The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act) aims to strike a balance between the public’s right to know and the individuals’ right to privacy, as these rights relate to information held by our organization.
Summary
The FOIP Act is based on two essential principles: the right to know and the right to privacy. The Town of Drumheller recognizes that the privacy and confidentiality of a person’s information is important.
The Town of Drumheller is committed to complying with the FOIP Act and supporting its principles;
- You have the right to access information the Town of Drumheller may have about you.
- You have the right to request the Town to correct personal information it has about you.
- The Act controls the way the Town may collect personal information from you, controls how the Town may use your personal information and controls how the Town may disclose information about you.
- You have the right to request access to the records held by the Town, subject to specific and limited expectations.
- You have the right to request an independent review of any issue related to FOIP by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Access to information
Start your search with an informal request.
Most Town employees routinely give out information in the course of their jobs. For most of us, this means responding to informal verbal requests or directing you to our official publications on our website.
Information is routinely available to the public. Before you submit a formal written request for information, try contacting the department within the Town that may have the information you require. Contact information for each department can be found in the Staff Directory.
There are specific guidelines set out by the FOIP Act that determine whether information can be released entirely or in part.
If you would like to request information that is not routinely available, you can complete and submit an official Request For Access To Information Form. General requests, or requests for non-personal information, require a fee of $25.00 payable to the Town of Drumheller. Additional fees may apply. Please do not send cash through the mail.
If the request is made on behalf of another individual, an Authorization of Representative Form must also be submitted. For more information or to submit a request please email FOIP@drumheller.ca
Common Requests
There are a number of records that can be released under certain circumstances.
Although the list is extensive, we have provided examples of the most requested information and whether the information can be released or not:
Assessment Roll Information
The assessment roll is made available for inspection at Town Hall or on our website.
Cemetery Registry
The cemetery registry is made available on our website or by contacting the Cemetery Records Clerk at Town Hall.
Contract Information
Under the Act, disclosure harmful to business interests of a third party must be protected.
Contact Information for Residents
Under the Act, this information can only be disclosed if another piece of legislation provides for it or you have written consent from the resident.
Disclosure of Personal Information
Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the FOIP Act) includes some provisions that are rather exceptional in privacy legislation. Section 17(2)(j) and section 17(3) in Part 1 of the Act are intended to make it clear that it is not an unreasonable invasion of a third party’s personal privacy to disclose specified categories of personal information as long as
- the individual concerned has not requested that his or her information not be disclosed, and
- disclosure is not contrary to the public interest
If personal information falls within the specified categories, and neither of the exceptions applies, a public body can disclose the personal information under Part 1 to an applicant without formal consultation with the individual concerned (section 30(1)(b)) and without consent. A public body may also disclose the information under Part 2 (section 40(1)(b)), without a request under the FOIP Act.
These provisions, which were added in 1999, allow public bodies to disclose limited personal information such as class photos, lists of school and college graduates, and names of visitors to the Legislature Gallery, where the disclosure is not contrary to the public interest.
Drawings and Plans
These documents can be viewed but are copyrighted and cannot be copied. You must obtain a copy from the company/person that created them.
Information Regarding a Complaint
The Town’s practice is to not release the personal information of an individual who files a complaint against another individual unless this information is necessary to resolve (for example in Court).
The Town is unable to advise whether an individual or business has been issued a notice or offence ticket regarding the violation of a bylaw.
Real Property Reports
These documents can be viewed but are copyrighted and cannot be copied. You must obtain a copy from the company/person that created them.
Tax and Utility Account Information
If you are not the registered owner of the subject property, or named on the account, written permission is required from the registered owner or the individual named on the account.
Third Party
In responding to a request for access, a public body is required to apply the exceptions in the Act on a case-by-case basis. The exceptions that may apply to third party business information and third party personal information are mandatory exceptions; if a mandatory exception applies to information in a record, the head of a public body must refuse to disclose the information to which the exception applies, unless the third party consents to disclosure of the information.
The FOIP Act includes a process for notifying and consulting with third parties when access to records containing their business or personal information is requested. This process allows public bodies to obtain information relevant to the requested disclosure and, in some cases, a third party’s consent to disclosure.
Safety Codes and Building Permit Information
The records requested would be reviewed to determine whether any of the exceptions to disclosure in the FOIP Act apply and then all or part of the records would be released based on this review.
What if I am unsatisfied with the information I receive?
If you are not satisfied with the results of a request, you should first discuss any concerns with the FOIP Coordinator.
If you are still unsatisfied, you may send a written appeal to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC). Once your appeal has been made, the OIPC will investigate further.
This website may contain links to other websites. The Town of Drumheller is not responsible for the privacy practise of such websites.
We are dedicated to transparency for a better municipal government.