Make a freedom of information request
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA or the Act), you can make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to access general records or your own personal information and correct your personal information.
To make an FOI request, follow these steps.
Make an FOI request
Complete the MFIPPA Request Form.
You can download the MFIPPA Request Form (PDF) or pick it up in person from the reception desk at our head office at 931 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M4W 2H2
On the form, remember to:
- clearly identify the records you want to access
- include your contact information
Provide a copy of valid photo ID (personal information requests).
Examples of valid photo ID:
- Driver's licence
- Ontario photo card
- Citizenship card
- First photo page of your passport
Valid photo ID exceptions:
- Valid photo IDs cannot be expired.
- We cannot accept health cards as valid photo ID because we are not a provincially funded health care service provider.
Get written and signed consent (requests on behalf of someone).
If you are making a request on behalf of someone else, you must submit written consent signed by the person whose information you want to access along with his or her valid photo ID. Download the consent form (PDF).
Pay the $5 application fee.
You must pay the $5 application fee. Please send us a cheque or money order for $5 payable to "Toronto Community Housing Corporation". The $5.00 application fee is mandatory and is non-refundable. If you submit your request in person at our head office located at 931 Yonge Street, you can pay with cash. Please do not send cash in the mail.
Submit your request and all supporting documents.
Mail the MFIPPA Request Form, a copy of valid photo ID, the written consent form (if needed), and the application fee to:
ATTN: Information Specialist
Toronto Community Housing
931 Yonge Street, 6th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M4W 2H2
After we receive your request
Once we receive your request, we will send you a letter letting you know we received it and give you an FOI file number.
Fees
In addition to a mandatory $5.00 application fee, you may need to pay additional fees related to your request. These fees may include:
|
Description of Fees |
Amount of Fees |
|---|---|
|
Search fees |
$7.50 for each 15 minutes spent manually searching for a record |
|
Preparation Fees |
$7.50 for each 15 minutes spent preparing a record for disclosure |
|
Computer programming |
$15 for each 15 minutes spent developing a computer program to retrieve information |
|
Photocopies and computer printouts |
$0.20 per page |
|
Records provided on CD-ROMs |
$10 per CD |
|
Other charges |
The costs, including computer costs, that we incur in locating, retrieving, processing and copying the record if these costs are specified in an invoice that we have received |
If we estimate the cost to process your request is more than $100, we will ask you to give us a deposit of 50%. We will not proceed to process your request until we receive your deposit.
Freedom of Information FAQs
How do I access information at Toronto Community Housing?
a. Routine Requests by Tenants
If you are a current tenant seeking access to your own Personal Information, here is what you should do:
- If the information you are seeking falls within a category of records outlined under Routine Disclosure Request - Tenant Information, you can contact your Tenant Services Coordinator to make a routine disclosure request, at no cost. If you do not know who your Tenant Services Coordinator is, please call the Client Care Centre at 416-981-5500 or via email, help@torontohousing.ca.
- If the information you are seeking does not fall within a category of records outlined under Routine Disclosure Request - Tenant Information, you need to make a Freedom of Information request.
b. Research and Data Requests
TCHC has Guidelines for External Research and Data Requests (PDF). If you are seeking data for research purposes only, and the information you are seeking does not include Personal Information (as defined under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or "MFIPPA"), submit a Research and Data Request by completing an External Research and Data Request Form (PDF).
c. Freedom of Information Requests
If the information you are seeking cannot be found on our external website and you are not making a routine request (see item a. above) or a Research and Data Request (see item b. above), you will need to make a Freedom of Information request.
- If the information you are seeking deals entirely with one subject matter, you only need to make one Freedom of Information request.
- If you are seeking information about multiple subjects, you will have to submit one Freedom of Information request for each subject.
What is a Freedom of Information (FOI) request?
Under MFIPPA, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request is a formal process to ask for copies of records held by TCHC, which can either be:
- a Personal Information request, i.e. Personal Information about yourself; or
- a general record request, i.e. corporate or general information in the custody of TCHC.
What is personal information?
Personal information is defined in MFIPPA . It means recorded information about an identifiable individual, including, but not limited to:
- national or ethnic origin, race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status of the individual
- identifying numbers or symbols, such as social insurance number or client number
- home address, home telephone number, fingerprints or blood type
- information relating to the education, financial situation, medical, psychiatric, psychological criminal history or employment history of an individual
How much does it cost to make a Freedom of Information request?
- Under the MFIPPA, you are required to pay a mandatory application fee in the amount of $5.00 for your FOI request.
- As outlined above, you may also have to pay additional fees related to your request.
How long will it take to process my request?
- Under the MFIPPA, TCHC has 30 days to respond to your request, i.e. 30 days from the date when your request was received by TCHC.
- We will notify you in writing if we need to extend the time limit, for example, if TCHC needs to carry out an extensive search or to consult with a third party before it can respond to your request.
- We cannot speed up your request. You may note on your request form that the documents are needed urgently, but we cannot guarantee the request will be processed before the 30-day time frame.
How can I check the status of my request?
- E-mail FOI@torontohousing.ca. In your email, please provide your name, contact information and quote FOI file number, if available.
- If you are a current TCHC tenant and don't have access to email, you can also call TCHC's Client Care Centre and leave your name, telephone number and quote your FOI file number, if available. TCHC staff from the FOI Office will return your call.
What can I do if I disagree with the access decision?
If you disagree with TCHC's response to your request for your Tenant Information, you can request that information by submitting an FOI request.
If you disagree with TCHC's response to your FOI request, you can file an appeal by writing to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. To appeal an access decision, including the decision to charge a fee, you must write to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario and state that you want to appeal Toronto Community Housing's decision. You must appeal within 30 days of receiving our decision letter. You will need to pay a fee to the Commissioner's office.
To learn more about filing an appeal of an FOI request, contact the Privacy Commissioner's Office at:
Registrar
Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario
2 Bloor St. East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
Telephone: 416-326-3333 Toll-free: 1-800-387-0073
