Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Procedures

The Procedures below have been organized as follows: 

1. FOIPPA  Responsibilities


2. Requests for Access to Information


3. Procedures for Handling Access to Information Requests
   
    

A.  FOIPPA Responsibilities

1. The President has final decision-making authority on behalf of VCC regarding the College's response to access to information requests.  Mandatory and discretionary exceptions are applied in compliance with the Act.   


2. The Vice President, People & Culture, or the most Senior Human Resources Administrator, appointed within VCC, henceforth referred to as the Vice President, is accountable for:
   
   
   
   1. Ensuring awareness and compliance with the Act.
   
   
   2. Managing requests for access to information.
   
   
   
   

B.  Requests for Access to Information

3. The President may prescribe categories of records in the custody or control of VCC that are available to the public without a request for access under the FOIPPA.


4. All formal access to information requests must be submitted in writing to the Vice President. 


5. Access request must provide sufficient detail in order to permit identification of the records sought.


6. The right of access may be subject to the payment of fees as authorized by the Act.

C.  Procedures for Handling Access to Information Requests

7. No records may be released in response to a formal access to information request under any circumstances without the written authorization of the Vice President. 


8. Because VCC's response to formal access requests is governed by strict time limits set out in the FOIPPA, access requests must be date stamped and promptly referred to the Vice President the same day they are received. 

VCC has a statutory duty to assist access applicants. As part of that duty VCC must conduct a thorough search for records responsive to a request. Records requested from College members by the Vice President in response to access requests must be provided to the Vice President within five (5) working days.  Copies of records stored electronically, such as emails, must be printed and provided in hard copy.