Straight Talk

Freelance journalist challenges City of Vancouver's demand for $260 plus GST for report into Value Village fire

Stanley Tromp has asked Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy to intervene on his behalf

by Charlie Smith on September 12th, 2022 at 6:02 AM
    1 of 1 2 of 1

      When a massive fire engulfed an East Vancouver Value Village store on June 29, it generated a great deal of media coverage.

      Dozens of firefighters were dispatched to put out the three-alarm blaze in the 1800 block of East Hastings Street.

      Freelance journalist Stanley Tromp was curious to learn more, so he filed a freedom-of-information request for the fire-incident report.

      Tromp was told that these reports are "issued under the authority of the Vancouver Fire By-Law on a fee for service basis".

      He could only obtain the report if he forked over $260 plus the GST.

      Tromp responded by asking the commissioner, Michael McEvoy, to advise the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services to stop charging these fees.

      "I believe this contravenes the 'duty to assist the applicant' portion of the FOIPP [Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy] Act, and just acts as a revenue generating device," Tromp wrote in his letter. "The taxpayers have already paid for the production of these records, and should not have to pay again via high fees.

      "In an age of newspaper financial collapse and bankruptcies, such $260 fees are simply unaffordable – and even more so for low income freelance journalists such as myself," he added.

       

      Comments