Access to Information Orders
Decision Information
order disposing of the remaining issues in Appeal Number P-9700303. On February 20, 1998, I issued Interim Order P-1533 in which I ordered the Ministry of the Attorney General (the Ministry) to provide me with a detailed description of the nature and extent of the searches undertaken to locate the information which comprises the record at issue in this appeal. I required this information in order to properly assess whether the amount of the fee estimate provided to the appellant by the Ministry was reasonable and to determine whether the search which it undertook for the information contained in the record was adequate, as required under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act ). DISCUSSION: ADEQUACY OF SEARCH The Ministry has now provided me with a detailed description of the nature and extent of the search which it undertook to locate the information contained in the subject record. It indicates that the subject record was originally created following a review of a large number of pleadings which were stored in boxes at the office of the Accountant of the Supreme Court of Ontario in November 1995. In addition, in order to provide the date of each payment as required by the appellant, searches for responsive information which predated 1968 were conducted by manually examining old ledger books. The Ministry also advises that while no time sheets or dockets were kept by staff who performed these searches, notes were maintained by the Accountant of the Supreme Court of Ontario with respect to the amount of time spent by office staff in responding to the request. These notes indicate that 20 working days were spent conducting the search, seven hours per day at $30 per hour, as mandated by the Regulations to the Act . Based on the submissions which I have received from the Ministry, I am satisfied that the search undertaken for information responsive to the appellant's request was adequate and that the amount of the fee estimate provided to the appellant was in accordance with section 57(1) of the Act and section 6 of Regulation 460. As the Ministry has now disclosed the information described in Provision 1 of Order P-1533, all of the issues raised by the appeal have been addressed. ORDER: I uphold the Ministry's decision with respect to the amount of the fee estimate and find that its search for information responsive to the request was reasonable. Original signed by: Donald Hale, Inquiry Officer March 20, 1998
Decision Content
ORDER P-1546
Appeal P-9700303
Ministry of the Attorney General
This is my final order disposing of the remaining issues in Appeal Number P-9700303. On February 20, 1998, I issued Interim Order P-1533 in which I ordered the Ministry of the Attorney General (the Ministry) to provide me with a detailed description of the nature and extent of the searches undertaken to locate the information which comprises the record at issue in this appeal. I required this information in order to properly assess whether the amount of the fee estimate provided to the appellant by the Ministry was reasonable and to determine whether the search which it undertook for the information contained in the record was adequate, as required under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act).
DISCUSSION:
ADEQUACY OF SEARCH
The Ministry has now provided me with a detailed description of the nature and extent of the search which it undertook to locate the information contained in the subject record. It indicates that the subject record was originally created following a review of a large number of pleadings which were stored in boxes at the office of the Accountant of the Supreme Court of Ontario in November 1995. In addition, in order to provide the date of each payment as required by the appellant, searches for responsive information which predated 1968 were conducted by manually examining old ledger books.
The Ministry also advises that while no time sheets or dockets were kept by staff who performed these searches, notes were maintained by the Accountant of the Supreme Court of Ontario with respect to the amount of time spent by office staff in responding to the request. These notes indicate that 20 working days were spent conducting the search, seven hours per day at $30 per hour, as mandated by the Regulations to the Act.
Based on the submissions which I have received from the Ministry, I am satisfied that the search undertaken for information responsive to the appellant’s request was adequate and that the amount of the fee estimate provided to the appellant was in accordance with section 57(1) of the Act and section 6 of Regulation 460.
As the Ministry has now disclosed the information described in Provision 1 of Order P-1533, all of the issues raised by the appeal have been addressed.
ORDER:
I uphold the Ministry’s decision with respect to the amount of the fee estimate and find that its search for information responsive to the request was reasonable.
Original signed by: March 20, 1998
Donald Hale
Inquiry Officer