Make a Freedom of Information request without retyping your contact details

An Ontario FOI request form asks for the same name, address, and contact details you enter on every government correspondence form. This guide is an example of storing those repeating fields in hivi.

Official form and source

Start from the official Ontario source and always use the current version — processes can change:

• Service page: Freedom of Information request — ontario.ca

What this process is about

Under FIPPA and MFIPPA, Ontario residents have the right to request records held by provincial ministries and municipal institutions, including their own personal information. Each institution processes requests independently. Institutions have 30 calendar days to respond.

Before you start: what to gather

• Your name, address, and contact details.
• The name of the institution you are requesting from.
• A precise description of the records or personal information you want.

Confirm the institution's FOI coordinator contact and any specific form requirements on ontario.ca or the institution's website.

How hivi makes it faster

1. Store your contact details once. Save your name, address, and contact information in hivi.
2. Autofill the identity fields. Use the hivi Chrome extension on the FOI submission form, or fill a PDF from your saved profile inside hivi.
3. Write the records description yourself — be specific about the subject, date range, and format.
4. Submit with the application fee.

Why do it in hivi

Your name and contact details repeat on every FOI request to every institution. Stored once in hivi — in Canada, with no third-party AI — each request starts mostly filled.