Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner. Guide to FOIP, Chapter 4, Exemptions from the Right of Access. Updated 24 July 2025. 259 The government institution should be able to detail what the harm is and to whom the harm threatens if the information were released. To threaten means to be likely to injure; be a source of harm or danger to.873 It means to create the possibility or risk of harm or jeopardize an individual’s safety or mental or physical well-being.874 Safety means the state of being protected from or guarded against hurt or injury; freedom from danger.875 Physical health refers to the well-being of an individual’s physical body.876 Determination of the effect of a release of information on an individual’s physical health must consider the current or normal state of health of persons who may be affected by the release of information, as well as the decline in health that is expected to occur if the information is disclosed to the applicant.877 Mental health means the condition of a person in respect of the functioning of the mind.878 It means the ability of a person’s mind to function in its normal state. Determination of the effect of a release of information on a person’s mental health must, where practicable, be based on a subjective evaluation made on a case-by-case basis.879 The exemption can apply where the nature of the applicant is the reason harm may occur. For example: 873 The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, Oxford University Press 1973, Volume 2 at p. 3248. 874 British Columbia Government Services, FOIPPA Policy Definitions at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/services-for-government/policiesprocedures/foippa-manual/policy-definitions. Accessed April 23, 2020. 875 The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, Oxford University Press 1973, Volume 2 at p. 2647. 876 Service Alberta, FOIP Guidelines and Practices: 2009 Edition, Chapter 4 at p. 137. 877 British Columbia Government Services, FOIPPA Policy Definitions at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/services-for-government/policiesprocedures/foippa-manual/policy-definitions. Accessed April 23, 2020. 878 The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, Oxford University Press 1973, Volume 1 at p. 1220. 879 British Columbia Government Services, FOIPPA Policy Definitions at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/services-for-government/policiesprocedures/foippa-manual/policy-definitions. Accessed April 23, 2020.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTgwMjYzOA==