The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is committed to protecting your personal information and protecting your privacy. The WRDSB collects, uses, and shares personal information in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).
What is the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA)?
The purpose of MFIPPA is:
- To provide the right to access information under the control of the WRDSB according to the principles below:
- Information should be available to the public.
- Necessary exemptions from the right of access should be limited and specific (i.e. personal information, third party information, solicitor-client privilege, etc.); and
- Decisions on the disclosure of information should be reviewed independently of the institution controlling the information (i.e. the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario)
- To protect the privacy of individuals with respect to personal information about themselves held by the WRDSB, and to provide individuals with a right of access to that information.
This page provides information on how to access general records, your personal information, and how to request correction of those records.
The WRDSB website contains many records that are available to the public without a formal freedom of information request. Key documents such as policies, procedures, media releases, Board agendas, and minutes are easily accessible.
Parents/caregivers or adult students have the right to request information under the Education Act directly from the school. Please contact your school principal with any questions.
If you cannot find the information you are seeking on the WRDSB website or at the school, you can submit a formal freedom of information request.
What is a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request?
An FOI request is a request for access to information under Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) that is in the custody or control of the WRDSB.
For more information, please see AP1102 Freedom of Information Request Protocol.
How to submit an FOI Request?
Please review all sections on the form prior to submitting your FOI request.
FOI requests can be submitted online or by mail.
All requests must be submitted with a non-refundable $5.00 application fee, required under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Additional fees may apply; for a full listing of fees, see Fee Schedule for FOI Requests below.
Online
An FOI request can be submitted by completing the online form and making the payment following the form for the $5.00 application fee.
By Mail
You may also print the FOI application form and mail it to our office, together with a non-refundable $5.00 cheque/money order payable to Waterloo Region District School Board.
Mailing address:
ATTN: Privacy Office
Waterloo Region District School Board
51 Ardelt Avenue
Kitchener, ON
N2C 2R5
Please note that any request submitted without the payment of the $5.00 application fee will not be processed until the mandatory application fee is received by the WRDSB Freedom of Information and Privacy Office.
Fees Schedule for FOI Requests
R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 823 (General) under MFIPPA sets out the specific fees to be charged for processing FOI requests.
The following fees may be charged in response to the FOI request and can be paid here.
Personal Information Requests
| Fee Type | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Application Fee (Mandatory) |
$5.00 |
|
| Photocopies | $0.20 cent per page | Related to processing fees. Payable before records are received. |
| USB Flash drive | $10.00 each | Related to processing fees. Payable before records are received. |
| Computer programming | $15.00 for each 15 minutes | If required to develop a program to retrieve the requested information. |
| Appeal | $10.00 |
|
General Information Requests
| Fee Type | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Application Fee (Mandatory) |
$5.00 |
|
| Search Time | $7.50 for each 15 minutes | Search time for records requested. |
| Preparation Time | $7.50 for each 15 minutes | Preparation time for records release (including severing part of a record). |
| Photocopies | $.20 cent per page | Photocopy fees |
| USB Flash drive | $10 each | Related to processing fees. Payable before records are received. |
| Computer programming | $15.00 for each 15 minutes | If required to develop a program to retrieve the requested information. |
| Appeal | $25.00 |
|
Fee Estimates
A fee estimate is a detailed statement of the charges to prepare records for disclosure.
A fee estimate is required when the requester is charged $25 or more.
When the fee is over $25 and under $100, the fee estimate is based on the actual work done by the institution to respond to the request.
When the fee is $100 or more, the fee estimate may be based on a review of a representative sample of the records and/or the advice of knowledgeable institution staff that are familiar with the type and content of the records.
All fee estimates must include a detailed statement of how the fee estimate was calculated. The WRDSB is not required to release records to a requester until the fee has been paid, or the issue of fees has been resolved after an appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
Freedom of Information Request Completion Time
Upon receipt of your FOI request (and the payment of the mandatory fee, if applicable), the WRDSB has 45 business days to respond to your request under MFIPPA.
If the scope of your request is broad, or the request involves review of a large number of records or an extensive search, or a third-party consultation is required, a time extension may apply.
Requestors will be notified if a time extension applies
Correction of Personal Information Process
Parents/caregivers or adult students have the right to request corrections under the Education Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act if they believe that personal information in a student’s record is inaccurate.
Under the Education Act, the parent/caregiver or adult student can make a request to the principal to correct the personal information contained in their child’s Ontario Student Record where they believe the information is inaccurate.
Under MFIPPA, the request must be made in writing to the Freedom of Information and Privacy Office. There is no application fee for a request to make corrections to your own personal information. Please complete the Correction of Personal Information form.
Privacy Complaints and Breaches Process
A privacy breach occurs when your personal information is stolen, lost, used or disclosed without proper authorization. If you feel that your privacy has been breached by the WRDSB please contact the WRDSB Privacy Office or send a letter with the details:
By Mail
Attn: Privacy Office
Waterloo Region District School Board
51 Ardelt Ave.
Kitchener ON
N2C 2R5
By Email
You also have a right to notify the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario of a privacy breach. For more information on the IPC’s privacy breach notification process, please visit the IPC website.
Questions?
For more information about the WRDSB FOI protocol or any policies and procedures regarding the protection of personal information and privacy with the WRDSB, please contact Privacy Office by email at privacy@wrdsb.ca.