Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart brought that concern to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board<\/p>\n
Obtaining information about what happened in an emergency, such as a wildfire or flood, may not be easy to come by as it once was.<\/p>\n
An area MLA told the Thompson-Nicola Regional district board at a recent meeting that people seeking information following emergencies are being directed to the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act process.<\/p>\n
However, as part of updates to that act, the provincial government has added a new fee to those filing requests for information. The fee is $10 per request, double that of a federal FOI inquiry, though some First Nations groups will be exempt from paying the fee, according to the provincial government.<\/p>\n
Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart of the BC Liberal Party said Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone has asked for proactive disclosure during emergencies and wildfires.<\/p>\n
For citizens who are simply looking for information, this is a barrier and a very confusing process for them, Tegart said.<\/p>\n
We were extremely disappointed that the government would not look at an amendment that would encourage people and allow them to get information that is public information.<\/p>\n
Minister of Citizens' ServicesLisa Beare has said the reason the $10 fee was implemented was due to a large increase in the number of FOI requests being handled by government employees.<\/p>\n
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Read the original:<\/p>\n
BC Liberal MLA: New FOI fee could hamper those seeking information during emergencies - Kamloops This Week<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart brought that concern to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board Obtaining information about what happened in an emergency, such as a wildfire or flood, may not be easy to come by as it once was. Continue reading