Access government data for your research if the research includes personal information (Form 5)
Access government data for your research if the research includes personal information held by a government department or public sector body under the Freedom of Information and Privacy of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act.
Use Form 5: Research Agreement to access personal information held by a government department or public sector body for the purposes of conducting research.
Formal agreement to conduct research
By submitting this form, you’re agreeing to enter into a formal agreement with the government department or public sector body to access personal information to conduct research.
Help with the request
Information Access and Privacy Services can answer questions about the application process, help identify what information is held by which public sector body, or let you know if you should try contacting the relevant service directly instead of submitting a formal request.
Who can use this form
Researchers need to use this form to access personal information held by a government department or public sector body for the purposes of conducting research.
What you need to do
- Contact the government department or public sector body to discuss your proposal.
- Complete the form.
- Send your completed form by mail or email. Or send it to the deputy minister of the department or public sector body.
How long it takes
It should take 1 to 2 weeks for the government department or public sector body to acknowledge your request. It can take longer if more information is needed or if your form hasn’t been filled in correctly. It can also take longer if you’re asking for a large amount of information.
Cost
There is no cost to submit the form.
Before you start
Make sure you have:
- name of government department or public sector body
- description of records you wish to access for your research
- description of research purpose
- names of people who will have access to the information for research purposes