Tips for Making a FIPPA Request

Because the FIPPA process is time sensitive, the tips below may assist in making the process more effective.

Before making an application

Consider other sources of information that may be available, such as websites, annual reports and other published material. If you’re looking for information about the Manitoba government, consider talking to the Manitoba Legislative Library and/or Manitoba Government Inquiry to see if they can either provide the information or records you are seeking, or put you in touch with someone who can.
Find out which public body holds the records you are seeking and direct your application to the access and privacy coordinator for that public body. https://www.gov.mb.ca/fippa/public/
Talk to the public body to find out more about the records you might want to access. Knowing how the records are kept and managed or how statistics about a program are tracked can assist you in wording your request in a manner that makes processing it more efficient.
If you have made prior requests, refer back to them and access decisions so you can avoid requesting records you have already received or requesting records that do not exist.
If you plan to submit multiple requests, consider prioritizing your requests and submitting them to the public body in order of priority. If you submit a large number of requests at once, it may not be reasonable to expect that the public body will be able to respond to all of your requests within 45 days.

Remember that FIPPA provides a right of access to records. A public body is not required to answer a question simply because it is posed on a FIPPA application. Be sure that your application asks for records. If you are seeking an answer to a question, contact the public body directly.
Consider the scope of your request. Responding to an application often involves searching for and reviewing more records than you may have expected, so the more focused you can be, the less likely a response to your request will be delayed. Requests that are broader in nature may take longer to process and may incur fees.
If you are requesting records containing a particular word, phrase, name, or about a particular subject, be sure to provide as much context as possible by specifying a date range, a location, a program area, and/or any other parameters that might help the public body know where to search for records.
Think about the nature of the records you are requesting. For example, if you would like to know about expenses for a recent event or program, it’s more likely for the public body to have records about the budget for the event, rather than records about the expenses for which invoices may not yet have been received.

Keep all records about your request in one place, such as a file folder – a copy of your application, the public body’s access decision and any other correspondence you’ve had with the public body about your request.
A number will be assigned to your request once it is received by the public body. Note that number on your file and refer to it if you contact the public body to make inquiries about your request.
If the public body contacts you for clarification about your request, get back to them as soon as possible. Remember that once a request is made, the clock continues to tick toward the deadline for the public body to respond to your request. The sooner you connect; the sooner work can begin on processing your application.
If you’re requesting records on behalf of an organization, consider:
- designating a back-up person who can deal with the public body on your behalf if you’re not available
- organizing FIPPA files in a consistent manner within the organization that indicates the name of the public body, application number and keywords related to your request
- storing FIPPA files in an area that can be accessed by colleagues, to avoid the same records being requested in the future