Freedom of Information and Privacy

Need a copy of a record filed with or created by the Town of Newmarket? Start by emailing info@newmarket.ca, calling 905-895-5193 or contacting the department responsible for your request. 

The Town has a Routine Disclosure Policy​ that allows staff to provide some types of records upon request without going through an FOI process. If you want to know if something can be provided, ask staff or consult the table attached to the policy below. 

Routine Disclosure Policy [PDF/447KB]​

If you are looking for access to a record that cannot be provided through the Routine Disclosure Policy, you may need to follow a more formal process called the Freedom of Information (FOI) process.

Submitting an FOI request

You can submit an FOI request by completing the online request form and calling customer service to pay the $5 application fee. You can pay this fee by credit card over the phone. This fee must be paid for staff to begin processing your request.

Freedom of Information Request Form

Alternatively, you can download and complete the Freedom of Information Request PDF form and send in the request and the $5 fee by mail to the Municipal Offices.

Payments can be made in the form of cash, cheque (made payable to the Town of Newmarket), VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Debit Card, certified cheque or money order. Please do not send cash in the mail. 

If you are requesting access to, or a correction of your own personal information, please include with your completed application form, a photocopy of a piece of identification (e.g. driver's licence) bearing your signature. This will allow Town Staff to verify your identity so that your personal information is not disclosed to someone other than yourself. 

If you are acting as an agent on someone else's behalf, please include with the completed application, a signed Consent to Release Form [PDF/46KB] from that individual authorizing you to act on their behalf, as well as a photocopy of a piece of their identification (e.g. driver's licence) bearing their signature for verification purposes.

If you have questions about the freedom of information process, please email accessandprivacy@newmarket.ca. 

Records will be provided digitally by email or via file share unless specifically requested otherwise.

Fees 

There is a $5 application fee for all requests. Additional search and processing fees will be applicable based on search time, complexity of request, volume of records, or reproduction requirements.

See below for a break-down of fees. All fees must be paid before records will be released. 

The Freedom of Information (FOI) process is governed by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). It provides a right of access to information under the control of institutions in line with the principles that information should be available to the public and that individuals have a right to privacy.

The FOI process is designed to ensure that all requests for access are treated fairly and objectively. It recognizes that information should be available to the public, but that there are legitimate exemptions, such as the personal privacy of others, trade secrets, solicitor-client privilege, and more.

By filing an FOI request, you have the right to appeal any decision by the Town to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC).

A record is defined as any record of information, however recorded, that can be read or reproduced. Records are both electronic and paper-based and can contain information on any subject. Every department is responsible for maintaining their own records according to the Town's Records Retention Policy [PDF/25KB]. This includes Central York Fire Services but does not include the Newmarket Public Library. View the Library's Privacy Statement.