Investigation Report: FIPPA Refused Access – Rural Municipality of East St. Paul

2026-03-17

Summary

An individual complained to our office about the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul’s decision to refuse access to records relating to a draft utilities master plan prepared by consultants for the RM.

The RM refused access to the records under the provisions of clauses 23(1)(a) and (f) of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).

In our review, we could not establish that all the information could be withheld under section 23 and asked the RM for additional information about its decision. During the investigation, the RM issued a revised access decision granting partial access to portions of the withheld information. The RM continued to withhold the remaining information under clauses 23(1)(a) and (f) and also applied clauses 28(1)(c) and (e) of FIPPA.

Based on further review, we determined that the cited exceptions in the revised access decision applied to the withheld information. The complaint was partly supported because the RM was only authorized to refuse access to some of the information that was withheld in its initial decision.

Case MO-07489