The Ontario government amended the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act in April 2026. The amendments are coming into force in stages, with some changes effective on July 1, 2026, and others on January 1, 2027. More information coming soon.
Utilities Kingston complies with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This Ontario law sets out what information can be requested by the public and how we must respond.
Under the Act
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The President & CEO of Utilities Kingston is the “head” of the organization and is responsible for FOI decisions.
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The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) oversees compliance with the Act and reviews appeals.
How to request information and protect your privacy
Your right of access
Every person has the right to request access to records that are in the custody or control of Utilities Kingston, subject to limited exceptions.
You do not need to explain or justify why you are making a request.
Personal information and corrections
You can request:
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Access to your own personal information, and
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A correction if you believe your personal information is inaccurate or incomplete.
Confidentiality
We take confidentiality seriously.
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For general record requests, we take reasonable steps to protect the requester’s identity.
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The Privacy Officer may need to share a requester’s identity internally to locate records or make decisions, for personal information requests.
Making a formal FOI request
To make a formal request:
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Complete and submit the FOI application form.
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Pay the $5 application fee.
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Provide proof of identity if requesting your own personal information (for example, a copy of government issued ID with your photo and signature).
If you are acting on someone else’s behalf, include a signed and dated consent letter from that individual.
If your request is unclear or too broad, we may ask for clarification.
Processing does not begin until the application fee is paid and we have enough information to proceed.
Informal requests
Some general records may be available through an informal request, subject to limitations.
Please note:
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Informal requests must be agreed to in writing.
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Decisions made through an informal request cannot be appealed to the IPC.
Exemptions and exclusions
The Act includes:
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Exemptions, which allow us to withhold all or part of a record, and
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Exclusions, which remove entire records from disclosure.
Examples include:
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Personal information
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Records supplied in confidence by a third party
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Most labour relations records
Continued access requests
You may request ongoing access to records that are created regularly, for up to two years.
Conditions include:
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Applies to general records only
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The record must exist at the time of the request
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A disclosure schedule will be provided if approved
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The $5 application fee applies to each disclosure date (fees may be paid together)
Each release is reviewed to ensure proper exemptions are applied. Records that are already public, or will be published within 90 days, may be exempt.
Frivolous or vexatious requests
A request may be denied if it is considered frivolous or vexatious. This may apply when:
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There is a pattern of abuse of the right of access
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The request is made in bad faith
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Processing the request would significantly interfere with operations
Forwarding or transferring requests
Forwarding:
If requested records are not in our custody or control, we must forward the request to the appropriate Ontario institution within 15 days. The original 30‑day timeline continues.
Transferring:
If another Ontario institution has a greater interest in the records, we may transfer the request within 15 days. The 30‑day timeline continues.
Requests can only be forwarded or transferred to provincial or municipal institutions in Ontario.
Timelines
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Formal requests must be completed within 30 calendar days
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Day 1 begins when we receive your request
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Day 30 is when we issue our final decision
The Act allows for certain changes to timelines. We will notify you if this happens.
Time extensions
An extension may be required when:
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There is a large volume of records
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An extensive search is needed
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Consultation with an external party is required
Any extension must be reasonable and justified.
Deemed refusal
If we do not issue a decision within the required time, it may be treated as a deemed refusal, which can be appealed to the IPC.
Notifying an affected person
If records contain third‑party or personal information, we must notify the affected person.
In these cases the timeline for the request may be extended.
Fees
Processing fees are required under the Act. Fees may apply to:
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Search time
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Preparation time
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Copying and materials
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Specialized services
Fee schedule
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Search time: $7.50 per 15 minutes*
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Preparation time: $7.50 per 15 minutes*
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Photocopying: $0.20 per page
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Computer programming: $15 per 15 minutes
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External services: Cost of invoice
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Shipping: Cost of invoice
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CD/USB: $10
* Applies to general records only.
Fee estimates and deposits
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A fee estimate is provided if fees are $25 or more
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A 50% deposit may be required if fees are $100 or more
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Requests are put on hold until required fees are paid
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Records are released only after all fees are paid
Fee waivers
You may request a fee waiver in writing.
You must explain why granting the waiver would be fair and reasonable.
Decisions about fee waivers may be appealed to the IPC.
Paying fees
You can pay fees at 2 locations using:
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debit card (in person only)
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credit card (in person or by phone)
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cash (in person at City Hall only)
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cheque made payable to Utilities Kingston (in person or by mail)
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Utilities Kingston Customer Care Desk
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Located at 85 Lappan’s Lane
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Business hours Mon – Fri, 8:00 - 4:30
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613-546-1181
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City Hall Payment Centre
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Located at 216 Ontario Street
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Business hours Mon – Fri, 8:30 - 4:30
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613-546-4291 x1240
Interim decision
We may issue an interim decision that includes:
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Whether records exist
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A fee estimate
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A required deposit
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Timeline extensions
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Possible exemptions or exclusions
Interim decisions are not final and cannot be appealed.
Final decision
We will issue a final decision by the request due date. This includes:
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What records will be released
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Any exemptions or exclusions applied
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Final fees payable
Appeals
You may appeal certain decisions to the IPC.
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If a third party disagrees with a disclosure decision, records are held for 30 days to allow an appeal.
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Appeals can occur at different stages of the process.
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Only decisions made under a formal request can be appealed.
We will let you know when appeal rights apply.
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Informal requests cannot be used to access personal information.
Contact information
Utilities Kingston – Privacy Officer
P.O. Box 790
Kingston, ON K7L 4X7
Phone: 613‑329‑0875
Email: FOI@utilitieskingston.com
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC)
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Phone: 416‑326‑3333
Toll‑free: 1‑800‑387‑0073
TTY: 416‑325‑7539
Website: www.ipc.on.ca