The City of Port Alberni is committed to open and transparent government. This includes providing easy access to information and records.

The three primary methods to access City records are the City's website, direct contact with departments or formally under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). 

City records available online include:

• The Document Library provides a wide variety of commonly requested documents and publications including municipal reports and plans.
• Access to City Council agendas and minutes for current and previous years are available online. Council Meeting agendas are generally posted on the Friday before a Regular Council Meeting and include an agenda outline, all reports and correspondence.  Complete agenda packages are also available from City Hall.
• Council Summaries provide an informal, unofficial, outline of the items considered, and decisions made, at Regular Council meetings. If you wish to receive Council Summaries via email you can sign up on the form available on the Council Meetings webpage.   
• Access to Committee agendas and minutes for current and previous years are available online. 
• The Public Notice Posting Place provides for public notices required by the Community Charter.  The official Notice Board is located at City Hall, in the front lobby.  
• City Bylaws commonly requested are also accessible online. 
   

Routinely available records:

The majority of information held by the City of Port Alberni can be accessed through the routine release of information by City staff. Examples of this include: answers to questions related to City operations, open agendas, open minutes, bylaws, publications, policies and procedures. To find out if the information you want is routinely available contact the City Department that you believe has the information. If the department doesn't have the information you want, you will either be directed to the department that does or, if the information is not routinely available, you will be directed to the Office of the City Clerk for formal access to information requests. 
 

Submitting formal requests for access:

If the information you are seeking is not routinely available, you can submit a formal request for access under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The Act requires all applicants to:

• Request access to records
• Request access in writing
• Provide enough detail for staff to identify the records you have requested access to
• Be reasonably confident that the City has the records or records you are seeking access to

A formal Request for Access to Records Form is provided for convenience.  If you require assistance with writing your request, please use one of the contact options below. 

In accordance with the Act, the City may charge you fees to cover the cost of processing your formal information request. If there are costs involved, the applicant will be provided with a fee estimate before the application is fully processed.

To submit a formal request, please contact us at:

Email: corp_serv@portalberni.ca 

Fax: 250-723-1003

By mail or in person: 
City of Port Alberni
4850 Argyle Street
Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 1V8