Public Service Announcement

Halifax to celebrate Right to Know Week, simplify access to routinely requested information

Friday, Sept. 19, 2014 (Halifax, NS) – The Halifax Regional Municipality is pleased to offer residents improved access to routinely requested municipal information, in conjunction with Right to Know Week, Sept. 22-28.

Beginning today, residents will have greater access to frequently requested information. Routine Disclosure Plans have been created by each municipal department, which identify categories of information that can be requested without going through a formal process. Residents can submit an electronic request for any of the information listed in these plans. Requests are limited to 50 pages or less, and staff will have up to 30 days to provide the records, as per Halifax’s Routine Access Policy, which governs the dissemination of this information. Any information requests that exceed these limits, or fall outside the scope of the Routine Access Policy, will continue to be processed by Halifax’s Access and Privacy Office.

Each year on Sept. 28, approximately 40 countries and 60 non-governmental organizations celebrate Right to Know Day. The goal of Right to Know Day is to raise awareness of an individual’s right to access government information, while promoting freedom of information as essential to both democracy and good governance.

Halifax Regional Council will proclaim Sept. 24-28, 2014, as Right to Know Week in Halifax, at their meeting next Tuesday, Sept. 23. The establishment of this new information portal and the recent Regional Council approval of Administrative Order Number 2014-006-ADM Respecting Open Data demonstrate that the municipality is committed to being open, transparent and accountable to its citizens.

Visit www.halifax.ca/AccessPrivacy/routine-disclosures/index.php for more information on this initiative.

-30-

Media Contact:

Tiffany Chase
Halifax Regional Municipality
Public Affairs
902-490-5057