Legal Counsel Office

Submit an Application

Submit an Application

Download the FOIPOP Application to Access a Record Form and submit to the FOIPOP Coordinator.

Find Out More

For more information on FOIPOP, please contact:


Privacy Officer
FOIPOP@dal.ca

 

Before making an application, it is important to note the FOIPOP Act is in addition to and does not replace existing procedures for access to information of records. Dalhousie University already has a great deal of information available and may be able to supply it without a formal FOIPOP request. If the information is already available then the Act does not apply and the information can be provided.

Making a Formal Request

A request for records which cannot be answered through existing procedures becomes a formal FOIPOP access request. The request must be in writing and can be made on the Dalhousie FOIPOP Application form, or in any other manner provided by the Act. A written formal FOIPOP access request received anywhere on campus will be directed to the Dalhousie FOIPOP Coordinator.

The Dalhousie FOIPOP Coordinator will receive the written request and the application fee if applicable. (There is no application fee to access your own personal information but there is a $5.00 application fee for all other requests.) The Coordinator will assist the applicant in clarifying the request and attempt to ensure that appropriate records are identified in order to facilitate their retrieval.

The following steps will then be taken:

  • The Coordinator will determine who has custody of the records requested, will contact the appropriate FOIPOP Unit Advisor and will determine the volume and complexity of files to be retrieved.
  • The Coordinator will estimate the fee for services and present the estimate to the applicant. Fees can be charged for locating, retrieving, preparing, copying and producing the record although there is no charge for the first two hours spent on obtaining the record. Applicants can request a fee waiver but may be required to provide additional information to support their fee waiver request. Unless a waiver is granted, the Coordinator will wait to proceed with the application until 50 per cent of the fee assessed is paid.
  • If the applicant agrees to the assessment and pays 50 per cent, the Coordinator will notify the FOIPOP Unit Advisor. The Unit Advisor will ensure that the records are retrieved and will prepare working copies if required.
  • The Unit Advisor and Coordinator will review the records to determine their recommendations on what should be released, what the institution must refuse to disclose in accordance with the Act and what the University may choose to refuse to disclose. If the records deal with the personal information of third parties (either corporate or individual), the Coordinator will send out the required third party notification.
  • The Advisor and Coordinator will prepare a package that will outline their recommendations regarding the access request. It will include reasons for refusals of disclosure if applicable and the provisions of the Act on which such disclosure refusals are based. It will also include any third party representations.
  • The appropriate Vice-President with the designated authority of the "Head" for purposes of S. 49A of the FOIPOP Act will review this package and approve the recommendations or request changes at his or her discretion. At this point the Coordinator will be available to provide advice, but the "Head" has the authority to make the decision on behalf of the University.
  • The Coordinator will document decisions and present them to the applicant. The applicant will also be notified that s/he may ask for a review of that decision by the Review Officer.
  • The Coordinator will prepare the records for disclosure, collect the balance of the fees and either provide copies of the records or make arrangements for the applicant to examine the original records as requested.
  • Further information can be obtained by contacting the Dalhousie FOIPOP Coordinator.

This website is maintained by the Dalhousie Legal Counsel Office in order to provide readers with general information about the Legal Counsel Office and its role at the university. To report an issue on this website, please contact us at (902) 494-2184 or email meredith.hayes@dal.ca