The Plan
1.
Contact your MPP
Call their constituency office. They're in their riding until March 23.
On March 13, 2026, the Ontario government announced retroactive amendments to FIPPA that would exempt the Premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants, and their offices from freedom of information requests. Active court cases could be voided. Response timelines would be extended. The changes would apply backwards.
"Today's shocking announcement of proposed
changes to FIPPA seriously undermines
[the] principle [of government transparency]."
— Commissioner Patricia Kosseim, IPC Ontario
The bill will be tabled when the legislature resumes on March 23. It is not yet law. These are the 9 days where something can still be done.
The Facts
| Bill tabled? | Not yet |
| Legislature resumes | March 23, 2026 |
| Bill number | TBD |
| Retroactive? | Yes |
| Ford phone records | Would be killed |
| Greenbelt emails | Would be killed |
| Response timelines | 30 → 45 biz days |
| IPC Commissioner | "Shocking" |
| IPC position | Opposed |
Stephen Crawford — Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, MPP for Oakville — announced the changes. His office framed this as "modernization." The IPC called it an attempt to "hide government-related business to evade public accountability."
Where to track the bill
Current bills: ola.org — bills
Hansard: ola.org — house documents
Once the bill has a number, committee hearings allow Ontario residents to register to speak. That's your chance to put opposition on the legislative record.
How To Do It
Contact your MPP. This week.
Every MPP has a constituency office. They are staffed right now — the legislature is not in session until March 23, which means your MPP is in their riding. Phone calls are harder to ignore than emails. Do all three.
If your MPP is Progressive Conservative: This is the call that matters most. Say you're a constituent. Say you voted for them. Say you oppose these changes. PC backbenchers hear from constituents far less than you'd think — and they have caucus meetings before the session.
How to do it
Find your MPP: ola.org/en/get-involved/contact-mpp
Call their constituency office. Legislative offices are unstaffed during recess.
The ask: "I oppose the proposed FIPPA amendments that would exempt ministers' offices from freedom of information requests. I'm asking you to vote against this bill."
If you want a script
"Hi, my name is [name] and I'm a constituent in [riding]. I'm calling about the proposed changes to Ontario's freedom of information laws announced on March 13. I believe exempting the Premier and cabinet ministers from FOI requests would seriously damage public accountability. The Information and Privacy Commissioner has called these changes 'shocking.' I'm asking [MPP name] to oppose this bill when it's tabled on March 23. Can I leave my contact information?"
File an FOI request. $5.
FIPPA still exists today. Every request filed before the bill passes is one more on the record. You don't need a lawyer. You need $5 and a written request specific enough for a public servant to locate the record.
Even if the law changes, the act of filing establishes that citizens were actively using the system the government is trying to close.
How to do it
Online: ontario.ca/page/freedom-information-request
Fee: $5.00 per request
What to ask for: Be specific. Name the ministry, the topic, and a date range. Example: "All correspondence between the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and external parties regarding proposed FIPPA amendments, Jan 1 – Mar 13, 2026."
· · ·
| Items on this punch list | 4 |
| Days before legislature | 9 |
| Cost to file an FOI | $5.00 |
| Cost to call your MPP | $0.00 |