Submitting a Freedom of Information Request

  1. Before filing a formal request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), consider if you can obtain the information you seek through an informal request.
  2. Review the list of available records below to find out if the information you are seeking is releasable by the University.
  3. Consider the wording of your request. If it is overly broad or unclear, it may result in delays and additional fees. Be specific. You can limit your request by considering the following, where relevant:
    • the specific office(s), department(s) or facult(ies) where you believe the records are kept;
    • specific official(s) or part(ies) within the University who you believe may have the records;
    • a specific date or a date range of the records;
    • a description of the subject matter of the records.
  4. Complete the Freedom of Information Request Form by clicking on the red button below.
  5. Once the form is completed, pay the $5.00 application fee.
  6. A confirmation email will be sent to you at the email address you have provided on the form.
  7. A Privacy Office staff member will be in touch with you at the email address you have provided within 30 calendar days.

Please Note: FIPPA does not provide the right to request answers to questions.

Freedom of Information Request Form

If you need assistance preparing your request or have any questions, please contact the Privacy Office at privacy@utoronto.ca. You can also contact our office if you wish to mail in the Freedom of Information Request Form and application fee.

The University of Toronto promotes transparency and accountability of its governance and decision-making processes.

Before filing a formal request, you should first contact the University office you believe holds the information you are seeking and ask them if they are able to provide you with the information.

If you are unable to find the information you seek informally, you may wish to submit a Freedom of Information Request Form.

Please note: If a University office is unable to process your informal request, making a formal request does not necessarily mean that you will be given access to the information.

Most records held by the University are subject to FIPPA and the majority of these will be disclosed if requested, including:

  • Records containing your own personal information
  • Most University administrative records
  • Records about a specific University research project, other than funding information and subject matter of research

 

FIPPA sets out exclusions and exemptions for certain types of records that may not be disclosed, including:

  • Records that are either not in the custody or under the control of the University
  • Personal records kept by the University, such as emails and other files stored on student and alumni email and/or Microsoft 365 accounts
  • Most University labour relations or employment-related records, including records about the hiring, performance evaluation, conduct, and termination of faculty and staff
  • Records about a specific University research project, other than funding information
  • Personal information of individuals (other than the information of the individual making the request)
  • Confidential evaluations of prospective students’ applications for admission to a University program
  • University teaching materials, such as exams and course syllabi

 

A mandatory $5.00 application fee, which cannot be waived, must be paid when making a request.

FIPPA also provides for fees for search time, copies/media, and preparation. If additional fees apply, we will inform you in writing within 30 days of your request.

To pay the $5.00 FIPPA request fee:

Additional Fees and Fee Waiver

If you request access to information that is not your own personal information, the following additional fees apply:

  • $0.20 per page: photocopies and computer printouts
  • $10.00 for each CD-ROM or other media device: records provided on CD-ROMs or other electronic media device agreed upon with the FIPP office
  • $7.50 for each 15 minutes spent by any person or $30.00 per hour: manually searching a record
  • $7.50 for each 15 minutes spent by any person or $30.00 per hour: preparing a record for disclosure, including severing a part of the record
  • $15.00 for each 15 minutes spent by any person: developing a computer program or other method of producing a record from machine readable record

If fees associated with your request are estimated to be $100.00 or more, the University will require a 50% deposit before performing further work on your request.

Waiver of Fees

The University may waive all or part of the fees related to a request if it is fair and equitable to do so. You will need to demonstrate why it would be fair and equitable to waive the fees. Please note that the University cannot waive the $5.00 access fee.

If you are aware of incorrect personal information about you in a University record, you may request that the information be corrected by:

  1. Making an informal request to the University office that holds the relevant record.
  2. Completing the Freedom of Information Request Form and pay the $5.00 application fee.

Please note: The University will only make corrections to factual information about you. For example, an incorrectly spelled name, an incorrect address, an incorrect birth date, a change of marital status, etc.

The University will generally refuse to make changes to information about you which is evaluative or is an opinion. In these cases, you may request that the University attach a statement of disagreement to your record.

For access to your health records, please contact the appropriate clinic(s) directly: