Ontario's privacy and information access watchdog is fact checking Ford The Information and Privacy Commission sent out an update that “provides factual information in response to the various reasons that have since been offered for the proposed change" of FOI laws in Ont...

Ontario's privacy and information access watchdog is fact checking Ford
www.nationalobserver.com/2026/03/25/n... #CDNFOI #ONTfoi #ontpoli

Privacy commissioner challenges Doug Ford’s reasons for changing access-to-information rules Information and privacy commissioner Patricia Kosseim has filed a six-point rebuttal to Premier Doug Ford's "various" reasons for exempting himself, his cabinet ministers and political aides from acce...

Ontario's information commissioner challenges Premier Doug Ford's reasons for tightening access-to-information rules, issuing 6-point rebuttal. thestar.com/politics/pro... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ford says privacy commissioner is ‘politically driven’ in opposing changes to FOI laws Records of premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and their offices will no longer be subject to public disclosure, Ontario government has announced

Ford says Ont info commissioner is ‘politically driven’ in opposing changes to freedom-of-info laws. By CP's
Allison Jones
theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Doug Ford says he would handily win re-election as he defends keeping cellphone records secret Ontario's premier brushes off criticism of a plan to exempt himself and cabinet ministers from access to information laws.

Ont Premier Doug Ford says he would handily win re-election as he defends keeping his cellphone records secret, under proposed changes to freedom-of-info law. By
Robert Benzie & Moira Welsh
thestar.com/politics/pro... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

share.google

'We've had enough secrets': First Nations group opposes Ontario move to limit freedom-of-information laws share.google/MgIXUFAIc1aaWq… #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Opinion: Doug Ford has utterly wasted an extraordinary mandate Eight years of powerful majority government could have allowed the Premier to make meaningful change to Ontario. But what has he really achieved?

Ont. Premier Doug Ford has wasted a mandate. "... everyone knows that malicious Beijing operatives are filing FOI requests, waiting six years for a response, and then using that information nefariously against the people of Ontario"
theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti... #cdnfoi #ontpoli #ontfoi

Ford’s freedom of information changes would ‘build a brick wall around the premier’s office’ Dean Beeby says Ontario’s proposed freedom of information changes would draw a ‘veil over the inner workings of government’ and keep ‘citizens in the dark.’

Ford's freedom of information changes would 'build a brick wall around the premier's office'
cp24.com/video/shows/... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

New substack from me: Dimming the lights in Ontario - Ford's plan to curtail freedom-of-info open.substack.com/pub/deanbeeb... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Martin Regg Cohn: Doug Ford drops a veil of secrecy over the inner workings of his government The premier has given himself a free pass to do as he pleases by changing FOI legislation.

TorStar OpEd: Doug Ford drops a veil of secrecy over the inner workings of his government www.thestar.com/politics/pol... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

'So much bull': Experts dismiss Ford's excuses for freedom of information overhaul On Friday, Ontario announced that the province plans to exempt the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and their offices from requests filed under the Freedom of Information and Prote...

Experts dismiss rationales for Ontario FOI changes as 'bull'
By @cloelogan.bsky.social
www.nationalobserver.com/2026/03/16/n... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Doug Ford defends FOI changes, warns of enemies seeking government secrets Ford said he's tightening the laws to "protect" himself and his cabinet ministers from "communist China" and other hostile powers.

Ford gov't defends FOI changes. " ... over 95 per cent of what you’re able to access now you will still be able to access." Of course, that missing 5 per cent will be all about secret backroom deals with cronies.
thestar.com/politics/pro... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Doug Ford defends FOI changes, warns of enemies seeking government secrets Ford said he's tightening the laws to "protect" himself and his cabinet ministers from "communist China" and other hostile powers.

Ford gov't defends FOI changes. " ... over 95 per cent of what you’re able to access now you will still be able to access." Of course, that missing 5 per cent will be all about secret backroom deals with cronies.
thestar.com/politics/pro... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Opinion: Ontario steps back into the information dark ages The Ford government’s efforts to ‘modernize’ the province’s freedom of information laws just eviscerates public accountability

Ont returns to dark ages. By Patricia Kosseim, Ont info commissioner:
"If records about gov't business can be shielded from scrutiny simply because they sit in a minister’s office ... then public accountability is eviscerated."
theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

This insidious legislation wd insulate Ont ministers' offices from freedom-of-info requests, extend basic waiting period for all requests to 45 days (from 30) and allow depts 2 opportunities (rather than 1) to take deadline extensions. RIP transparency. #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ontario to introduce bill exempting Premier, cabinet from FOI requests Government’s proposed changes follow Ontario’s loss of court battle over call logs for Premier Doug Ford’s personal cellphone

Ontario to introduce bill exempting Premier, cabinet from freedom-of-info requests. By Jeff Gray theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

MSN

Here's (some) of what the City of Ottawa paid for an investigation into a councillor’s use of emoji and memes. Based on a freedom-of-info request. By Ben Andrews.
msn.com/en-ca/news/c... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ontario school board cites safety exemption in withholding records on a $34K art collection | CBC News A London, Ont., school board is using one of Ontario's most powerful secrecy provisions to avoid disclosing records about a modest art collection.

