Access to Information - Records

As a local public body, the County of Wetaskiwin No 10 is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP). The County respects the privacy of all individuals and is committed to protect the personal information that is shared with us.

A number of public records are available online free of charge. These records include bylaws, policies and council agendas and minutes for the current year and one year previous.

Making Requests

Requests for copies of County documents or a file review are made in writing to the FOIP Coordinator using the Access to Information (FOIP) Request Form (PDF). The request can be submitted in person, by mail, email or fax.

The following information must be included on the form:

  • Name, address, telephone number and email address of the requestor/applicant
  • Sufficient information to identify the public record
  • Date of submission of the request

Cost 

The following fees apply to the majority of access requests:

  • There is an initial $25 charge for all public record requests. The only exception is a request for personal information. The $25 fee must be submitted along with the request for information. Payment can be made by cash or cheque.
  • Black and white copies on standard letter paper are $0.25 per page.
  • Mailing includes actual cost of postage and shipping container.
  • Other media will incur actual cost of materials.
  • Large requests may require advance payment. Should the cost of time and materials estimated to complete a specific request accrue to $150 or more, an estimate invoice will be provided to the applicant. These may also require a time extension to complete the request.
  • Other fees as adopted by the County Office may be applicable.

All records will be released if they do not fall within the specific exemptions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) or other statutes which exempt or prohibit disclosure of specific information or records.

Exemptions & Denials 

Following are a few common reasons why a record may be exempt from disclosure or denied:

  •  Common Exemption: The County does not disclose lists of individuals for commercial purposes such as real estate circulars, renovation contractors, etc.
  • 3rd Party Notification: Requested records that contain information that may affect the rights of others may be exempt from disclosure. The FOIP Coordinator may give notice to others whose rights may be affected by the disclosure, prior to providing the records. The applicant's personal information is kept confidential and not revealed to the 3rd party.
  •  Withdrawn or Abandoned Requests: When a requestor either withdraws the request or fails to fulfill their obligations to inspect the records, pay a deposit, or make final payment within 30 days for the requested copies, the FOIP Coordinator will close the request and notify the requestor the request has been closed.

Correspondence With the County

All records in the custody or under the control of the County of Wetaskiwin are subject to the provisions of this legislation. This means that correspondence to the County of Wetaskiwin No 10 from members of "the Public" may be disclosed to others than those addressed by the correspondence.

Email and Other Electronic Messages

Email and other electronic messages sent to those domain names owned by the County of Wetaskiwin No 10 (including, but not limited to county10.ca) are subject to the FOIP Act. Senders of messages should be aware that:

  • Personal and other information contained in electronic correspondence (or printed versions) may be disclosed to others under this legislation the anonymity or confidentiality of the sender and the information contained within the correspondence cannot be guaranteed.
  • Electronic messages that reside on a system outside of those domains owned by the County, but deemed to be in the custody and control of the County may also be releasable under this legislation.

Submissions to Council or Public Committees

Correspondence or other submissions from the Public, that are considered public meetings may be subject to release under FOIP. For example: Council meetings, public hearings of Council, Subdivision Development Appeal Board, Assessment Review Board, and Council Committee meetings are public meetings.