The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) gives you the right to ask for access to general municipal government information. The Act also protects the privacy of personal information and gives you the right to request your own personal information that is held by the Region. Please note that the Waterloo Regional Police Service is a separate institution under MFIPPA and you will want to contact them directly for records under their custody and control.
Personal health records held by Sunnyside Home and Public Health and Paramedic Services are regulated by the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). This Act has a similar process for requesting access to health records. For more information, contact Sunnyside Home or Public Health and Paramedic Services where appropriate.
The Region makes every effort possible to provide appropriate access to our records, but in some cases we cannot give access to certain records or parts of them because the Act includes some limited protections for information holdings. For example, the Region may be required to protect the rights of another person or organization.
| How to access a record |
Many different types of records are posted on our website, so you may find what you're looking for right here. For example, you can find reports and minutes from past Council and Committee meetings, by-laws and much more.
- If the information you need is not available online, but you know which department the record is in, contact that department directly and ask for access. You can also call us at 519-575-4400 and we can point you in the right direction.
- If you contact the appropriate department and learn that you cannot access the record without making a formal request, you can make the request in writing using the access form below. Please note that a non-refundable $5 application fee must be submitted with your request to begin the process. Please forward the payment to the Region of Waterloo, 150 Frederick Street, 2nd Floor, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4J3. If you have any questions, contact our Freedom of Information team at PDLCASFOI@regionofwaterloo.ca who will explain the process for making a formal request.
Note: You can visit the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario website to learn more about MFIPPA and PHIPA.
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| How to correct your personal information |
- You may request the correction of your personal information if you believe the record is inaccurate or incomplete. Many requests for correction can be made routinely by contacting the department that holds the record. Please note that the personal information has to be currently in use by the Region. If you don't know which department holds the record, call us at 519-575-4400 and we can point you in the right direction.
- If you contact the appropriate department and learn that there isn't a process for the correction of your personal information, you can make the request in writing under MFIPPA using the access/correction form below. Please note that a non-refundable $5 fee must be submitted with your request to begin the process. Please forward the payment to the Region of Waterloo, 150 Frederick Street, 2nd Floor, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4J3. If you have any questions, contact our Freedom of Information team at PDLCASFOI@regionofwaterloo.ca who will explain the process for making a formal request.
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| How to make a privacy complaint |
- A privacy complaint may be made directly to the staff member who is involved with handling your personal information. If you don't know the contact information for the department handling your personal information, call us at 519-575-4400 and we can point you in the right direction. Please note that the complaint may be re-directed to the Supervisor of Information Management and Privacy if it is reasonable in the circumstances. The complaint may also be reported to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
- If you are not comfortable with making the complaint to the department which handles your personal information you are welcome to make the complaint directly to our Freedom of Information team at PDLCASFOI@regionofwaterloo.ca.
- You may also make your complaint directly to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario directly using the complaint form below.
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