British Columbia's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) gives you the right to request records held in the custody and/or control of the City of Prince George (the "City"). The Act protects your privacy by placing restrictions on when the City can collect or disclose personal information.
The general right of access to records is restricted by certain specified and limited exceptions. For example, an applicant will not be given access to someone else's personal information without their permission or given information that would harm third-party business interests.
FIPPA also provides an appeal procedure. Should an applicant believe that the response the City has provided is incomplete or inaccurate, they may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia.
The three primary methods to access City records are through the City's website, by direct contact with departments, or formally under FIPPA.
Routine Request
Not all records require a formal Freedom of Information request to be released. Many routinely available records can be accessed through the City's Open Data Portal at no charge.
Examples of such records include, but are not limited to:
Some records may have attached fees as authorized by the City of Prince George Comprehensive Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 7557, 2004, as amended.
The City also only processes requests for records that are under its control or jurisdiction.
Information (i.e. NOT records) can usually be given routinely. You do not need to provide a written request for information and information is more often than not provided relatively quickly. To find out if the information you want is routinely available, contact the relevant City department. If the department does not have the information you want, you will either be directed to the department that does or, if the information is not routinely available, directed to staff who process access to information under FIPPA.
If you are unsure which department has the information you need, contact the Service Centre:
Phone: 3-1-1 (or 250-561-7600 outside city limits)
Email: 311@princegeorge.ca
Formal Request
A formal request for recorded information must be made in writing. The request should be simple, clear, and focused, but provide sufficient detail to help staff locate/retrieve the records.
You may complete the online Freedom of Information request form or enter a request in your own format (with the required information) and submit it to:
Records and Management Division
City Hall - 5th Floor
1100 Patricia Boulevard
Prince George, BC V2L 3V9
Phone: 250-561-7686
Fax: 250-561-0183
Email: foirequests@princegeorge.ca
To determine if a formal request is required, consult with the departmental staff directly or contact the Supervisor of Information, Privacy, and Records Management.
CCTV Surveillance Footage
CCTV surveillance footage will only be released upon receipt of a written request by an RCMP member while conducting an investigation.
Fees
Section 75 of FIPPA provides that the City may charge a fee for certain limited costs of providing applicants with records. If there are costs involved in processing a formal request, the applicant will be provided with a fee estimate before the application is fully processed.
