| Freedom of Information and Protection of PrivacyThe Freedom
of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Protection of Privacy Freedom of Information (FOI) Freedom of Information (FOI)The Park Board has enacted a by-law for
administration of the Act - Park
Board Freedom of Information and Protection
of Privacy By-law Informal RequestsYou should always start by making an informal request. To do this, contact 311 for assistance determining the department that you think might have the information you are looking for. FOI requestsYou may make an FOI request for records containing the information you requested if you are told it is not routinely available by the department. Your FOI request must be made in writing (e-mails are acceptable) and must specify whether you want to receive copies of the records or to view the records in person.
If you wish, you may use our FOI Application Form Corporate Information and Privacy Office
Frequently Asked Questions About Information Requests
What kinds of information can I request? You have the right to request any record in the custody or control of the Park Board. Informal requests: You should always start by making an informal request. To do this, contact the main Switchboard of the Park Board 604-257-8400, and they can help you determine which department or division might have the information you are looking for. FOI requests: If you are told that information is not routinely available, then you may make an FOI request for records containing that information. Your FOI request must be made in writing and must specify whether you want to receive copies of the records or to view the records in person. If
you wish, you may use our FOI
Application Form You may deliver, mail or fax your FOI request to the following address: Corporate Information and Privacy Office Is there a fee to process my FOI request? Informal requests: When you make an informal request for information, the Park Board may charge you a fee to cover its costs in processing your request. FOI requests: We may charge you fees to cover the cost of processing your FOI request. We will not charge you fees for access to your own personal information or for the first three hours spent searching for and retrieving the records. If we are going to charge you any fees, we will send you a fee estimate before processing your request. We may also require you to send us a deposit. Our fees are set out in the Schedule of Maximum Fees set by the Province. They include the following for non-commercial applicants: $7.50 per 1/4 hour ($30/hour) spent locating, retrieving and producing the records $0.25 per regular photocopy To reduce fees and to minimize taxpayer expense, please narrow your request as much as possible. If possible, let us know what department has the records you are requesting. Also, you should try to specify a date range -- keep in mind that our records are maintained for a long time to meet statutory requirements. How will the Park Board respond to my request? Informal requests: When you make an informal request, the department or division you approach 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. FOI requests: The Act requires us to respond to your FOI request within 30 working days of receiving it (we may extend this time if your request is especially complicated). The Act allows us to withhold information if release would be an invasion of privacy or cause harm by one of the means listed in the Act, such as harming a law enforcement investigation or threatening anyone's health or safety. If we deny you access to any record or part of a record, you have the right to ask for a review by the British Columbia Information and Privacy Commissioner, an officer of the Legislature who is independent of the government. A decision of the Commissioner is final, subject to certain limited judicial reviews. How do I request access to my personal information? The Park Board does not have one big file on each person. If we have your personal information, it may be contained in a number of different files. If you believe that we have personal information about you, you should contact the department or division where you think this personal information is located and ask for that information. To minimize expense, please specify what kind of information you are requesting. You should not make an FOI request for your personal information unless you are unable to get what you need through informal channels. Is my personal information protected? The Act protects personal privacy by restricting the collection, use and disclosure of personal information. Please note that only private individuals have personal privacy rights; businesses do not. Collection: We only collect personal information when we have the clear authority to do so, or when the collection is related directly to and is necessary for an operating program. When we are collecting personal information, we must do so directly from you, unless we have legal authority to collect the information from another source. These rules apply even if the personal information is held by another government body. Use and Disclosure: The personal information must only be used for the purpose it was collected or for a use consistent with the reason it was collected. We may also use or disclose personal information in other ways, but only if we have legal authority to do so. We have security arrangements to protect personal information from unauthorized use or disclosure. For example, we will usually disclose copies of any letters you send to the Park Board after removing your name, address, telephone number and any information that may reasonably be used to identify you. We will make an exception to this rule when we deem that releasing your name and address would not be an unreasonable invasion of your privacy. For example, we will usually release your name and address if you sent a copy of your letter to the Park Board Chair and Commissioners, or to any person or organization outside of the Park Board. What if I think the Park Board has incorrect information about me? If you believe there is an error or omission in your personal information, you have the right to request us to correct it. We will carefully consider your request and respond to you as soon as possible. For more information, contact: Corporate Information and Privacy Office |
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