Freedom of Information Request & Privacy

Freedom of Information Request

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, some information from adoption records for adoptees in B.C. is available by request.

Apply for access to an adoption record:

• Submit a personal Freedom of Information request

Submit a Personal Freedom of Information Request - Province of British Columbia

A brief overview of the processes and exceptions to making a Freedom of Information (FOI) request for personal and general requests in B.C.

Privacy

People who placed children for adoption or were adopted under the old Adoption Act were promised that their privacy would be protected. Parents/guardians and adopted people who wish to maintain their confidentiality may file a disclosure veto or no-contact declaration with the Vital Statistics Agency.

Disclosure veto

This legal document prohibits the Vital Statistics Agency from releasing any birth registration or adoption order information identifying the person who filed the veto. Vetoes are only available for adoptions completed prior to November 1996. If the person was adopted after 1996, they can file a no-contact declaration.

• Parents/guardians may file disclosure vetoes any time after their child is adopted
• People who were adopted in B.C. may file disclosure vetoes any time after their 18th birthday

No contact declaration

This document allows the Vital Statistics Agency to release birth registration and adoption order information in an identifying format, but personal contact with the person who filed the declaration is legally prohibited.

Parents/guardians choosing to file no-contact declarations can do so at any time, regardless of the age of the child/youth who was adopted. Adopted persons may file no-contact declarations any time after their 18th birthday.

Explaining your decision

Like any decision around adoption, the choice to file a disclosure veto or a no-contact declaration will affect you and the other person on a deeply personal level. Recognizing this, you may believe that it is very important to explain your choice. You may also want to pass on key details of your family histories, including things such as health, cultural or medical information.

Anyone who files a disclosure veto or no-contact declaration may also file a written statement with the Vital Statistics Agency that explains their decision and provides information for the other person.