Freedom of Information Requests

The Board promotes open government and fosters an organizational structure that advances the fundamental principles of the Act:

Information (general records) should be available to the public
Individuals should have access to their own personal information
Exemptions to access should be limited and specific
The Board should protect the privacy of individuals with respect to the personal information it collects and maintains.

How do I Access Information?

It’s easy to get information about the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board. If you can’t find the information you want on our website, here are some other ways of getting information:

Email your information request through the Board’s contact form
Phone the Board at (705) 748-4861, Ext. 1245
Visit the main Catholic Education Centre in person – 1355 Lansdowne Street West, Peterborough, Ontario, L9J 7M3

Occasionally, if an information request is particularly complex or sensitive, it may require a more formal process. In that case, you can request access to information by submitting a request citing the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Also, students, parents and guardians can request access to information held by the Board by contacting the Principal of the school their child attends. Please be aware that while an individual has access to their own personal information and general records, they do not have access to information about other individuals. While a student is under the age of 18 and is not living independently, the parent or guardian retains a right of access to their child’s information. The Principal will provide you with the information you request if you are legally entitled to receive a copy of it. If you are not granted access to it, you have the right to make a formal request for information under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

What is involved in making a request to access information?

You may make a request by completing an Access Request Form or by writing a letter or e-mail describing exactly what information you want and providing your name and preferred method of contact. Completed requests must include a $5.00 application fee paid by e-transfer, cash, money order or cheque payable to the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board.

E-Transfer:

Send an Interac e-Transfer to [email protected] Indicate in the message section your name, your email address and reason for payment (e.g. FOI request)

Other Forms of Payment may be sent to:

Communication Services
Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board
1355 Lansdowne Street West, Peterborough K9J 7M3
Tel: (705) 748-4861, Ext. 1245
Fax: (705) 748-9691
Email: g [email protected]

Generally, the Board has 30 calendar days in which to respond. You will be notified when:

Further information or clarification is required
A time extension is required due to volume of records or the number of staff to be consulted is large
Access is granted or denied (given a reason); and if the fee is estimated to exceed $25.00

The requester does not have to explain why the information is required. The requester’s residency, age or citizenship does not restrict right of request.

Note: The 30-day response time does not begin until the Board receives the $5 application fee.

FEE CHARGES FOR REQUESTS FOR PERSONAL INFORMATION REQUESTS

If you are requesting information about yourself, your request is considered a “personal information request”. The following fees may apply to requests for your personal information:

Application fee: $5.00 to be paid when you submit your request
Photocopying: $0.20 per page
Computer programming: $15.00 for each half-hour if needed to develop program to retrieve information
USB Key: $20.00 for each USB Key

Payments accepted:

Cash (exact change)
Cheques made payable to Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB). Attention Communication Services at 1355 Lansdowne St. W, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7M3
E-transfer (send an Interac e-Transfer to [email protected] and indicate in the message section your name, your email address and what you are sending payment for (e.g. Freedom of Information request)

FEE CHARGES FOR REQUESTS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION REQUESTS

Requests for information about a person other than yourself or about a municipal program or activity are considered “general information requests” and have different fees than for personal information requests. The following fees apply for requests for general information:

Application fee: $5.00 to be paid when you submit your request
Search time: $7.50 for each half-hour required to search and retrieve records
Record preparation: $7.50 for each half-hour required to prepare records for release
Photocopying: $0.20 per page
Computer programming: $15.00 for each half-hour if needed to develop program to retrieve information
USB Keys: $20.00 for each disk

You will be given a fee estimate, if it is anticipated fees are more than $25.00. If the estimate of fees to be paid is $100.00 or more, you may be required to pay a 50% deposit.

OTHER FEES

N.S.F. cheques: $25.00
Appeals – General: $25.00
Appeals – Personal: $10.00

Other charges could include postage or any other costs incurred by the board in completing your request.
If you are not satisfied with our response to your request, you can appeal to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commission of Ontario.

How we protect personal information in the course of our operations?

The Board collects, uses, and shares personal information from and about individuals in the course of providing educational services and to administer programs. The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act regulates the way personal information is administered with a view to protecting each individual’s right to privacy. Individual written consent will be sought when it is appropriate before personal information is collected, used or shared.
The personal information we maintain is securely managed. For example, a confidentiality agreement will be entered into before personal information is shared with an external third party such as a school photography company.
Where personal information is to be used for purposes identified within the Education Act or in other words as part of or supplemental to the educational program, consent is not usually required. Notice is sufficient. Notice is usually in writing and will include an explanation of our legal authority, the uses or purposes for the personal information, and the name of a person to contact about the use.
Should we intend to use the personal information in a way that would cause it to be removed from our span of control or if the intended use or release in not within the definition of the provision of educational services and programs and could be viewed as potentially breaching an individual’s right to privacy protection then we will engage in one of the following:

The activity will be assessed for privacy impacts and adjusted accordingly
Written, specific consent will be sought

Under the Act, you retain the right to request correction or removal of any personal information held by us if you believe it to be inaccurate.
If you believe you or your child’s personal privacy rights have been breached you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commission of Ontario .
Personal information will be retained for a minimum of 12 months from the date of its last use. This gives you time to view your own information. All personal information is shredded when it has satisfied the legal retention requirements and has outlived its usefulness.
Once a person has been dead for 30 years, their information is no longer considered personal.
For more information about information access and privacy protection, please contact: