The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) may release from its archives, in accordance with the in TSSA’s Access and Privacy Code: Mandated Activity (pdf) and Access and Privacy Code: Commercial Activity (pdf), public information in response to the following request types:
Confirmations.
Individual records.
Multiple records.
Bulk database product.
Definitions
A “bulk database” product is aggregate or summary public information.
A confirmation is a verbal or informal response to select status inquiries. An individual record is public information relating to one municipal address.
A multiple record is public information relating to multiple municipal addresses. A single property may have multiple addresses and is treated as a multiple record request.
A municipal address is the civic number and street name assigned to a structure or parcel of land by a municipality and may include a letter or number used to identify an apartment, unit, or suite.
A property is a lot, plot, tract or parcel of land that may have one or more structures and/or municipal addresses.
Confirmations
The following individual records may be confirmed (verbally via telephone or informally via email) at no charge:
Status of a facility.
Type of storage tank.
Status of a storage tank.
Type of facility.
Confirm number of elevating devices at a location and their number.
Confirm presence/absence of boilers or pressure vessels.
Confirm existence of tanks.
Status of a license; and
Status of a certificate.
To place a confirmation request, please email publicinformationservices@tssa.org.
To help customers submit the appropriate prepayment (for document searches,) the following requests will also be confirmed at no charge:
Number of elevating devices at a specific location; and
Presence/Absence of boilers at a specific location.
Individual Records
To obtain a copy of an individual record of public information, requestors must submit a completed Application for Release of Public Information form via the TSSA Client Portal along with the non-refundable search fee.
Information you must provide on your application
For documents to be located, you must provide the following information, depending on your request:
Boilers and Pressure Vessels (BPV): Include the municipal address or CRN associated with the request.
For copies of:
BPV CRN Design Submissions - provide CRN number and Consent to Release Records form from the Design Owner;
BPV Piping/Fitting Registration Documents - provide CRN number and Consent to Release Records form from the Building Owner;
Manufacturers Data Report/U-1A Form -
Vessels built/registered prior to 2002: provide Ontario Identification Number (OIN) and CRN number
Vessels built/registered after 2002: CRN or, Serial # or, Manufacturer Name, and the year built/registered
Elevating Devices (ED)/Amusement Devices (AD)/Ski: Include the municipal address and elevating device number in the request.
For ED/AD/Ski Design Submission/Technical Dossier - provide address, device number and Consent to Release Records form from the building owner
Fuels: Include the municipal address or both a lot and concession number associated with the request.
Incident Information Request (ALL PROGRAMS) - provide address, incident rate, victim name (if applicable) and date range for retrieval of documents.
Multiple Records
To obtain copies of public information documents for multiple addresses, requestors must submit a completed Application for Release of Public Information form with a Schedule A of the list of addresses along with a non-refundable review fee of $126 plus HST.
When the Public Information department receives a multiple record request, TSSA must first determine the preliminary cost which includes a search fee per address, per program area. Before access is granted to the record, you will be provided, in writing, the number of hours that were incurred and the corresponding total fee that will be invoiced . You must provide written confirmation of your agreement to pay this fee before TSSA releases the record. Note that searches for multiple records are invoiced at an hourly rate of $126 plus HST.
Please see “Multiple Records Fees,” below, for more information.
Bulk Data Information
To obtain bulk, aggregate or summary data, the requestor must complete and submit the Application for a Bulk Database Product form (pdf), along with the required, non-refundable processing fee of $126.
Completed bulk database product applications are sent to the appropriate Statutory Director for approval.
If the request is approved, you will be quoted the applicable fee to extract the requested public information from our database. You must agree to pay the amount quoted for your request to be processed.
When we receive your agreement to pay the anticipated fees, you will be sent an Agreement for Release of Information. This is a legal contract that must be signed by you and TSSA’s Statutory Director before the information may be released. This contract will identify any terms or conditions placed on the information release and will identify your responsibilities upon receipt of the information.
Once the TSSA’s Public Information Department has received your payment and the agreement executed by you and the Statutory Director, the information will be released to the you.
If the request for a bulk data information release is denied, you will be notified of the reason for the denial. You will also be advised of the right to appeal the decision of the Statutory Director.
Appeal Process
Please see section 12 of the Technical Standards and Safety Act (Ontario.ca), as amended, which provides that any person who deems himself or herself aggrieved by a decision of the Statutory Director may apply to the Divisional Court within 10 days after the decision comes to the person’s attention.
Fees
TSSA’s fees are based on a cost-recovery approach and have been approved by our Board of Directors and reviewed by the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery.
The fee schedule applies to individual, multiple and bulk data requests for documents. There is no charge for confirmation requests.
All fees must be prepaid in advance.
In the event TSSA’s search does not locate any documents, a letter is issued evidencing our search. Stated fees still apply.
How fees are charged
Boilers and Pressure Vessels
Fees for records relating to boilers and pressure vessels are charged per device. For example, a request for the most recent inspection reports on two boilers located at 345 Carlingview Drive, Toronto, is $52.50 X 2 boilers, or $105 plus HST. Public information requests relating to Canadian Registration Numbers (CRNs) are charged for each CRN.
Elevating and Amusement Devices
Fee for records relating to elevating and amusement devices or ski lifts are charged per device. For example, a request for the most recent inspection reports on two elevators located at 345 Carlingview Drive, Toronto, is $42 X 2 elevators, or $84 plus HST.
Fuels
Fees for fuels-related records (e.g. tanks, gas stations) are charged per municipal address. For example, a request for the most recent inspection reports on all fuel-burning devices located at 345 Carlingview Drive, Toronto, is $52.50 X 1 municipal address, or $50.50 plus HST.
Multiple Records
Fees for multiple records requests are partially determined by an hourly rate, and therefore may change depending on the time required to search TSSA’s archives. In addition, you must pay the $126 review fee (as described above,) as well as the cost of retrieving and preparing the package of documents.
For example, a multiple record request search for fuels-related documents pertaining to three addresses in Toronto could take one hour to complete. The associated fees would be:
$126+HST pre-paid fee for review of the request, paid up front:
A fee of $52.50+HST for the documents for each address ($52.50 x 3 for a total of $157.50); and
The fee of $126 for a one-hour search.
Therefore, the total fee for this multiple record request would be $409.
Certificates/Licenses
The fee to obtain a copy of a certificate or license is $52.50 plus HST per certificate/license.