Routine Disclosure / Active Dissemination Policy

Purpose

The Town of Midland is committed to providing the public with access to Official Records and Information, in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), and the record-keeping provisions of the Municipal Act.

In an effort to engage the public and demonstrate accountability and transparency, the Town endeavours to provide access routinely and proactively to Official Records and Information. The practice of Routine Disclosure and Active Dissemination is an effective and efficient method to provide Information to the public, through processes that do not require the submission of formal Freedom of Information (FOI) requests under MFIPPA.

The overarching principle in this Policy is to advance the approach that Records and Information in the Custody and/or under the Control of the Town should be made available to the public, and any exceptions to this principle should be limited and specific.The aims of this Policy include, but are not limited to, the following:

• To improve public accessibility to Records and Information;
• To improve transparency and accountability through streamlining access to Information processes;
• To aid Branches and departments in adhering to M.F.I.P.P.A. requirements;
• To reduce Employee time and costs in responding to F.O.I. requests;
• To identify Records and Information that are of interest to the public; and,
• To ensure the protection of Personal and Confidential Information.

Policy Statement

The Town is committed to ensuring the public is provided with Official Records and Information easily and informally, supporting a culture of open and transparent government. In line with this commitment, the Town will endeavour to proactively provide Records and Information to the public while simultaneously safeguarding Personal Information through compliance with MFIPPA.

This Policy establishes procedures for releasing certain types of Records and Information without requiring the submission of a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request, to improve the accessibility and transparency of Official Records and Information. Additionally, this Policy identifies Records and Information that may be requested and disclosed through Routine Disclosure, as well as Records and Information that should be regularly shared with the public through Active Dissemination.