Access to information is one of the pillars of democracy, and it is your right under the current legislation to request records held by the City.

Are you looking for information about the City of Edmonton?

You may not require a access request for:

How to submit an access request

You can submit your access request in 1 of 3 ways:

  • Online OR
  • Complete the Request to Access Information Form and either:
    • Email to foip@edmonton.ca, OR
    • Mail to the 

      Corporate Access and Privacy (CAP) Office
      City of Edmonton
      16th floor Century Place
      9803 - 102A Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB, T5J 3A3

      Make cheques payable to the City of Edmonton
       

The CAP Office may contact you to discuss your request. Work cannot begin until the scope is clear.

Costs

Costs have not changed under the new legislation.

For both personal and general requests, you must pay a 50% deposit if the estimated cost exceeds $150.

Processing of a request will not commence until the initial fee is paid.

Cost for FOIP requests
Type of Request*Initial  FeeAdditional Fees
Personal Requests & Personal Request on behalf of someone else*noneFees for processing personal requests are charged only if the cost of producing the records is more than $10. Photocopies cost $0.06 a page so you will receive a fee estimate only if there are more than 167 pages - otherwise there is no charge.
General Requests*$25Fees for general requests are charged only if the cost of processing (search time, applying exceptions to disclosure, photocopying) is more than $150.
*Types of Requests

*General Requests: any request that do not contain your personal information.

Examples of general requests include:

  • An agreement
  • A City report
  • Emails about a City program 

 

Personal Requests: requests for records that contain your personal information. 

Examples of a personal request include:

  • Your Human Resources Files (if you are/were a City employee)
  • Bylaw complaints in which you are a party
  • 311 call ticket notes in which you are a party

 

Personal Information Request on behalf of someone else: In some instances, someone else ​(an applicant) may be​ submitting a personal request on behalf of ​a​n individual, and it ​i​s necessary to determine whether the applicant has the authorization of the individual whose information is requested, or has some other right under the Act.

Common examples of persons who might reasonably request information about another individual are the legal representative of the individual and insurance companies who have their insured's authorization. Applicants may use the Authorization of Representative form form to document permission. When submitting your application online, you can upload the completed form.

Frequently Asked Questions - Access Requests

How will the new legislation impact my existing request?

Requests received by the CAP Office on or before June 11, 2025 will be processed in accordance with the FOIP Act. Requests received on or after June 12, 2025 will be processed in accordance with ATIA. If you have questions at any time about an access request, please contact the assigned Analyst or foip@edmonton.ca

How will the new legislation impact my new request?

The primary impact is that the City’s legislated timelines are counted in business days rather than in calendar days. This means that weekends and holidays will be counted when determining how long the City has to respond to a request.

When will you have a Privacy Management Program?

The Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) provides that the City has until June 11, 2026 to have a privacy management program in place. The City already has many of the components of a privacy management program, such as incident response procedures, and the City ensures that every collection, use or disclosure of personal information is authorized. Updates and additions to our program to align with the new Act will be made available as they are ready.

Will I receive all the records that I asked for?

The right of access to records does not apply to records that are excluded under section 4 of the former FOIP Act/section 4 of ATIA. The right of access is also subject to limited and specific exceptions that are set out in the former FOIP Act and ATIA. 

There are 2 types of exceptions under the Act: "mandatory" and "discretionary." Mandatory means the City must apply the exception and discretionary means that the City may choose to apply the exception to withhold the records. For example, the City must (“mandatory”) withhold information that would be an unreasonable invasion of someone else’s personal privacy, but it may (“discretionary”) withhold information that is analysis or advice used to make a decision.

When information is withheld in response to an access-to-information request, the applicant will be advised of the exception to disclosure that was applied.

What if I can't afford to pay the fee?

The Act provides some situations where fees can be reduced or waived entirely. The CAP Office can assist you in narrowing the scope of your request and provide other suggestions to reduce your costs. The CAP Office can also accept written requests with supporting documentation to be considered for a fee waiver.

What if I think the information I'm requesting is in the public interest?

The Act states that the applicant may not need to pay fees for the release of records in the public interest.  If you believe it is in the public interest to release the records you are requesting, please raise this with the CAP Analyst assigned to your file.

When will I get my information?

The FOIP Act provided the City with 30 calendar days to respond to your request. 

The primary impact of the new legislation is that the City’s legislated timelines are counted in business days rather than in calendar days. This means that weekends and holidays will be counted when determining how long the City has to respond to a request.

Processing does not begin until fees are paid or until a clear request is received. 

The City may take an additional 30 business days if the scope of your request is large or if we need to consult with a third party about the records, or longer if allowed under the Act. 

Is there an express service?

No. We process requests in the order that they are received, but we do our best to respond as quickly as possible.

Now that I've seen my records, I think there's incorrect information about me. How do I correct my personal information?

You may change your address and contact information for some City services by contacting 311.  If you want to correct other information about yourself please contact the CAP Office at foip@edmonton.ca or 780-496-5222.

How the City reports information on access requests

The City of Edmonton is committed to accountability and transparency, and reports statistics yearly to the Government of Alberta, which prepares an annual report about the operation of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act). Below, you will find two annual reports from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2024 based on those requirements.

Reports

April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024
April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023

Completion time: The time taken to process an access request to completion under the current legislation. The Annual Reports document the number of requests closed within 30 days, between 31 and 60 days, between 61 and 90 days, and over 90 days. Note: the former FOIP Act and current legislation allow for timelines to be extended for reasons including volume of records and public body consultations.  

Disposition: The decision on whether access to the record or part of it is granted or refused, including whether the request was transferred to another public body, if the applicant withdrew or abandoned their request.

Request Withdrawn: An applicant has decided not to pursue their request and the request is closed.

Request Abandoned: Where an applicant ceases to respond during the processing of an access request​ and there is no indication given that the applicant has decided not to pursue the request​, ​t​he Act sets out provisions for declaring a request abandoned.

Continuing request: A type of access request that continues in effect for a specified period of time up to 2 years regarding a particular subject matter.

Summary of the new legislation

  • The Protection of Privacy Act ensures personal information is properly managed and protected by setting best practices into law, making it mandatory for public bodies to create programs and services with protection of privacy in mind.
     
  • The Access to Information Act introduces a clearer and more streamlined process for obtaining information from government and public bodies. It enhances regulatory functions, clarifies procedural steps and sets timelines for the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to complete reviews.
     

For more information, see Protection of Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act - Government of Alberta


Edmonton's Open City Initiative strives to transform the City into a more transparent, open and accessible organization. Information about the City is widely available throughout this website and on the Open Data Portal.

Forms

Forms are being updated. You can still use these forms to submit requests, which will be processed under ATIA.

Explanatory Notes

These will be updated but are still in effect until they are replaced.

City Policies

These will be updated but are still in effect until they are replaced.

Contact Us

Email  foip@edmonton.ca

Phone  780-496-5222