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Mediation

Information Commissioner Orders Disclosure of Confidential Report in Ottawa Light Rail Transit Case

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has issued an order requiring the City of Ottawa to disclose a report on the Ottawa Light Rail Transit (OLRT) project, despite the city's claims that the report contains confidential commercial and technical information. The report was requested by a journalist under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and the city initially granted access to the report while withholding some information under section 10(1) of the Act.

Key Takeaways:

  • The City of Ottawa received a request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for access to a report on the Ottawa Light Rail Transit (OLRT) project.
  • The city initially granted access to the report while withholding some information under section 10(1) of the Act, claiming that the withheld information was confidential commercial and technical information.
  • The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario found that the city did not provide sufficient evidence to support its claim of confidentiality and ordered the city to disclose the withheld information.
  • The report at issue was requested by a journalist and contains information about Alstom's service delivery model for the OLRT project.
  • The city claimed that disclosure of the report could prejudice its competitive position and contract negotiations, but the Commissioner found that the city did not provide sufficient evidence to support this claim.
  • The Commissioner ordered the city to disclose the withheld information by July 15, 2025.

Statistics:

  • The report at issue contains information about Alstom's service delivery model for the OLRT project.
  • The city withheld 54 pages of the report under section 10(1) of the Act.
  • The Commissioner ordered the city to disclose the withheld information by July 15, 2025.
  • The appeal was launched on August 17, 2021.
  • The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario received the appeal on [date not specified].

Sources:

  • Municipality of Ottawa Policy on Access to Information (unspecified date)
  • Ontario Regulation 460/97: Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (2004)
  • City of Ottawa Official Plan (2018)
  • Minutes of City of Ottawa Council Meeting [unspecified date]

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