Access to Information at UCalgary

Under the Access to Information Act (ATIA), any individual has a right of access to records in the custody or under the control of UCalgary as a public body, including a record containing personal information about that individual, subject to limited and specific exceptions. All requests must be submitted to the UCalgary Access and Privacy Office (APO) for review. 

The ATIA applies to records in any form, including written, electronic, digital, photographic, audio and video, and all access to information requests fall into two categories:

  1. A general access request is a request for recorded information in the custody or control of UCalgary that is not about yourself or someone you are authorized to act for. Examples include requests for information about UCalgary projects, initiatives, reports, or general information.
  2. A personal access request is a request for recorded information in the custody or control of UCalgary that is about yourself or a person you are authorized to act for. Examples include requests for student or staff records, including personnel records, academic records, or CCTV camera footage of an accident you were directly involved in.
Request to Access Information Form

All access to information requests must meet the following requirements: 

  1. be submitted in writing via email, physical mail, online form, or in person;
  2. be submitted to the appropriate public body (UCalgary is unable to respond to requests for records held by third parties);
  3. provide enough detail to enable UCalgary to locate and identify the record requested within a reasonable time with reasonable effort; and 
  4. for general requests only, include the required $25 initial fee. This fee does not apply to an individual's request for their own personal information.

UCalgary may disregard a request if the request:

  1. would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the public body or amount to an abuse of the right to make a request because the request has been made repeatedly or in a systematic nature;
  2. is abusive, threatening, frivolous or vexatious or is made in an abusive or threatening manner;
  3. the information the request relates to has already been provided to the applicant, or has been made available to the public;
  4. does not have information that is sufficiently clear to enable the public body to locate and identify the record within a reasonable time with reasonable effort; or
  5. is otherwise overly broad or incomprehensible.

All access to information requests must be submitted to:

Access and Privacy Office
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
accessandprivacy@ucalgary.ca 

The Access and Privacy Office is the only UCalgary unit authorized to receive access requests under the ATIA. Access requests sent to other university offices are not considered received and will not be processed.

In some circumstances, an individual may request records containing personal information on behalf of another individual. Common examples include:

  • a legal representative, such as the executor of an estate;
  • a parent or guardian requesting records on behalf of a minor, where disclosure would not be an unreasonable invasion of the minor's privacy; or
  • a law firm or other authorized representative acting on behalf of an individual.

If you are requesting records on behalf of another person, you must provide proof that you have the authority to act for them. This may include a guardianship order, power of attorney, or other documentation demonstrating your authority. 

If you are requesting records with the individual's consent, such as a law firm acting on behalf of a client, you may submit a completed Designate a Representative or Disclose to a Third Party Consent Form in lieu of the documentation listed above.

Your request should also include the following information about the individual whose records are being requested:

  • full name and any previous names used;
  • program or faculty of study, or job title and department (if applicable);
  • dates of attendance or employment; and
  • any identifying number related to the records, such as a UCID, case number, or other identification number.

While the ATIA provides a broad right of access, not all records can be disclosed. Certain records are excluded from the scope of the Act, while other records may be withheld in whole or in part under statutory exceptions.

Common examples include records containing:

  • research information or teaching materials of an academic staff member of UCalgary;
  • personal information of other individuals where disclosure would constitute an unreasonable invasion of privacy;
  • confidential business, commercial, or financial information of UCalgary or a third party;
  • information subject to solicitor-client privilege or another legal privilege;
  • advice, recommendations, or deliberations of UCalgary officials;
  • information that could reasonably be expected to harm the economic or financial interests of UCalgary or Government of Alberta; and
  • information that could reasonably be expected to threaten individual or public safety.

UCalgary reviews records individually and determines whether any exclusions or exceptions apply before records are disclosed. Where possible, records may be released with limited redactions rather than withheld in their entirety. In some cases, UCalgary may be required to notify a third party before disclosing records that contain the third party's personal, business, or commercial information and provide that third party with an opportunity to make submissions regarding disclosure.

