Municipal Information, Access & Privacy Forum

Agenda

• 8:30am - Welcome/Morning Moderator Introduction

  Welcoming Remarks:
  Danielle Manton, AOMC, Dipl.M.M.
  City Clerk, City of Cambridge
  AMCTO Vice President 

  Morning Moderator:
  Kyle Pratt, MPA, CMM III, CHRL, CMO, Dipl.M.A.
  Chief Administrative Officer, Town of Tillsonburg
  AMCTO Director at Large
   

• 8:45am - Information Management & Technology: Partnering for AI Success

  The opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence (AI) are simultaneously exciting and intimidating. In the coming years, AI will fundamentally shift how we deliver many services to residents while changing nearly everything about how we do much of our work, and the data, documents and records that municipalities create and manage.

  For the past year, the City of Barrie has been advancing — both ambitiously and cautiously — toward the increased use of AI. Through this work, the City’s Information Management Privacy and Information Technology teams have fostered a strong partnership, working together on initiatives to strengthen foundations and try bold new things. This session will review the opportunities and challenges presented by AI for municipalities and will dive into the tools and approaches being used to identify and minimize risks while highlighting the importance of strong interdepartmental partnerships.

  Presented by:
  Rob Emerson
  Manager, Digital Transformation & User Experience, City of Barrie

  Megan Williams
  Supervisor of Information Management and Privacy, City of Barrie

• 9:50am - State of FOI & Privacy Survey: Key Insights for 2025

  Processing freedom of information (FOI) requests and managing municipal privacy obligations can be resource-intensive and complex. To better understand these challenges, Vayle conducted its third annual survey with municipal professionals across Ontario, gathering insights on FOI trends, privacy impact assessments (PIAs), routine disclosures, training, and compliance hurdles.

  In this session, hear from municipal leaders responsible for information access and privacy to explore the 2025 survey results, examining key trends and best practices based on municipal size, FOI request volume, and other operational factors.

  Presented by:
  Chris Bantock
  Manager, Privacy & Information, Municipality of Chatham-Kent

  Shaun McIver
  CEO, Vayle

  Joel Watts, Dipl.M.M.
  Deputy Clerk, City of Kawartha Lakes 

• 11:00am - The Balancing Act: The Tension of Right to Privacy & Right to Public Record

  How do institutions balance obligations for providing information to the public, while respecting individuals’ right to privacy? Join the City of Toronto and the City of Vaughan as they share their experiences developing policy and procedural guidance on this delicate balancing act.

  This presentation will explore opportunities to develop policies, procedures, and directives that guide municipal government divisions, agencies, and other public bodies in balancing the right to privacy with the right to public access to information. Representatives from each municipality will share examples of this tension at the local level, including the key legislative considerations, procedural and operational factors, and requests from the public that have informed this work to date. They will also highlight their ongoing work to provide guidance to the public and municipal staff on when personal information must be collected, what the appropriate thresholds are for personal information for the purposes of the public record, and how municipal divisions, agencies, and boards make such information publicly available.

  Presented by:
  Robert Ambra
  Manager, Corporate Information Strategy and Policy, City of Toronto

  Cris Murialdo-Smith
  Senior Information Analyst, City of Toronto

  Kristin Smith
  Access and Privacy Officer, City of Vaughan

• 12:00pm - Lunch Break
• 12:50pm - Afternoon Moderator Introduction

  Chantal Guillemette, AOMC
  Clerk, Town of Kapuskasing
  Zone 8 Board Director

• 12:55pm - FOI Without Friction: Making Information Access a Positive Experience

  Freedom of information (FOI) requests aren’t just about legislation—they’re about people. When customers submit FOI requests, they expect clear communication, support, and – sometimes – a little help navigating the process. But what happens when they don’t like the answer or have questions about the answers they receive? This session explores how a customer service approach can enhance FOI request handling, improve communication, and de-escalate complex interactions. Whether you’re looking to tweak your approach or build stronger partnerships, this session will provide practical strategies for improving processes and public perception.

  Presented by:
  Jamie Boyle
  Supervisor, Customer Service Centre, Town of Newmarket

  Sarah Niezen
  Records and Projects Coordinator, Town of Newmarket

• 2:00pm - IPC Processes & Updates: Expectations and Innovations

  Join experts from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) of Ontario as they walk through the IPC’s access appeals processes. They will share valuable insights, best practices, and recent innovations across the expedited, mediation, and adjudication processes. This session will also highlight recent IPC tribunal decisions relevant to municipalities. This is your opportunity to deepen your understanding of the IPC’s access appeals processes under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).

  Presented by:

  Stephanie Haly
  Director of Adjudication, IPC

  Stephan Luciw
  Assistant Commissioner,Tribunal and Dispute Resolution, IPC

  Andrea Schwartz
  Director of Mediation, IPC

  Valerie Silva
  Manager, Expedited Appeals Team, IPC

• 2:55pm - Bridging Strategy & Execution: Your Pathway to Digital Information Management and Preparing for AI

  As municipalities prepare for the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), establishing effective information management practices is essential. This session provides a strategic roadmap to enhance data governance, security, accessibility, and compliance, explaining why these priorities matter and how they intersect with AI readiness.

  Presented by:
  Nina Carter
  President, The Information Professionals

• 3:40pm - Closing Remarks & Adjournment

  Alex Gibson
  Manager, Professional Development, AMCTO