The County of Grande Prairie follows the guidelines outlined in the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act), for the collection, use and disclosure of information by public bodies.

Types of Information Requests

There are two types of formal information requests that can be made of the County under the FOIP 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 FOIP request.

Downloaded forms can be printed, completed and submitted by mail or in person with the 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 days to respond to FOIP requests, although this deadline may be extended in some cases.

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. Requests about your property are not considered personal information requests under the FOIP Act
  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 FOIP Regulation. 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 FOIP 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

Records Management - FOIP

10001 - 84 Avenue

Clairmont, AB

T8X 5B2

What information can I request?

FOIP 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 FOIP 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 FOIP Act under Sec. 4(1)k 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 FOIP Act.

How long does it take to complete my FOIP request?

The FOIP Act provides the County with 30 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. 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. The more specific your request, the faster we can process your request.

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 FOIP. 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 FOIP 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 a FOIP 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

Legislative Services - FOIP

10001 - 84 Avenue

Clairmont, AB

T8X 5B2

Are there any additional fees?

The FOIP Regulation sets out the fees related to FOIP 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 a FOIP Request and an Environmental Inquiry?

For property information, a FOIP 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 typically takes 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 a FOIP request and you notice inaccuracies in your personal information, you have a right to have those records corrected. Please contact the FOIP Coordinator for details on correcting your personal information.

I am not satisfied with the FOIP 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 FOIP request, please contact the FOIP Coordinator directly to discuss your concern. If the FOIP Coordinator does not provide an acceptable response, you also have a right to ask for a review of the FOIP request service you have received, with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta.