Accessing Government Records

Access to government records is governed by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). This Province of Ontario legislation determines whether municipal government records must be reviewed by city staff before you can see them. Sometimes, personal and other sensitive information will be removed from records during this review.

How Can I Look at Records That Require Review?

To see records that require review, you will need to file a Freedom of Information request.

If you wish to see a large amount of records (for example, for an academic project) you can also apply for a research agreement.

How Can I Tell If a Record Is Open or Requires Review?

In the Archives online database, look at the “Access Conditions” field.

• Government records are described as either “open” or “requires review”.
• If a record is open, you can request it for research use.
• If a record requires review, it will have the following description in red:
  • Requires Review: Under Access and Privacy Legislation these government records require review prior to being made available to the public.