Before submitting a formal access request, you should always check the routine disclosure plans established by the municipality’s business units to see if the information you are looking for is routinely available.
If what you are looking for is not listed within those plans, simply contact the business unit you think might have the information you are looking for. If the information you are looking for is general in nature, they may be able to provide it to you. If you are told that the information is not routinely available, then you should proceed to file an Application for Access to a Record.
You can submit a formal access request one of two ways:
1. You can fill out our Application for Access to a Record Form
Once completed, you can send your application form to the Access and Privacy Office with the applicable fee. You can do this one of three ways:
Mail to:
Access and Privacy Office
Halifax Regional Municipality
PO Box 1749
Halifax, NS
B3J 3A5
Hand deliver to:
Access and Privacy Office
Halifax Regional Municipality
7th Floor, 5251 Duke Street
Halifax, NS
B3J 3A5
Send by Email:
You can email your completed application form to access@halifax.ca. Once received, we will reply with the file number that has been assigned to your request. The application fee (if applicable) can be mailed in or paid at any one of our municipal customer service centres. The locations and hours of our customer service centres can be found here.
2. Or you may also submit your request in writing by mailing in a letter or sending an e-mail to access@halifax.ca. In your written submission, please state that you are requesting the information under the access and privacy legislation (FOIPOP) and enclose or forward the application fee (if applicable). Please be sure to include the following information:
- Your name, address, phone number and/or email address
- if applicable, provide your company name
- Indicate if you are requesting general, your own personal information or a combination of the two
- if requesting general information or a combination of general and personal: enclose a cheque or money order for $5.00 to cover the application fee
- if requesting solely personal information: no application fee required
- Indicate how you would like to receive the records:
- would you like to examine the records or receive a copy of the records (hard copy or electronic)?
- Provide a thorough description of the records you would like to access, including (if you know):
- any case numbers, file numbers, or reference numbers
- the business unit of the municipality that you believe holds the records
- identify the specific dates or period of time relevant to the records search
For questions or assistance with privacy-related topics, please email: privacy@halifax.ca
For questions or assistance with access-related topics, please email: access@halifax.ca
Exceptions for the submission of formal access to records requests
The municipality does not process Applications for Access to a Record for the following public bodies, follow the links below to access to records relating to: