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FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY
Jan. 22, 2009
Ministry of Labour and Citizens’ Services
VICTORIA – The Province of British Columbia is a leader in freedom of information and protection of privacy and has the strongest freedom of information act in the country. Here are the facts:
- Since 2001, B.C. has added 61 public bodies to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
- The Act now covers more than 2,000 public bodies, more than any other act in the country. This includes provincial and local governments, crown corporations, school boards, universities and colleges, municipal police, hospitals, and health authorities.
- The government has frozen fees for FOI requests since 2001, and there is no fee for people seeking their own personal information.
- Since 2001, the government has dramatically improved FOI response times, cutting the wait by more than 50% from an average of 71 business days in 2001 to just 34 business days today.
- Government intends to improve response times even further by centralizing information and privacy operations. The new structure, announced in January 2009, will create a single point of contact for the public to make information access requests. It will improve service, avoid duplication, and lead to consistent interpretation and application of the legislation.
- British Columbia is the first government in Canada to protect citizens from the U.S. Patriot Act by limiting storage of personal information outside of Canada and requiring all public bodies to report foreign requests for unauthorized access to personal information.
- Statistics about freedom of information requests are updated quarterly and available on line. http://www.cio.gov.bc.ca/services/privacy/Public_Sector/CRTSstats/default.asp
- Government provides information and privacy training across the province to ensure the Act's principles are understood and followed by all public bodies.
- The Information and Privacy Commissioner, an independent officer of the Legislature, monitors compliance with the Act, investigates FOI complaints and reviews the decisions of the heads of public bodies on requests for information under the Act.
Letters to the Editor
September 17, 2008
Letter to the Editor
B.C. HAS STRONG FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LEGISLATION
By Iain Black
Minister of Labour and Citizens' Services
Submitted: Vancouver Province
Status: Not Published
British Columbia has the strongest freedom of information and privacy protection legislation in Canada and an excellent track record of responding quickly to requests for information. [Read More]
September 16, 2008
Letter to the Editor
FOIPPA RESPONSIVENESS
By Iain Black
Minister of Labour and Citizens' Services
Submitted: Vancouver Province
Status: Published September 18, 2008
British Columbia has the strongest freedom of information and privacy protection legislation in Canada and an excellent track record of responding quickly to requests for information. Your criticism of our commitment to openness and transparency is not supported by the facts (B.C. government dragging its feet on bid to obtain IBM info – September 14). [Read More]
