Access Municipal Records
You may request access to most recorded information held by the Municipality. Some records, or parts of records, may not be released if an exemption applies.
A $5 application fee applies to general access to information requests.
Access or Correct Your Personal Information
You may request access to your own personal information held by the Municipality. You may also ask that your personal information be corrected if it is inaccurate.
There is no application fee to access or request a correction to your own personal information.
When Information May Not Be Released
Some records, or parts of records, may not be released if an exemption applies. This may include information that could:
- unreasonably invade another person’s privacy;
- reveal solicitor-client privileged information;
- harm law enforcement;
- harm the financial or economic interests of the Municipality, another public body, or the public;
- harm a third party’s business interests;
- reveal information provided in confidence by another government, municipality, or public body.
How to Make a Request
If the information you need is not already available, you may make a formal access to information request.
Download the pdf Freedom of Information Request Form(271 KB) .
- Complete the Freedom of Information request form.
- Describe the records you are looking for as clearly as possible.
- Include the $5 application fee, if required. Cheques should be made payable to the Municipality of the County of Richmond.
Clear and specific requests help the Municipality find the records more quickly and reduce processing delays.
Fees
The application fee for a general access to information request is $5. There is no application fee to request access to your own personal information or to request a correction to your personal information.
Additional fees may apply depending on the size or complexity of the request. If additional fees apply, the Municipality will provide a fee estimate before processing continues.
If a fee estimate is provided, the response timeline pauses until the fee estimate is accepted or a fee waiver request is decided.
Fee Structure
May apply to locating, retrieving, producing, preparing, shipping, handling, or copying records. The first two hours of search time are free.
Standard post office shipping rates apply. Courier fees apply if specifically requested by the applicant. Shipping fees are limited to the actual cost of the method chosen by the applicant.
Please contact the FOIPOP Administrator if you have questions about copy fees or fee estimates.
Responses and Decisions
The Municipality will provide a notice when your request is received.
Once a decision has been made, you may receive one of the following responses:
- Access in full: You will receive all of the information you requested.
- Access in part: Some of the requested information will be provided.
- Withheld in full: None of the requested information will be disclosed.
In most cases, a response is provided within 30 days after the Municipality receives the completed request and required fee, if applicable. Timelines may change if an extension, fee estimate, or third-party notice is required.
Appeal Process
If access is denied or you disagree with the response provided, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for Nova Scotia to request a review of the Municipality’s decision. A review request must be made within 60 days of the Municipality’s decision.
FOIPOP Administrator
For questions about access to information requests, privacy, forms, or fees, please contact the FOIPOP Administrator.
Shelley David, Municipal Clerk/Communications Officer
Phone: 902-226-2400, ext. 9
Email: