The County of Grande Prairie follows the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act, for the collection, use and disclosure of information by public bodies. Requests for information are processed under the Access to Information Act and related regulations.

Types of Information Requests

There are two types of information requests that can be made of the County under the Access to Information Act.

Personal information

  • To access your own personal information, such as employment records, complete the downloadable form.

General information

  • To access general information, such as property records, fill out the online form.

If you are acting on behalf of someone else or requesting someone else's information, a Consent to Disclosure of Personal Information to a Third-Party form must be completed by the owner of the personal information and submitted with your request.

Downloaded forms can also be printed, completed and submitted by mail or in person with any applicable fee to the County of Grande Prairie.

Depending on the type of request, volume of records and other regulations, a processing fee may be applied. The County has 30 business days to respond to information requests, although this deadline may be extended in some cases based on operational requirements.

Requesting information and fees

There are two types of FOIP requests:

  1. Personal information – if you are requesting personal information about yourself, such as your employment records with the County, there is no initial fee to apply; however, fees may be charged for copying large volumes of records. For privacy protection and identity verification, you must provide Government-issued photo ID before personal records can be released. For requests about property use the General request form instead.
  2. General Information – if you are requesting general information, like a fire investigation report, an agreement the County signed, a bylaw enforcement matter related to your property, or historical permits and inspections of a property, there is an initial fee of $25, and in some cases, additional fees may be assessed as set out in the Regulations. For property information, please be aware that the records provided to you are historical and may not reflect the current state of a property.

If you cannot to submit your General request online, please print and fill out the General Information request form and mail or deliver to the County with a cheque payment. Please do not mail cash.

County of Grande Prairie No.1

Privacy Officer

10001 - 84 Avenue

Clairmont, AB T8X 5B2

What information can I request?

The Access to Information Act allows anyone to formally request access to any record in the custody or under the control of the County, that is not routinely disclosed or otherwise publicly available. The County recognizes that access to information is a cornerstone of democracy and will take the greatest care in balancing this right of access with the need for protection of privacy as required by law. Information will only be withheld if an exception to disclosure found in the Protection of Privacy Act applies to the request. In that case, you will be advised of the exception to disclosure that was applied to any redacted information.

Court disclosure and active Enforcement violation tickets

In order to request records pertaining to unpaid Regional Enforcement violation tickets and ongoing court prosecution records, please contact our Regional Enforcement department directly for their disclosure process: 780-532-9727. Such records are excluded from the scope of the Access to Information Act under Sec. 4(1)m until all phases of the court matter have been settled. Once the violation ticket is paid or the court matter is resolved, then these records can be requested through the Act.

How long does it take to complete my request?

The County has 30 business days to respond to your request. However, days spent clarifying the scope of your request or awaiting payment of fees will extend the 30-day deadline.

The County may extend the time by an additional 30 days if the scope of your request is large or if we need to consult with a third party about the records, or if required to do so based on operational needs. In these cases, you will be notified of a time extension and the reason for it. Any additional time extensions are approved by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta.

Some requests typically take a shorter amount of time, such as property permits and inspections. 

Is there a faster way to get property information?

We have an environmental inquiry request process that serves a different purpose and is faster than a formal access request. You can order an environmental inquiry report on a property at the above link, if you are interested in real estate purchase or sale.

Why is there a $25 application fee for the General Request?

The Province of Alberta sets the $25 application fee for general information requests.

How can I pay the $25 fee for the General Request?

Payment can be made by credit card online after you fill out the online request form. If making the request by downloadable form, payment can be made by credit card over the phone. Please call the County administration at 780-532-9722 and ask to make an Access to Information request fee payment, and County staff will assist you.

You can also pay in person at the County administration building, or you can mail a cheque for $25 payable to the County of Grande Prairie No.1 and mailed to:

County of Grande Prairie No.1

Access and Privacy Officer

10001 - 84 Avenue

Clairmont, AB T8X 5B2

Are there any additional fees?

The Regulation sets out the fees related to Access to Information requests.

Personal Request Fees

Fees for processing personal requests are charged only if the cost of copying the records is more than $10. The County of Grande Prairie's cost per page is 6 cents, therefore any request in excess of 168 pages will be subject to additional charges. You will receive a fee estimate for the cost with a chance to decline payment, or paying at least half the cost for the request processing to begin. The balance will have to be paid before the records are released to you.

General Request Fees

Additional fees for general requests are charged only if the cost of processing (i.e. Search time, applying exceptions to disclosure, photocopying) amounts to more than $150. In this case, you will receive a fee estimate with a chance to decline payment, or to continue with the request by paying at least half of the cost estimate before work begins on your request. The balance is due before records are released to you.

What's the difference between an Access to Information General Request and an Environmental Inquiry?

For property information, an Access to Information General Request can provide copies of historical property records. These records may no longer represent the current state of the property. An environmental inquiry provides an up-to-date report about any outstanding bylaw or Safety Codes violations that the property may have but does not provide a copy of the historical records. An environmental inquiry report is also faster, typically taking 3 weeks. You can submit an Environmental Site Inquiry Request online.

How do I correct my personal information in County records?

If you have received records in response to an Access to Information Personal or General request and you notice inaccuracies in your personal information, you have a right to have those records being corrected. Please contact the Privacy Officer for details on correcting your personal information.

I am not satisfied with the service from the County. How can this be resolved?

The County strives for excellence in public information access, transparency, and accountability. If you are not satisfied with the service you have received in response to your Access to Information request, please contact the Privacy Officer directly to discuss your concern. If the Privacy Officer does not provide an acceptable response, you also have a right to ask for a review of the request service you have received, with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta.