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Welcome to the Province of Ontario’s Freedom of Information Request System

Members of the public may use this Enterprise Freedom of Information Request Management (eFOIRM) web portal to submit Freedom of Information (FOI) accessrequests, or check the status of previously submitted requests, pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).

Notice of Collection of Information

Your Information

Information to setup and manage your account and profile through My Ontario Account and the Enterprise Freedom of Information Request Management (eFOIRM) system is collected under the authority of Section 6 of the Ministry of Government Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.25. If you have any questions, please contact us using the information below. 

The Government of Ontario is implementing electronic service delivery. Through a centralized system, ministry FOI staff can access basic profile information of a user with a My Ontario Account in order to link requests to requesters and transfer requests between ministries. The profile information will require at a minimum a first name, last name and email address. This is a single sign in account that will allow a user to create or sign into an existing profile that is associated with each of Ontario’s ministries. A user may login to their account and check on the status of a FOI request that they have submitted to a ministry while also accessing responsive records and communications.

When you make a request using the online Freedom of Information Request portal, information is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and will be used to answer your request. Questions about this collection can be directed to the Freedom of Information Coordinator at the institution where you make the request. 

Many records of public institutions are available to you for free without the need to make a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. If you’re unsure whether you need to make a formal request, contact the Freedom of Information and Privacy (FOIP) coordinator at the institution that holds the records. You can also consult a list of records that are typically available via the FOI process.

To read more about how the Government of Ontario respects your privacy when you interact with us, see our privacy statement. For questions about how your personal information is handled in relation this service, you may contact us by email or by phone at:

  • Manager of Recordkeeping, Access and Privacy Advisory Services
  • Information, Privacy and Archives
  • Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery
  • 134 Ian MacDonald Blvd.
  • Toronto, ON M7A 2C5
  • 416-327-1600 or 1-800-668-9933 (toll-free in Ontario only) access.privacy@ontario.ca

Submitting a FOI Request

When submitting an FOI request, the receiving institution collects your personal information in order to respond to your request. The receiving ministry has the legal authority to collect personal information in order to manage and respond to FOI requests under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Your personal information will be used to respond to your FOI request. Questions about this collection may be directed to the FOI Coordinator at the ministry you are submitting your request.

Fee Payment

We collect personal information in order to process payments. The receiving ministry has the legal authority to collect personal information as it is necessary to administer the FOI process under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Your personal information will be used to process the fee payment. Questions about this collection may be directed to the FOI Coordinator at the ministry you are submitting your request.

To Submit a FOI Access Request

We recommend that you first Register for a My Ontario Account (Public Secure) to create an account if you do not currently have one. A My Ontario Account is needed to create an online profile for our eFOIRM Web Portal, or Sign Into your existing profile to submit a new request or view the status of current requests in your account.

If you prefer to download a printable form and mail in your FOI request to an institution, you may access a printable FOI request form. Use this form to complete offline and mail it directly to the institution with the details of your request along with the $5.00 application fee payment sent via cheque to the attention of the Minister of Finance.

How to Set Up an Online Account

Enterprise Freedom of Information Request Management (eFOIRM) online accounts use My Ontario Account (Public Secure), which is a Government of Ontario login required to access online Government of Ontario services. Click here for more information.

If you have a My Ontario Account:

  1. On the My Ontario Account(Public Secure) page, log in using your email and password.
  2. You will then be directed to an account registration page for eFOIRM submission portal to create your profile in the system.
  3. Follow the prompts to set up your account with eFOIRM. You will receive a confirmation email that you have successfully registered. If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your junk or spam folder.
  4. Click the link in your confirmation email to be directed to the eFOIRM portal to submit your FOI request.

If you need to create a My Ontario Account:

If you don't already have a My Ontario Account (Public Secure), follow these steps:

  1. On the My Ontario Account (Public Secure) page, click the Create Accountbutton at the bottom of the page.
  2. Enter your email address and create a password. The My Ontario Account (Public Secure), will send you an email asking you to verify your account.
  3. Verify your account by clicking on the link in the email. You will have 30 minutes to click this link. If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your junk or spam folder.
  4. Once you have verified your account, sign in using your My Ontario login credentials.
  5. After you have activated your account, you will be directed to an account profile registration page for eFOIRM.
  6. Follow the prompts in eFOIRM to set up your account profile on the FOI online submission portal. You will receive a confirmation email that you have successfully registered. If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your junk or spam folder.
  7. Click the link in your confirmation email to be directed to the eFOIRM portal to access online FOI submissions profile.

Check the Status of a Previously Submitted Request

Sign Into your existing profile through your My Ontario Account which will bring you to your eFOIRM profile page to check the status of a previously submitted access request(s).

Helpful Tips for Requesters

Review a listing of Frequently Requested information typically available via FOI access requests, the institutions that hold these records, and what information is required for a search on the Freedom of Information request webpage. Additionally, you may search the Directory of Records for descriptions of the different types of records maintained by provincial ministries covered under FIPPA to determine which ministry to submit your FOI Request to.

Please note that an FOI request is not required to access information that is already publicly available. The Open Data Catalog is a useful tool to help you determine if the government information you are seeking is already public.

Request for Property Information

If you are submitting an FOI request for Property Information to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, attach the completed MECP Property Checklist form to your FOI request submission through the online portal (instructions on attaching files is available once you are logged into your profile on the FOI web portal or submit by mail.

Request Relating to a Client or Other

If you are submitting an FOI request on behalf of a client or for records concerning another party, attach a letter of authorization or consent form to your FOI request submission through the online portal (instructions on attaching files is available once you are logged into your profile on the FOI web portal).