School District No. 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap)

Freedom of Information Requests

​​Introduction
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) enables the public to request and obtain copies of records held by all provincial governmental public bodies including SD83 when those records are not routinely available.

Submitting an FOI Request
If you plan to submit an FOI request, please read the information on this page carefully. All formal FOI requests must be in writing. This form may be used to initiate requests.

Helpful Information
The FIPPA Act – Review the Act for more details or regarding FOI requests.
BC Government Open Information – Access government facts and figures that matter most to you.
DataBC – DataBC is your place to find data from the Province of BC.
B.C. Government – For BC Government Ministries or Office of the Premier FOI Requests.

All formal requests must be submitted by in-person drop-off, mail, fax or email to:
School District No. 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap)
Attention:  FOI Privacy Officer
341 Shuswap St. S.W.
Box 129, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4N2
Tel: 250.832.2157
Email: foi@sd83.bc.ca

Request for Student or Employee Records

  • If you are seeking your own student records or transcripts, please visit this webpage.
  • If you are seeking your own employee records, please contact our Human Resources Department at hr@sd83.bc.ca.
  • For both requests above, you do not need to submit an FOI request.

Requests for Information
SD83 recognizes its obligations to respond to requests for access to records, including records containing personal information, openly and accurately by making every reasonable attempt to assist requestors with their requests.

  • A request for records is a written request that potentially could be released, in whole or in part, to anyone.
  • The Act requires SD83 to protect personal information of others, therefore the decision to grant complete or partial access to records or to refuse access will be made by the Superintendent of Schools, or designate, in consultation with the department head and guided by the relevant provisions of the Act.
  • If the head of a public body asks, the commissioner may authorize the public body to disregard requests under section 5 or 29 that (a) would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the public body because of the repetitious or systematic nature of the requests, or (b) are frivolous or vexatious. (Section 43 of the Act)
  • For more details of the Act or regarding FOI requests review the FIPPA Act here.

​Please click here for a listing of Records Available to the Public Without a Request, as per Section 71 of the Act.

Before Submitting a Request

  • Read all the information on this page and refer to the Act as needed.
  • Ensure that you are seeking records, not information or answers to questions that can be readily obtained on the SD83 website or from other sources aside from SD83.
  • Do not ask questions or seek answers in an FOI request. You must request “records”.
  • Check if the records you want are publicly available on Open Information or DataBC.
  • If the general records might be held by a B.C. government ministry or the Office of the Premier, submit your FOI request through this website.
  • Review the fees information to ensure you understand and are willing to pay the fees, including the $10 application fee, if applicable.
  • Contact the FOI Coordinator to inquire if the records you seek are available, and if so can be released without submitting an FOI request. If the records do not exist, we will notify you and suggest other sources to check.
  • Use the request form provided below to submit an FOI request to SD83. Be as specific as possible on your request. See the FOI Request Process section below for more information.

FOI Request Process
The following outlines the request process:

  1. All formal FOI requests must be in writing. This form may be used to initiate requests.
  2. Here are added tips to streamline your request process. On the formal FOI request form, describe the specific records that you request clearly and concisely in as much detail as possible and limit your request to only the records you need, to simplify the search and minimize potential fees.
    1. Do not ask questions or seek answers in an FOI request. You must request “records”.
    2. Try to name the exact record(s) you seek.
    3. Use specific dates and/or locations if applicable.
    4. Do not submit a request that is duplicate of a previous request as the previous request would have already been fulfilled and a response sent to you.
    5. Broad, complex requests, or requests for “all records” take longer to process and increase the likelihood of longer timelines of delivery and larger fees being charged to you.
  3. All formal requests must be submitted by in-person drop-off, mail, fax or email to:
    School District No. 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap)
    Attention:  FOI Officer
    341 Shuswap St. S.W. Box 129, Salmon Arm BC V1E 4N2
    Tel: 250.832.2157
    Email: foi@sd83.bc.ca
  4. The requestor will receive an acknowledgment of receipt of the request with the assigned deadline, information on applicable fees, and other information regarding how the matter will proceed.

Fees for FOI Request Services

FIPPA section 75​ permits fees, including a $10 application fee, to be charged on FOI requests for the following services:

(1)The head of a public body may require an applicant who makes a request under section 5 to pay to the public body the following:

  • (a) a prescribed application fee;
  • (b) prescribed fees for the following services:
    • (i) locating and retrieving the record;
      (ii) producing the record;
      (iii) preparing the record for disclosure, except for time spent severing information from the record;
      (iv) shipping and handling the record;
      (v) providing a copy of the record.

(2) Subsection (1) (b) (i) does not apply to the first 3 hours spent on a request.

(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to a request for the applicant’s own personal information.

SD83 will charge fees for applicable FOI requests. An FOI request with fees being rendered on it will be processed based on these steps:

  • The requestor will be notified in writing of the estimated costs, above the initial free 3 hours, and will have the opportunity to cancel their request without incurring any fees.
  • If proceeding with the FOI request, the requestor will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit (acceptable forms of payment are: cash, cheque, e-Transfer, or credit card) prior to the request being processed in the amount of approximately:
    • 50% of the fee if total estimated fees will be over $100; or
    • 100% of the fee if total estimated fees will be under $100.
  • The request will be held in abeyance by SD83 until the requestor has authorized in writing the completion of the request and SD83 has received the deposit.
  • The final fee determination will be based upon actual time and expenses incurred and applicable fee adjustments will be made and the requestor will be notified.
  • Payment of the balance of outstanding fees must be received by SD83 prior to the release of the records.
  • Fees for the services are charged at rates listed in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Regulation.


Third Party Notification
In addition to determining whether any exceptions under the Act apply, the FOI Coordinator will review the record(s) to determine whether third party notification is required.  

  • If necessary, third parties will be notified in accordance with the Act.
  • If the request involves external business interests or could potentially compromise the personal privacy of another individual, the 3rd party involved may be given 20 working days to give consent of disclosure or make a representation as to why the information should not be disclosed.
  • The 30 day time limit will then be tolled from the date of the 3rd Party Notice.


Timelines
Most FOI requests are completed within 30 business days as set out in the Act. In the event that a response to a request cannot be completed within the initial 30 business days as set out in the Act, the FOI Coordinator will notify the requestor of the need for an extension setting out:

  • the length of the required extension,
  • the reasons for the delay,
  • the right of the requestor to ask the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to review the decision to extend the time period for response.


Legal References: Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act