BC Fiddles with FOI

For the first time in a generation, British Columbia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) is about to undergo substantive change. Billed by the government as a way to “help B.C. keep pace with new technology, strengthen privacy protections and improve services for thousands of people who request information each year,” it will also make public bodies less transparent, introduces fees for submitting access-to-information requests, and fails to address priorities identified by both the current and previous Information and Privacy Commissioners. The amendments will enable current and future governments to avoid revealing information about matters of public interest. Read the province’s description of Bill 22 and a different perspective