Video Surveillance

The City of Welland recognizes the need to balance an individual’s right to privacy and the need to ensure the safety and security of the public, employees, and municipal property.

Video surveillance is one of several tools we use to deter vandalism, theft, and other illegal activities, support law enforcement when needed, and assist with investigations.

We recognize the importance of balancing safety with the right to personal privacy. Our approach follows best practices, uses technology responsibly, and limits privacy intrusion to what is necessary to meet safety and security objectives. The level of intrusion is always proportional to the benefits it provides.

The City’s use of video surveillance is guided by our Video Surveillance Policy, developed in accordance with the Municipal Act, the privacy provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), and the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario’s Guidelines for the Use of Video Surveillance (2015).

All video surveillance systems operate without audio recording, unless specifically required for a law enforcement purpose.

To protect privacy, the City follows the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s guidelines to ensure that surveillance activities:

are justified and minimally intrusive
include clear accountability and access controls

For questions about the Video Surveillance Policy or the collection of personal information, please contact Clerk's office.

Camera locations and access to records

The City maintains an up-to-date inventory of all video surveillance camera locations.

If you would like access to video surveillance footage:

Public: Complete a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request form
Police: Complete a Law Enforcement Officer Access Request form

Submit completed forms to foi@welland.ca.

Collection of personal information

Video surveillance systems may capture identifiable images of individuals. This is considered the collection of personal information under MFIPPA.

Collection is permitted under section 28(2) of MFIPPA if at least one of the following applies:

The collection is expressly authorized by statute.
It is used for law enforcement purposes.
It is necessary for the proper administration of a lawfully authorized activity to ensure safety and security of municipal property and individuals.

Signage is posted in all areas where video surveillance cameras are in use, notifying individuals of the collection in accordance with MFIPPA and privacy best practices.

Use and disclosure of video footage

Access to video footage is limited to authorized City employees or contracted security providers for legitimate purposes, including:

investigating incidents
responding to law enforcement requests
ensuring facility safety

Disclosure to third parties is only permitted when allowed by law and as set out in the City’s Video Surveillance Policy.

Retention and disposal

Video recordings are kept only for a limited time, as outlined in the City’s Records Retention By-law.

Unless required for an active investigation or legal matter, footage is typically deleted within 30 days.

Forms

Contact

Office of the City Clerk
Civic Square
60 East St., Welland, ON L3B 4C5

Phone: 905-735-1700
Email: info@welland.ca

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