Summary of Appeals: 2011 vs. 2010

If you make a written freedom of information (FOI) request under Ontario’s provincial or municipal freedom of information and protection of privacy Acts, and are not satisfied with the response, you have a right to appeal that decision to my office. Appeals may relate to a refusal to provide access, fees sought, the fact that the institution did not respond within the prescribed 30-day period, refusal to correct your personal information, or other procedural aspects relating to a request.

2011 Appeals

In 2011, 1,214 appeals were submitted — the highest number ever. Overall, 1,023 appeals were closed in 2011, an increase of 107 from 2010.

Records that do not contain the personal information of the requester are referred to as general records. Overall, 801 appeals regarding access to general records were made in 2011. Of these, 468 were filed under the provincial Act and 333 under the municipal Act.

There were a further 413 personal information appeals filed in 2011, including 154 under the provincial Act and 259 under the municipal Act.

In 2011, the number of appeals opened under the municipal Act — 591 — was up by 63, while the number filed under the provincial Act — 623 — was up 174 from the previous year.

Of the 623 appeals filed with my office under the provincial Act, 151 (33.6 per cent) involved the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, while another 123 (27.4 per cent) involved the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. A further 25 appeals related to decisions of the Ministry of Government Services, followed by the Ministry of the Attorney General (24) and the Ministries of Natural Resources (19) and Environment (12). The University of Ottawa had more appeals filed against its decisions than any other provincial agency with 17, followed by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation with 10.

Of the 591 appeals received under the municipal Act, 275 (46.5 per cent) involved police services, while 226 (38.2 per cent) involved municipalities. Toronto Police Services, which again received more requests under the municipal Act than any other organization, was also involved in the most appeals under that Act (82), followed by the City of Toronto (48), Halton Police Services (34), Hamilton Police Services (22), Ottawa Police Services (19), York Regional Police Services (19) and the City of Ottawa with 12.

The Toronto District School Board was involved in the most appeals against a school board (nine), followed by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (eight).