A non-refundable $25 application fee is required before a general access request can be processed. In some cases, additional fees may apply where permitted under section 96 of ATIA and may be charged for activities such as:

  • searching for, locating or retrieving records;
  • preparing records for disclosure;
  • converting records into releasable format;
  • producing copies of records; and
  • shipping or delivering records.

Applicants submitting a personal information request are not required to pay an application fee. For personal requests, fees may only be charged for the reproduction of records and only where the estimated copying costs exceed $10.

If additional fees are anticipated, you will receive a fee estimate and explanation before your request is processed. If the estimated cost of processing your request exceeds $150, a 50% deposit will be required before work on the request continues. Any remaining fees must be paid before the records are released.

The University of Calgary is unable to accept electronic payments. Any fees required under the ATIA must be paid by cheque or cash. All cheques are to be made payable to the University of Calgary and can be mailed or delivered to:

University of Calgary c/o Access and Privacy Office
Administration Building, Executive Suite
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4

UCalgary is generally required to respond to a formal access request within 30 business days after a valid request has been received and all statutory requirements have been met.

The Access and Privacy Office has a duty to assist applicants and may contact applicants to clarify or narrow a request where additional information is required to identify responsive records. Consistent with the ATIA, applicants are expected to provide sufficient information to enable UCalgary to locate the records being requested.

UCalgary may extend the time for responding in circumstances authorized by the ATIA. If an extension is required, the applicant will receive written notice explaining the extension and the reasons for it.

If an applicant disagrees with a decision made by UCalgary regarding an access request, they may request an independent review by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OIPC). You may request a review by writing to the Commissioner’s office at 410, 9925 – 109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 2J8, or by using the OIPC request for review form at www.oipc.ab.ca.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Access to Information

The Access and Privacy Office, reporting into UCalgary Legal Services, is responsible for overseeing UCalgary’s compliance with Alberta’s access to information and privacy requirements (now governed by ATIA and POPA).

The Access and Privacy Office can provide compliance advice and guidance to UCalgary administrators and the broader campus community on all matters related to access to information and protection of privacy and is responsible for managing and responding to access to information requests.

No. All access to information requests should be directed to the Access and Privacy Office so that they can be reviewed and responded to in accordance with ATIA and UCalgary’s Delegation of Authority Policy. 

You may be contacted by the Access and Privacy Office to assist in locating records or clarifying an access to information request. If you are contacted, please respond promptly, as UCalgary is bound by strict statutory deadlines contained in the ATIA. Do not alter, redact, or delete records. All records must be preserved and provided for review in their original form. Please note that not all records provided to the Access and Privacy Office will be disclosed. Instead, they will be reviewed and withheld or redacted where appropriate and permitted under ATIA.

If you receive a request directly from an individual (e.g., a student or external party), please forward it immediately to the Access and Privacy Office at accessandprivacy@ucalgary.ca.

No. ATIA is intended to complement - not replace - existing procedures for accessing information or records at UCalgary. It should be used as a last resort when information is not otherwise available through self-serve options or routine channels. You are encouraged to first explore existing UCalgary procedures or contact the relevant faculty, department, or business unit directly.

The ATIA applies to all existing records - including electronic records - in the custody or control of UCalgary unless specifically excluded under section 4 of the ATIA or subject to an exemption to disclosure under Part 1, Division 2.

This may include access to records in any form in which information is contained or stored, including information in any written, graphic, electronic, digital, photographic, audio or other medium, but does not include any software or other mechanism used to store or produce the record. Examples include emails, PDFs, physical records, text messages, Teams chat messages, spreadsheets, audio, or video files, system generated reports, etc. 

If you receive a request for assistance with an access request by the Access and Privacy Office, it is important that you ensure all relevant records are located and provided in their original format. If you are unsure whether something qualifies as an electronic record, or how to retrieve it, contact the Access and Privacy Office at accessandprivacy@ucalgary.ca. 

UCalgary is required under section 12 of ATIA to make reasonable efforts to assist applicants and to respond to each applicant openly, accurately, and completely, and in accordance with ATIA and regulations. 

