Model Letter A – Acknowledgment of Request

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Purpose: To acknowledge receipt of the applicant's request for information, to ask for clarification of a request and/or to request that initial fees be paid in order that the request may be considered complete and processing can commence.

[Reference number]

[Date]

[Applicant's name and address]

Dear [Applicant's name]:

Re: Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
[Request under Consideration]

Your request for access to [describe the information requested] under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act) was received by [public body] on [date].

We will provide the information available to you under the Act as quickly as possible. Although the Act allows us a maximum of 30 days to respond, we will reply sooner than [date], if possible.

Unfortunately, your request for access to information does not provide sufficient specific details to identify the records you may be requesting. [Name of public body] cannot begin to process your request until we receive additional information to help us [identify the record or make the request more specific]. Please help us to clarify your request by supplying any of the following details of which you are aware:

[List details you are requesting]

Unfortunately, you did not include the initial fee of $25.00. The Act allows us 30 days to respond to your request, but this time period will not commence until the initial fee has been received. Please forward the fee to [appropriate address within the public body] as quickly as possible.

The processing of the request will commence immediately upon the receipt of your fee.

We note that you wish your request to have continuing status under section 9 of the Act. [Name of public body] is granting the request continuing status, and a schedule indicating the period of the request and on what dates the continuing request will be deemed to be received and activated is attached. You will be notified on each of these dates that the request process has begun and when a response can be anticipated.

If you find this schedule unsatisfactory, please write to me or call me at [telephone number].

We note that you wish your request to have continuing status under section 9 of the Act. [Name of public body] does not grant your request [state reasons]. For these reasons, we will only respond to this request as a single access request for records that currently exist.

We have now had an opportunity to discuss your request with you [state method and date]. We agreed that the request would now focus on [describe the subject and/or the information agreed upon]. If this understanding is not correct, please contact me at [telephone number] as soon as possible. This letter serves as a notice that it is this request that [name of public body] is proceeding to process. We will provide the information available to you under the Act as quickly as possible. Although the Act allows us a maximum of 30 days to respond, we will reply sooner than [date], if possible.

If you have any questions, please write to me or call me at [telephone number].

Section 65 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act provides that you may make a written request to the Information and Privacy Commissioner to review this matter. You have 60 days from the date of this notice to request a review by writing to the Commissioner at 410, 9925 – 109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 2J8 .

Section 67(1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act requires the Commissioner to give a copy of your request for review to the head of a public body and to any other person who, in the Commissioner's opinion, is affected by the request. Therefore your request for review should not contain any information that you do not wish exchanged with the other parties.

When requesting a review, please provide the Office of the Commissioner with the following information:

1. The reference number noted at the top of this notice.

2. A copy of this letter.

3. A copy of your original request form that you sent to [name of public body].

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Title]