covid 19 Temporary Request Procedures
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy campus office is closed, but staff are working remotely and can be reached by phone or email.
You can make requests electronically via e-mail. The $5.00 request fee will be deferred until the University resumes normal operations.
You can also make Requests and send request fees by post. Office mail is currently being retrieved on a weekly basis and actioned upon receipt. Please send requests or other mail to:
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Office
University of Toronto
Room 104, McMurrich Building
12 Queen’s Park Crescent W.
Toronto, ON M5S 1A8
The FIPPO will communicate with requesters regarding the status of their file within the legislated 30 day response deadline. Where possible, we will communicate with requesters by email, and encourage requesters to include their email address on all new requests.
Informal Access Requests
The University of Toronto promotes access to information and transparency of its governance and decision making. In many cases the information you seek may already be available, for example, on the University’s website. Before making a formal request for access to information (or to correct your personal information) under the Act, contact the department or faculty you believe has the information you are seeking and ask them if they are able to provide you with the information. If the information is readily available then the department or faculty will direct you to the information, or where appropriate, send the information to you. By contrast, an access request can take longer to process and may require payment of fees.
access Requests under fippa
When an informal request for access to information (or to correct your personal information) is not possible, you can make a formal request to the University of Toronto's FIPP Office. You can download the request form by clicking on the following link. Request Form(PDF). Although you are not required to use the provided form, we recommend that you do so to help ensure that your request is processed as quickly as possible. The University will not accept oral requests.
Please note: if a department or faculty in unable to grant your informal request, making a formal request does not necessarily mean that you will be given access to the information. For example, if the department or faculty refused your informal request because you are requesting access to information respecting research then making a formal request will not change the outcome. The Act does not cover research.
Requests for correction
The University will only make corrections to factual information about you, for example: an incorrectly spelled name, an incorrect address, an incorrect birth date, a change of marital status, etc… The University will generally refuse to make changes to information about you which is evaluative or an opinion. Though you may disagree with the evaluation or opinion, making a request under the Act may not be an appropriate response. Please refer to the University’s Policies and Procedures on the matter.
The University tries to ensure that all of its records are up-to-date and accurate. If you are aware of incorrect personal information about you in a University record, you may wish to request that the information be corrected. It is recommended that you begin by making an informal request to the department or faculty that holds the relevant record. If you are able to prove that the factual information about you is incorrect and the department or faculty is satisfied as to your identity then the correction in many circumstances will be made free and without further process.