may make an FOI request for records containing the information. Unlike routine requests, formal FOI requests must be made in writing and must include sufficient detail to assist staff in locating and retrieving the records. You should also indicate whether you want to receive copies of the records or if you want to view the records in person.

You may choose to use our FOI Request Form, although it is not required to make a formal request. You may deliver, mail, fax or e-mail your request to:

Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District
Administration Department – Freedom of Information Coordinator
3008 5th Avenue, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 2E3
Email: foi@acrd.bc.ca Fax:250-723-1327

Will there be a fee?

Under section 75 of the Act, the ACRD may require you to pay a fee. If we determine that there will be a fee we will send you a fee estimate before processing the request.

The ACRD will not charge fees for:

• Access to your own personal information
• The first three (3) hours spent searching for and retrieving records
• The amount of time spent severing information from a record.

In accordance with the Act the maximum fees are:

• $7.50 per quarter hour after the first three (3) hours for locating, retrieving, and producing the record
• $7.50 per quarter hour for preparing the record for disclosure
• Actual costs for shipping and handling the records
• $0.25 a page for copying a record.

To help reduce processing time, service fees and to minimize taxpayer expense please specify a date range and narrow the scope of your request as much as possible. Keep your request simple, clear, and focused. Further details on fees can be found in FOIPPA Bylaw No. A1087.

How long will it take to process my request?

The ACRD must respond to your request for information within 30 business days of receiving your request. Most requests can be responded to within the 30-business-day timeframe, however, if the scope of the request is broad and the volume of records is large, the ACRD may require a time extension under section 10 of the Act for an additional 30 business days.

A response to a request may also take longer than 30 days if the responsive records contain third party information. Under section 23 of the Act, the ACRD must notify the third party that a request has been made if responsive records contain information the disclosure of which may affect their interests or invade their personal privacy. The ACRD must provide the third party with 20 business days to make written representation on whether they consent or object to the disclosure of the information.

Will I get all the information that I asked for?

Although the Act allows the public to request access to records in the custody or control of the ACRD, the Act also prescribes very specific and limited exceptions to disclosure. These exceptions include:

• Someone's personal information
• Deliberations of the Board and Board Committees that are authorized to be held in the absence of the public (ie. closed or "In Camera" meetings)
• Legal advice
• Information that could harm law enforcement (including bylaw enforcement matters)
• Information that could harm the economic or financial interest of the ACRD or another public body
• Information that could harm the safety of an individual or the public
• Information that could harm a third party's business interests.

The ACRD will redact information that is exempted under the Act in order to provide the remainder of the record. If you are unsatisfied with the response to your request you have the right to request a review to the information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia by writing to:

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
PO Box 9038, Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, BC V8W 9A4
Tel. (250) 387-5629
Fax (250) 387-1696

For more information, please contact:
Cynthia Dick
General Manager of Administrative Services/FOI Head
cynthiad@acrd.bc.ca
(250) 720-2700

Heather Zenner
Manager of Administrative Services/FOI Coordinator
hzenner@acrd.bc.ca
(250) 720-2700