Making A Request
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Submitting an Access to Information Request
The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 gives people the right to access information and records in the custody or under the control of any municipality in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Anyone can request information. You do not need to be a journalist and you do not need a lawyer to request information. Municipalities can withhold information if it falls under certain exceptions (e.g. someone else’s personal information).
The following is a step-by-step guide for submitting an Access to Information Request:
| Step 1 – Find out who to talk to at the municipality |
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Every municipality has an Access to Information and Protection of Privacy, ATIPP, Coordinator who is responsible for processing access to information requests. For the Town of Paradise, the ATIPP Coordinator is the Director of Corporate Services, Terrilynn Smith. You can find out who the ATIPP Coordinator is with any municipality in Newfoundland and Labrador from the provincial government's complete listing of Municipal ATIPP Coordinators. |
| Step 2 – Ask if an Access to Information Request is required |
| Let the ATIPP coordinator know what information you want to request – some information can be given out without a formal access to information request.
Under the Municipalities Act, 1999, the following records should be available without a formal request:
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| Step 3 – Complete an Access to Information Request form |
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For an Access to Information Request, you must complete the form and submit to the Town of Paradise. Make only one request per form, and try to be as clear as possible about the information you want. If you need assistance completing the form, please contact the provincial ATIPP Office at 729-7072 or toll-free at 1-877-895-8891. You can also reach us via email. |
| Step 4 – Submitting the Form |
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After you have completed the form, you should email, fax or mail the form to the ATIPP Coordinator with the municipality. Town of Paradise
28 McNamara Drive,
Paradise, NL A1L 0A6
Fax: (709) 782-3601/3603
There is no cost for submitting an access to information request. In rare circumstances, you may be asked to pay costs for copying records, mailing records, or for time spent locating the records you have requested. However, you will be told if costs are expected and will have a chance to approve any costs before the Coordinator proceeds with your request. |
What to Expect
You should be aware of the following:
- The Coordinator has a duty to assist you. Please feel free to ask any questions about the request. Also keep in mind that they may ask for clarification about what information you are looking for.
- Requests should be completed in 20 business days. You should be told in writing if your request will take longer. To determine when you can anticipate a response to an access to information or correction of personal information request, you can use the Estimated Response Time Calculator on the Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner website.
- For most requests, the Coordinator should not tell anyone else who submitted the request. If you are requesting your own personal information, the coordinator may need to tell other people who submitted the request in order to locate records.
- When you receive the requested documents, some information may be blacked out. This is because the municipality may withhold certain information, such as personal information. Where information is blacked out, you should be told why it was blacked out.
If you have concerns about how a request was processed
You have the right to appeal any decision about access to records made by a municipality, including how your access to information request was processed.
You can make a complaint to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner:
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
2 Canada Drive
P.O. Box 13004, Stn. A
St. John’s, NL A1B 3V8
Telephone: (709) 729-6309
Toll-Free: 1-877-729-6309
Facsimile: (709) 729-6500
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