MO-4587

The Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH) received a request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act) for records related to three types of contracts. OCH took steps to clarify the request. OCH identified 26 responsive records and decided to disclose 24 of them in full. It decided it needed to withhold parts of the remaining two contracts for certain reasons (exemptions): to protect the personal privacy of individuals whose personal information in one contract [section 14(1)] and to protect third party information in both contracts [section 10(1)]. The requester appealed this decision and raised three more issues: the scope of the request (section 17), the reasonableness of OCH’s search (section 17), and OCH’s compliance with section 23 (which relates to giving a copy of a record or a chance to examine it).
The adjudicator allows the appeal on the issue of section 10(1) because she finds that the information withheld under that exemption does not qualify for that exemption. However, the adjudicator agrees with OCH that the information withheld under section 14(1) is personal information that cannot be disclosed. She also agrees with OCH’s interpretation of the scope of the request and the reasonableness of its search. In addition, the adjudicator finds that OCH complied with section 23 and that the reasons that the appellant raised this issue do not apply in these circumstances.