Access to Information

The Local Authority Freedom of Informaiton and Protection of Privacy Act (LAFOIP) is a provincial statute that applies to all local authorities.  LAFOIP promotes the openness and transparency of municipal governments and the protection of a individual's privacy.  The Act enables people to apply for access to records held by the City and sets out rules on how the City collects, uses and shares personal information.

The City of Melfort is a local authority and stirves to operate in an open and transparent manner providing indiviuals with access to records in the possession or control of the City with limited and speific exceptions.

Routine Requests:

If you are seeking information, the information can usually be provided routinely.  To find out if the information you want in routinely available, contact the City Deparment that you believe has the information.  You may be directed to another department if the department contacted does not have the information.  If the information you seek is not routinely available, you will be directed to the Access and Privacy Officer within the City Clerk's Office to make a formal access to information request under the Act.

The Majority of information held by the City of Melfort can be accessed through the normal release of information by staff, without using the Act.  Examples of this include: answers to questions related to departmental operations, open agendas, open minutes, bylaws, policies and procedures.

Formal Request

A formal request for recorded information is a formal process to access records that are not routinely available.  The formal request must be made in writing through an Access to Information Request Application Form.  The request should provide sufficient detail to assist staff in locating/retrieving the records.

When submitting an Access to Information Request there is a $20 application fee payable at the time the request is made.  Additional fees may apply when you are given access to a record or part of a record as per section 5 of The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Regulations.

For additional information visit the Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner.