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What to expect through an FOI request

Last updated on May 30, 2025

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) applies to over 2,900 public bodies, including government ministries and many government agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations. FOIPPA allows you to formally request access to the records held by these public bodies. The records could be personal information about you or a person you have guardianship over (or written permission to receive information on their behalf), or it could be general information about government programs and activities. 

When you make an FOI request to the provincial government, you can only access records held by those public bodies (ministries or agencies). If you would like to access records from another public body outside of government, you will have to submit a request directly to those public bodies. (e.g. Crown Corporations, school districts, health authorities, RCMP)

Helpful info about Freedom of Information requests:

  • FOI requests allow access to records 
  • A non-refundable application fee of $10 is required for all General FOI requests. Directing a request to multiple public bodies will result in multiple application fees being assessed. Additional processing fees may apply (please see the Fees for Freedom of Information Request page for more details)
  • As defined in Bill 22, Indigenous governing entity (IGE) “means an Indigenous entity that exercises governmental functions, and includes but is not limited to an Indigenous governing body as defined in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.” Indigenous governing entities are not required to pay application fees
  • There are no application fees or processing fees for Personal FOI requests
  • You must have proof of authority or consent to disclose for FOI requests about another person (including your child or a client you represent)
  • A clear and concise FOI request should take approximately 30 business days to complete; a broad and unspecific request may take longer
  • Some records are not covered by FOIPPA, and are exempt from FOI requests. This can include court records or records that are available for purchase by the public

When you submit an FOI request, either Personal or General, the process will follow a similar path:

  1. Your FOI request is received and assigned a file number
  2. General FOI requests require an application fee to be paid before it will be processed (there are no fees for Personal FOI requests)
  3. You may be contacted by an Information Access Operations (IAO) analyst to clarify your request, to ensure we’re able to retrieve the information you’re looking for
  4. The request will be assigned to the appropriate Ministry or Agency
  5. We will gather and confirm the required records
  6. At this point, we will estimate processing fees for General FOI requests (there are no fees for Personal FOI requests) and the timeline may be adjusted
  7. An IAO analyst will evaluate your request under the current legislation, which may require consultation with Ministries, public bodies or third-parties
  8. The records for your request will go through an approval process, which could include peer-review, revisions and final sign-off
  9. A response package is assembled, including final redactions and printing of the records (if required)
  10. Your completed record request is submitted to you in electronic or physical formats.
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How much does an FOI request in B.C. cost?

An application fee of $10 is required for all General FOI requests, for every public body selected. Additional processing fees may apply. Indigenous Governing Entities are not required to pay application fees. There are no application fees or processing fees for Personal FOI requests. Please see the Fees for Freedom of Information Request page for more details.

 

How long does it take to complete an FOI request?

As outlined in FOIPPA, public bodies have 30 working days to respond to your request for records. For General FOI requests, the 30 day legislated timeline does not begin until after the application fee has been paid. There are some situations that may result in an extension and this is typically due to vague or broad requests. A clear and concise request can help you retrieve the information you need within 30 business days, but there are circumstances that may result in a longer timeframe. Your IAO contact will let you know if additional time is required. 

Large or complex FOI requests take longer to process than clear and concise requests. You may wish to work with your IAO analyst to simplify your request to expedite processing.

An extension may be made for any of the following reasons:

  • The request involves a large volume of records that must be searched and reviewed
  • The records involve a number of different public bodies that must be consulted
  • The records contain personal information about individuals other than the requester or private company business information and consultation must be undertaken with these parties before the records can be released
  • The application does not give enough detail to enable the public body to identify a requested record

These extensions can be for 30 days or longer if authorized by the Information and Privacy Commissioner. 

 

What is a record?

The FOIPPA defines a record as “books, documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers, papers and any other thing on which information is recorded or stored by graphic, electronic, mechanical or other means, but does not include a computer program or any other mechanism that produces records.”

 

What records can I request?

These are some examples of the types of records you may need from their respective ministries:

Ministry of Children and Family Development:
• Child in Care records
• Child Protection records
• Adoption records
• Foster Parent records
• Daycare Subsidy records

Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General:
• BC Corrections Branch records
• RoadSafetyBC records (e.g. Driver Fitness file)
• Crime Victim Assistance Program records

Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction:
• Income Assistance records
• Disability Assistance records
• Health Assistance Branch records

Community Living BC:
• Eligibility records
• Assessment records
• Planning records
• Service Provider (Agency) Records

BC Public Service Agency:
• B.C. government staff employment records
• B.C. government employee payroll records
• B.C. government employee occupational health records

 

Why is some information in FOI releases and documents redacted?

B.C. takes the management of information and the protection of privacy seriously and we are legally obliged to meet all the requirements of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).

FOIPPA prohibits the public release of some types of information, such as personal information about citizens, discussions confidential to cabinet or information that could harm the business interests of a third party. This means that all details that meet these exceptions must be removed from the information releases prior to being posted online.

Releasing any of this information would be in contravention of the act.

 

What can I do if I disagree with the public body’s decision about my FOI request?

If you are dissatisfied with the records received or decision regarding your FOI request, the Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (OIPC) has established a process to help you resolve your complaint.

Visit the FOI Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for specific answers to commonly asked questions about Freedom of Information requests for records.

 

Contact Information

If you have questions about the Freedom of Information (FOI) process for B.C. government ministries or the Office of the Premier, contact Information Access Operations:

Information Access Operations

PO Box 9569
Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9K1

Telephone: 250-387-1321
Toll Free: 833-283-8200

Fax: 250-387-9843
Email: FOI.Requests@gov.bc.ca