The Town of Olds is committed to transparent governance while safeguarding residents' personal information. Two key provincial statutes guide our practices: the Protection of Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act. These Acts aim to strike a balance between the public's right to know information and protecting confidential information required to ensure effective operations of government and public bodies.
We use software that receives and records the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the computer that has contacted our website. We make no attempt to link these addresses with the identity of individuals visiting our site.
What is the Protection of Privacy Act?
The Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) came into force on June 11, 2025, and replaced the privacy provisions of the former Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act. It establishes clear rules for how municipalities and other public bodies must collect, use, disclose, retain and secure personal information in their custody or control.
Your Rights Under POPA
POPA permits the use of your personal information by a public body. For example, in a municipality, property owners' names and mailing addresses are collected to operate the municipality, including compiling the tax assessment roll. This information may be used for other purposes related to the operation of a municipality, such as providing services and utilities. Under POPA, public bodies can create non-personal data for research, analysis, or the planning, delivery, or evaluation of a program or service. Common uses include analysis to identify trends (e.g., how many people from different demographics are using a service) or to improve the services provided.
What is the Access to Information Act?
The Access to Information Act (ATIA) also came into effect on June 11, 2025, replacing the access provisions of the FOIP Act. It grants you the legal right to request records in the custody or control of any Alberta public body, subject to limited and specific exemptions. This Act is in addition to and does not replace existing procedures for access to information or records.
Residents are encouraged to check with the Town of Olds before submitting an ATI request to see if the information is already publicly available. Many types of information can be accessed without an ATI request, such as publications, brochures, forms, and reports, information about programs and services offered by the municipality, and records that are made available through other legislation or programs (e.g., certificates, licenses, etc.).
Request Instructions
Fees for Access Requests
Action on your request will not proceed until payment is received.
An initial fee of $25.00 must be paid before a request for general information will be processed. General information is recorded information held by The Town of Olds that is not about an identifiable individual.
An initial fee is not required to request personal information about yourself or about someone for whom you are authorized to act. Personal information is recorded information about an identifiable individual.
Additional fees may be charged to process your request. A fee estimate and explanation will be provided to you prior to proceeding with the request.
Property Information & Environmental Site Inquiries
- Residential: $35/parcel
- Non-Residential:$100/parcel
- Written and signed consent of the property owner is required prior to the Town initiating the search.
Payment Options (an invoice will NOT be sent)
- Cheque or money order made payable to The Town of Olds
- Credit/debit card (in person at the Town Office only)
- Cash (in person at the Town Office only)
- Online banking – add the Town of Olds as a payee using the account INF999 with the following banks:
- ATB, BMO, Credit Unions, RBC, TD, Scotia
Cheque or money order payments can be mailed to the Town of Olds:
3501 70 Avenue
Olds, Alberta, Canada
T4H 1L7