This means that access to information requests should be handled quickly, efficiently and in a professional manner, and clear reasons should be provided when access to records is denied. Note that unless the applicant has requested the personal information of another person, the identity of the applicant and indeed the motive for the request are not relevant. If information can be disclosed, it must be disclosed regardless of who has asked the question or why they want the information.

Yes, in some circumstances. Under ATIA, a public body is required to provide access to existing records - including electronic records - or create a record if the record can be created using the public body’s normal computer hardware, software, and technical expertise, and if doing so would not unreasonably interfere with the operations of the public body, and otherwise would be reasonable and practical.

This obligation is part of the public body’s “duty to assist” applicants under section 12 of ATIA. This means that if the requested information exists in a database or other electronic system, and a readable record (e.g., a report or export) can be generated without significant disruption, UCalgary must do so.

If you are requesting access to general (non-personal) information, you are required to pay an initial fee of $25.00 for one-time requests and an initial fee of $50.00 for continuing requests. The initial fee must be paid before UCalgary will begin processing the request.  

If you are requesting access to your own personal information, you are not required to pay an initial fee under ATIA. 

Under section 96 of ATIA and sections 13 and 14 of the Access to Information Act Regulation, Alta Reg 133/2025, fees may also be charged in accordance with Schedule I. For general information, fees may be charged for various services carried out by UCalgary in responding to your request (including searching for, producing, formatting, preparing and handling records) if the amount of fees exceeds $150.00. A fee may not be charged for the time spent in reviewing a record. If the estimated cost exceeds $150.00, UCalgary will provide a fee estimate before proceeding. You may then choose to proceed, modify your request, or withdraw it. 

For personal information, fees may be charged only for producing a copy of the records in accordance with items 3 to 6 of Schedule I (including photocopying, scanning, printing or providing records in another form of physical media), and only if the total cost exceeds $10.00. These fees are limited to the actual cost of reproduction. If the estimated cost exceeds $10.00, UCalgary will provide a fee estimate before proceeding. You may then choose to proceed, modify your request, or withdraw it. 

These fee requirements ensures that access to information remains affordable while allowing public bodies to recover reasonable costs associated with fulfilling the request.

Under Section 35 of ATIA, UCalgary must notify a third party if it is considering granting access to a record that contains:

  • Personal information of a third party the disclosure of which may be an unreasonable invasion of the third party’s privacy, or
  • Business or commercial information the disclosure of which may be harmful to the third party’s interests.

This notification is required before the record is disclosed, giving the third party an opportunity to consent to the disclosure, or provide written reasons why the information should not be disclosed. The third party has 20 business days from the date of notification to respond.

If the third-party objects to disclosure, UCalgary must consider their response before making a final decision. If access is granted despite the objection, the third party may request a review by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OIPC) under Part 3 of the Act. 

If UCalgary decides not to disclose the third party’s information, notification is not required. However, it may still be provided as a courtesy, unless doing so would be unduly burdensome.

No. Under Section 13 of POPA, UCalgary must not disclose personal information about an applicant unless it is necessary for an employee to know that information to process or respond to the request.

This means that the name of an individual applicant should not be shared in internal reports or listings unless the recipient has a direct role in managing or responding to that specific request.

If the applicant is a business or organization, their name may be disclosed, as privacy protections under the Act apply only to individuals. However, even in such cases, routine circulation of requester names is not recommended.

Instead, internal summaries may include:

  • A description of the request (e.g., topic or subject matter),
  • The type of applicant (e.g., individual, media, business), or
  • And any relevant status updates.

This approach supports transparency and coordination while respecting the privacy rights of individuals under POPA.

Under Section 95(1) of ATIA, it is an offense for any individual to knowingly destroy, alter, falsify, or conceal a record with the intent to evade an access to information request.

If found guilty of an offence under ATIA, an individual may be personally liable for a fine of up to $50,000.

This provision reinforces the importance of transparency and accountability in the handling of records. All UCalgary employees are expected to preserve records that may be relevant to an access request and to cooperate with UCalgary's Access and Privacy Office.