Access to information

Requests for access to information

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), you have a right to request access to City of Winnipeg records, including records about you. At the City, we refer to these requests as FIPPA requests.

Things to know before you make a FIPPA request

  • We respond within 45 days as required by FIPPA. There is no rush service for processing FIPPA requests.
  • We recommend you read the Manitoba Ombudsman’s guide on Your Information Rights, which includes tips for making FIPPA requests.
  • In most cases, we cannot release another person's personal information to you without their consent.
  • In most cases, we cannot release a business’s confidential business information to you without their consent.
  • The City does not have to process the following types of requests so you should check the City website or contact 311 for:
    • Requests for answers to questions, e.g., How many…? What are…? Who did…?
    • Requests for information that is already publicly available, e.g. reports to Council.
    • Requests for information that is available through existing City processes, e.g., permits.
  • If you need records from an organization other than the City, contact them directly:

Requests about another person

Under FIPPA, we cannot release another person's information to you without their consent.

  1. Download and print the Consent form.
  2. Complete it with the other person.
  3. Scan or take a photo of the completed form.
  4. Upload the scan or photo when you make a FIPPA request.

If we need more documentation, we will let you know after we review your FIPPA request.

Requests on behalf of another person

To request information on an individual's behalf you must have legal authority to exercise their rights. You can use the City form or send us other legal documents that confirm your authority.

  1. Download and print the Authority to Exercise the Rights of Another Person form.
  2. Complete it with the other person.
  3. Scan or take a photo of the completed form.
  4. Upload the scan or photo when you make a FIPPA request.

If we need more documentation, we will let you know after we review your FIPPA request.

Requests for Police Reports

You can request access to police reports from Winnipeg Police Service under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Separate processes are available from Winnipeg Police Service for victim services, requesting police record checks, obtaining police incident numbers, and receiving incident confirmations.

Your police report request should include:

  • The incident number (if known)
  • The incident location or address
  • The incident date(s)
  • Your birth date
  • The consent or authorization of involved individuals
  • Other relevant details to identify the correct report

Make a FIPPA request to request a copy of a police report from Winnipeg Police Service.

We do not offer rush response service.

Requests for Fire Reports

You can request access to fire reports from Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. There are three types of fire reports:

Apparatus Reports are summaries of firefighting actions and observations of the Fire Officer assigned to each responding apparatus, i.e., vehicle.

Fire Investigation Reports are detailed technical reports on fire cause and origin created by the Fire Investigation Unit for incidents they investigate. They are not available until several weeks after an incident due to their technical nature and are only created if there is an investigation.

Incident Reports are summaries of property type, fire origin, spread, and sometimes cause if there is no investigation.

Your fire report request should include:

  • The incident number (if know)
  • The incident address
  • The incident date
  • The consent or authorization of the property owner and/or tenant(s)
  • The type of fire report(s) you need

Make a FIPPA request to request a copy of a fire report from Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

We do not offer rush response service.

Requests for Patient Care Reports

Request access to patient care reports (PCR) directly from Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

Make a FIPPA request

Submit a FIPPA request to request access to City of Winnipeg records under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, including police and fire reports.

Response times and costs

We do not offer rush response service.

If you submit a request outside of our regular office hours or on a holiday, we receive it the next business day at 8:30 a.m.

We respond to requests within 45 days, as required by FIPPA. We will tell you in writing if we need an extension or if we need more information from you.

We will tell you in writing if processing fees or copy charges apply before we process your request.

Personal information requests

Make an access request

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Health Information Act, you have the right to request access to City records with your personal or personal health information.

Your access request must include:

  • Proof of your identity
  • Relevant City of Winnipeg department(s)
  • Relevant dates
  • Enough detail for us to find the record

Make a FIPPA request for access to your own personal or personal health information.

Make a correction request

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Health Information Act, you have the right to request a correction to City records if they include information about you that is incorrect or incomplete.

If you make a correction request, we will respond in writing within 30 days. If we agree to correct the record, we will send you a letter that confirms our agreement and a copy of the corrected record. If we refuse to correct the record, we will send you a letter that explains our reasons and you will have a right to submit a statement of disagreement.

Your correction request must include:

  • Proof of identity
  • Relevant City of Winnipeg department(s)
  • Relevant dates
  • Enough detail for us to find the record
  • Proof of the information you want corrected or added

Contact us to make a correction request.

Make a deletion request

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Health Information Act do not give you the 'right to be forgotten' and we cannot destroy your personal information if it is part of a City record. The Records Management By-law controls when we can destroy City records. But, if you submit a request for deletion, we will consider it and respond in writing with our decision within 30 days.

Your deletion request must include:

  • Proof of your identity
  • Relevant City of Winnipeg department(s)
  • Relevant dates
  • Enough detail for us to find the record

Contact us to make a deletion request.

Published FIPPA requests and responses

We publish a list of all requests for general information processed under Part 2 of The Freedom of Information and Protection Act, i.e., FIPPA requests with the City’s response and records released. This list began 2016 and we update it regularly. When we publish requests and responses:

  • We never publish the details of personal information requests or our responses to them.
  • We always remove applicant information from published responses to requests for general information.

City of Winnipeg Open Data Portal

Access and Privacy Complaints

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Health Information Act, you have a right to complain to the Manitoba Ombudsman about City actions and decisions on access to information and protection of privacy.

Contact the Manitoba Ombudsman for more information about their complaint process.

Contact the Access and Privacy Office

The Access and Privacy Office directs access to information and protection of privacy at the City in line with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Health Information Act.

Contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Officer if you have questions about access to information or protection of privacy at the City of Winnipeg.

Email: fippa@winnipeg.ca
Telephone: 204-986-7509
Mail: Access and Privacy Office, City Clerk's Department, 510 Main St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 1B9

Closed on weekends and holidays

Was this information helpful?

How can we make this web page better?

Information collected will be used to improve our website. Do not use this form to submit a request for service or information because it will not be forwarded to departments for response. To submit a request for service or information, contact 311.

This form is not intended to collect personal information; however, any personal information you choose to include in your comments is collected by the City of Winnipeg under the authority of section 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of improving our website and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. Contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Officer by mail (City Clerk’s Department, Susan A. Thompson Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 1B9) or by telephone (311) if you have any questions about the collection of this information.