Ombudsman raps City of Winnipeg for how it denied access to police HQ documents

The City of Winnipeg denied access to documents about the police headquarters project without actually searching through its records, a report by Manitoba's ombudsman has found.

The city had rejected an application made under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) requesting information about the project, which involves renovating the former Canada Post building on Graham Avenue.

The project is controversial, as it is at least $75 million over its original budget and is already the focus of an RCMP investigation into how contracts were awarded for the work.

The FIPPA request asked for internal and external analyses of the costs associated with renovations to the new headquarters as well as work on the existing Public Safety Building.

The report by acting ombudsman Mel Holley found that the city relied on an exception in the act that allows access to be denied if releasing the information could "reveal advice, opinions, proposals, recommendations, analyses or policy options developed by or for a public body."

But the investigation also found that the city made its decision "without conducting a search for records or reviewing records identified as responsive."

"During the course of our investigation responsive records were located and provided for our review," the report states in part.

Holley's report concluded that while the city was correct in citing the appropriate exception when rejecting the request, it "did not exercise its discretion in a reasonable fashion."

The report recommends that the city revisit its exercise of discretion in deciding whether to withhold or grant access to information.

• ON MOBILE? Read the report here