Effective July 1, the legislated service delivery timeframe for Freedom of Information (FOI) requests will change from 30 calendar days to 45 business days, as per the changes to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Municipal Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA)
The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) came into effect on January 1, 1991. Please note, as of July 1st, 2026, the request timeline was extended from 30 calendar days to 45 business days. The legislation provides access to information rights balanced with privacy protection. It applies to all municipalities in Ontario and to various other local government institutions. The Act does not apply to private companies, court records, records in archives, credit bureaus, hospitals, doctors' records or to federal government institutions. There is a separate act that applies to Ontario's Provincial Ministries and agencies.
Premise of the Act
- All paper, electronic documents and other forms of stored data are considered to be records of the institution.
- There is a right of access to information in records, subject to certain limitations.
- The personal information of individuals has to be protected and is not accessible to others, subject to certain limitations.
London’s approach
The City of London promotes open government, and fosters an organizational structure that advances the fundamental principles of the Act:
- Information (general records) should be available to the public;
- Individuals should have access to their personal information;
- Exemptions to access should be limited and specific;
- Institutions should protect the privacy of individuals with respect to personal information held by institutions.
If the request is on a request form available from City Clerk's Office or online or if it is written but refers to the Act and is accompanied by the $5.00 application fee, then the matter must be processed in accordance with the provisions provided in the Act.
Records available through other City Processes
Property Information Requests
Some Property Information Requests may be submitted directly to the Building and Zoning divisions of Housing and Community Growth, including:
- Work order letters and lawyer letters
- Compliance with swimming pool fence by-law
- Development and/or subdivision agreement letters
- Survey Plan check
- Zoning compliance letter
- Building permit search letter
More information about the types of Property Information Requests that are accepted outside of the formal MFIPPA process, and the associated fees, can be found here.
Environmental Site Assessment Information
Information requests related to environmental site assessments that may include non-compliance, outstanding violations of environmental regulations, or the existence of a historic landfill or dumpsite, may be submitted directly to the following:
If your request relates to building/zoning, please contact building@london.ca
If your request relates to subdivision/site plan, please contact plandev@london.ca
London Fire Department, Fire Incident Records
Requests for records related to a Fire Incident which London Fire responded to can be submitted directly to fireforms@london.ca or 519-661-4565. Fire incident records may include:
- Incident reports, Incident Commander Reports, Incident Response Reports
- Fire Investigation Reports and Summary Reports
- Fire Origin and Cause Assessment
- Event chronology from a fire incident
- Compliance letters, File Search Letters
By-law Copies and Previous Zoning Information
For copies of frequently requested by-laws and/or previous zoning information, please contact docservices@london.ca
Open data
Information about the City of London's Open Data initiative can be found here. Various datasets are available for download through the City of London's Open Data Licence.
Downtown camera program
In November 2001, the City of London established a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system in downtown public areas. The CCTV system is operated under the Code of Practice. Information obtained through video monitoring is used exclusively for security and law enforcement purposes and released according to the standards set by MFIPPA. All information is retained for a 72-hour period unless a record has been requisitioned for use.
Fees
If you request information under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, you may be required to pay certain fees.
Rules about fees are set out in the Act and its regulations.
If you are requesting information about yourself, your request is considered a personal information request. All other requests for information, whether about a person other than yourself or about a government program or activity or a property, are considered general information requests. Fees charged for general information requests are different than those for personal information.
Fees for general information requests
The following fees apply to requests for general information:
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $5.00 must be paid when you submit your request (either by cheque payable to City of London Treasurer, or in cash or by credit or debit card payable at the front counter in the City Clerk’s Office, second floor, City Hall, or online through the portal). This fee cannot be waived. |
| Search time | $7.50 per every 15-minutes required to search and retrieve records |
| Record preparation | $7.50 per every 15-minutes required to prepare records for release |
| Photocopying | $0.20 per page |
| Computer programming | $15.00 per every 15-minutes needed to develop a program to retrieve information |
| N.S.F. cheques | $40.00 |
Fees for personal information requests
The following fees apply to requests for personal information:
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $5.00 must be paid when you submit your request (either by cheque payable to City of London Treasurer, or in cash or by credit or debit card payable at the front counter in the City Clerk’s Office, second floor, City Hall, or online through the portal). This fee cannot be waived. |
| Photocopying | $0.20 per page |
| Computer programming | $15.00 per every 15-minutes needed to develop a program to retrieve information |
| N.S.F. cheques | $40.00 |
Where anticipated fees are $25.00 or more, you will be given a fee estimate. If the estimate of fees to be paid is $100.00 or more, you may be required to pay a 50 percent deposit before your request is processed.
Making a request
- Complete a request form (available from City Clerk's Office or online) or write a letter stating that you are asking for information under the Act. Please read the instructions on the request form.
- Send the completed request form to the "Bridgette Somers, Manager, Records and Information Services", City Clerk's Office, City Hall, 300 Dufferin Ave, London, ON, N6A 4L9.
- Include the mandatory $5 application fee. Cheques should be made payable to "City of London Treasurer." Additional fees may be charged. Please do not send cash.
- Requests can be submitted in person in the City Clerk’s Office, City Hall, during business hours.
Beginning September 2022, you can now submit your request through our online portal using the button below. To use the online portal, payment will be required by Visa, Mastercard or Visa debit at the end of your transaction before submission.
Submit an MFIPPA request online
MFIPPA Access or Correction Request Form
Records Available through Other Institutions
London Police Service (LPS)
Please note that the City of London does not have in its custody or control London Police Service records. If you wish to request police records, please request them directly from the London Police Service.
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
Please note that the City of London does not have in its custody or control Ontario Disability Support Program records. If you wish to request ODSP records, please request them directly from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.
London Transit Commission (LTC)
Please note that the City of London does not have in its custody or control London Transit Commission records. If you wish to request LTC records, please request them directly from the London Transit Commission.
London Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH)
Please note that the City of London does not have in its custody or control London Middlesex Community Housing records. If you wish to request LMCH records, please request them directly from the London Middlesex Community Housing.
Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU)
Please note that the City of London does not have in its custody or control Middlesex-London Health Unit records. If you wish to request MLHU records, please request them directly from the Middlesex-London Health Unit.
What happens next?
Requested records are located (should they exist), and within 45 business days of receiving the request, the Head makes a decision to either release the records entirely, in part, or to deny access to them. This decision is based on the provisions of the Act and on relevant Orders that have been issued by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC).
How to appeal
- The decision letter will explain the appeal process to the IPC, which the requester can pursue if not satisfied with the decision made by the institution.
- The IPC will first attempt to achieve a mediated settlement of the appeal between the appellant and the institution. If this is unsuccessful, the appeal will move to adjudication and the IPC will issue an Order either upholding the decision of the institution or directing the institution to reissue their decision.