The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) came into force on October 1, 1995 and was repealed on June 11, 2025. The FOIP Act was the first access and privacy law in Alberta. Associated regulations included the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Regulation and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (Ministerial) Regulation.
The FOIP Act provided individuals with the right to request access to information in the custody or control of public bodies while providing public bodies with a framework for conducting the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
The FOIP Act initially applied to the provincial government. The FOIP Act applied to other public bodies in stages:
- School jurisdictions on September 1, 1998
- Health care bodies on October 1, 1998
- Post-secondary institutions on January 4, 1999
- Local government bodies, such as municipalities and police services, on October 1, 1999
Note: in certain circumstances and for a limited time, FOIP may still apply. Additional details are available here.