BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
Your Data Your Rights
What Is FIPA?
The BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) is a non-partisan, non-profit society that was established in 1991 to promote and defend freedom of information and privacy rights in Canada. Our goal is to empower citizens by increasing their access to information and their control over their own personal information. BC FIPA provides public assistance and public legal education. We are one of very few public interest groups in Canada devoted solely to the advancement of freedom of information (FOI) and privacy rights.
BC FIPA does not provide legal advice or legal aid. BC FIPA can only provide legal information and general assistance. For more information about the difference between legal information and legal advice, please see this resource with examples.
Depending on the reason for your FOI request, other areas of law may be engaged such as tenancy law or human rights law. For example, if human rights law is engaged, then you may be able to access human rights resources, such as the Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) human rights clinic. If you are eligible, you may be able to get free legal support through clinics like The Law Centre (Victoria-Capital Regional District), Law Students’ Legal Advice Program (lower mainland), or the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic (for the Indigenous community).
For general questions and clarification about your FOI request, you can contact the Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner.
For more information about your access to information and privacy rights, please visit BC FIPA’s Get Help pages.
Updated 2024.09.20
These pages were last updated and reviewed in the summer of 2024.
The information on these pages only contains general information and guidance; none of the information constitutes legal advice. If you have a specific issue that you believe is a legal problem, the best practice is to consult a lawyer.
The information is non-partisan, dynamic and ever changing. It is the result of FIPA’s research and public education programs.
If you note something that needs to be added, corrected, or removed, please contact us by email: fipa AT fipa.bc.ca.