Ontario school board invokes secrecy provision to withhold freedom-of-info records on $34K fine art collection. By CBC's
Colin Butler
cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

After a wave of officer suicides, the OPP vowed to do more for members’ mental health. Internal documents show the reforms have fallen short The OPP said police suicide 'remains a concerning and complex issue,' and the force has made 'great strides' in addressing it.

After a wave of officer suicides, the OPP vowed to do more for members’ mental health. Internal documents obtained under freedom-of-info show the reforms have fallen short. By @fxplante.bsky.social
thestar.com/news/investi... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ford will file appeal against court ruling to release personal phone records | Globalnews.ca The latest twist in a three-year-old transparency battle means the government has now twice lost its argument Ford should not have to make parts of his phone records public.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says province will file appeal against court ruling requiring release of his personal cellphone records under FOI globalnews.ca/news/1159987... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ontario court rules Doug Ford must turn over personal phone records | Globalnews.ca An Ontario court says it is reasonable to conclude Premier Doug Ford uses his personal cellphone to communicate and that he should make those records public.

Ontario court rules Premier Doug Ford's personal phone records are subject to freedom-of-info law because they contain info about gov't business, and must be turned over. Province says it will seek leave to appeal. globalnews.ca/news/1159745... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Congrats to Dr. Brooks Fallis and Paul Champ
#ontfoi #ontpoli #cdnfoi

Tools — Dean Beeby

I have updated my FOI tipsheets for 2026. A few changes, but not many - our governments are highly allergic to FOI reform. Find and download the tipsheets here: www.deanbeeby.ca/tools
#cdnfoi #ontfoi

In 2024, CBC lost its FOI case at the Supreme Court of Cda. Cabinet secrecy was affirmed in a ruling protecting Premier Ford's mandate letters. This month, CBC paid the Ford gov't $14,427.55 in court costs.
scc-csc.ca/cases-dossie...
deanbeeby.substack.com/p/cabinet-se... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

City manager’s emails scarce on details on how 5-day return to office mandate came to be | CBC News As the City of Ottawa’s 'new standard' for five days in-office begins in the new year, internal documents from the city manager’s office show how Wendy Stephanson planned to defend her controversial d...

City of Ottawa emails reveal few details on rationale for 5-day return-to-office mandate. Based on documents obtain thru freedom-of-info. By Priscilla Ki Sun Hwang. cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ontario information and privacy commissioner pushes back against pitched reforms to red tape law Passing Schedules 16 and 20 of Bill 46 risks Ontarians’ access and privacy rights

Ont wants to give minister power to override freedom-of-info requests about waste management. “It is a significant erosion of a quasi-constitutional right, weakening one of the core transparency and accountability mechanisms ..."
lawtimesnews.com/practice-are... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ontario watchdog ‘intervening’ after solicitor general ignores transparency orders | Globalnews.ca There have been several instances in recent years where the IPC has told the solicitor general's office to release information, only for the government to ignore the decree.

Ontario watchdog ‘intervening’ after solicitor general ignores her transparency orders regarding FOI requests. globalnews.ca/news/1154356... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Transit violence rising across Canada — in some cities, by nearly 300% | CBC News A joint investigation by CBC News and the Investigative Journalism Foundation has found that transit violence in some of Canada's biggest municipalities remains well above pre-pandemic levels, despite...

Transit violence rising across Canada — in some cities, by nearly 300%. Joint investigation by IJF and CBC drew in part on documents obtained under freedom-of-info.
cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Shoppers Drug Mart billed $81M for MedsChecks in 2 years when COVID services waned | CBC News Shoppers Drug Mart billed the Ontario government’s MedsCheck program $81.2 million for medication reviews over a two-year period when some of its current and former pharmacists said they were facing “...

Shoppers Drug Mart billed Ont gov't $81M for MedsChecks over 2 years, even as COVID services waned. Data obtained through a freedom-of-info request. By @nicolebrockbank & Angela King.
cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/shoppers-drug-mart-medscheck-billing-9.6981970 #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Top Durham cops oversaw ‘poisoned’ work culture rife with favouritism and harassment, report reveals The Star has obtained a redacted copy of the report that officials have previously refused to release, and, for the first time, is able to publicly reveal some of its

Top Durham cops oversaw 'poisoned' work culture rife with favouritism and harassment, report reveals. "The Star obtained a partial copy through a freedom-of-information request." By Abby O’Brien.
thestar.com/news/gta/top... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Top Durham cops oversaw ‘poisoned’ work culture rife with favouritism and harassment, report reveals The Star has obtained a redacted copy of the report that officials have previously refused to release, and, for the first time, is able to reveal some of its findings.

Top Durham cops oversaw 'poisoned' work culture rife with favouritism and harassment, report reveals. Document was obtained under Ontario's freedom-of-info law. By Abby O’Brien.
thestar.com/news/gta/top... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli