You have the right to request any record in the custody and control of the RDCK, including a record that contains your own personal information.

A record is defined in the Act as “books, documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers, papers, and any other thing on which information is records or stored by graphic, electronic, mechanical, or other means, but does not include a computer program or any other mechanism that produces records.”

You should always start by making an Informal Request by contacting the department you think might have the information you are looking for.

If the information you are requesting is not available through routine channels, you may make a Freedom of Information (FOI)  request for records under the Act. To obtain access to a record, you must make your request in writing.

Written requests can be made in the following manner:

• Use our online FOI Request Form
• Send a written request via standard mail to
  Regional District of Central Kootenay
  202 Lakeside Drive
  Box 590
  Nelson, BC
  V1L 5R4
• By fax (250) 352-9300
• Drop off your request in person to 202 Lakeside Drive, Nelson, BC.

Most records found within a building permit can be obtained through routine channels.
To request building permit records, fill out the form and submit online. The Building Department staff will contact you with confirmation of the request.

Building Records Request Form

Under section 75 of the Act, we may charge fees to cover the cost of processing your FOI request. If we are going to charge you any fees, we will provide a fee estimate before processing your request.

We will not charge fees for access to your own personal information or for the first three hours spent searching for and retrieving the records.

Our fees are in accordance with the Schedule of Maximum Fees set by the province:

• $7.50 per 1/4 hour after the first 3 hours for locating, retrieving, and producing the record.
• $7.50 per 1/4 hour for preparing the record for disclosure.
• Actual costs for shipping and handling.
• $0.10 a page for copying a record.

It is important to keep the scope of your request as specific as possible to avoid incurring a fee and to ensure you receive records relevant to your request. Include specific date ranges, departments, document types, and so on to narrow down the scope of your request.

When you make an Informal Request, the department you approach will respond to you as quickly as possible. Depending on the kind of information you are requesting, you may be able to obtain an answer on the phone.

Pursuant to the Act, we will respond to your FOI Request within 30 business days of receiving it. A time extension may be required for complex requests.

The Act allows us to withhold information if the release would be an unreasonable invasion of privacy, or cause harm by one of the means listed in the Act, such as harming a law enforcement investigation or threatening anyone’s health and safety.

If we deny access to any part of a record, you have the right to ask for a review by the British Columbia Information and Privacy Commissioner, an officer of the legislature who is independent of the government.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
P.O. Box 9038, Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, BC V8W 9A4
Tel. (250) 387-5629
Fax (250) 387-1696

The Act protects personal information by restricting  the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information.

Collection
We only collect personal information when we have the clear authority to do so, or when the collection is necessary and directly related to the operation of a program or service. When we collect information, it must be done from the individual, unless we have the legal authority to collect the information from another source.

Use and Disclosure
The personal information must only be used for the purpose it was collected or for a use consistent with that purpose. We may also use or disclose personal information in other ways, but only if we have the legal authority to do so.

We may make an exception to this rule when we deem that releasing your personal information would not be an unreasonable invasion of your privacy. For example, if you send a letter to the Board of Directors or staff with the intention of it being included in a meeting agenda, we may keep your name and electoral area on the letter.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your personal information collected, used, or disclosed by us, please contact the Privacy Officer at foi@rdck.bc.ca or 250-352-6665.

If you believe there is an error or omission in your personal information, you have the right to request us to correct it. You may do this by contacting the department that retains your information directly or send us a request to foi@rdck.bc.ca.