Updated Guidance On Public Records Disclosure In British Columbia

In February 2025, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (OIPC) published updated guidance for public bodies on how to develop and maintain proactive disclosure programs under Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act¹ (OPIC Guidance). The OIPC Guidance follows an OIPC investigation report regarding municipal disclosure of records², which highlighted, in part, the need for public bodies in British Columbia to improve the access-to-information processes offered to the public.

One of the recommendations made in the Report was the need for municipalities to establish and publish clear, meaningful categories of records that are routinely disclosed to the public without requiring a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request.