The Village of Pouce Coupe is facing questions over transparency and spending after records show more than $18,000 in legal fees tied to a Freedom of Information request.
Only partial records have been released so far, with some information withheld under solicitor-client privilege under B.C.’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The request, filed by former mayor Lorraine Michetti, seeks documents related to legal costs and a broader FOI connected to the North Wind Wellness Centre.
Documents show monthly legal charges between July 2025 and April 2026, with more than $18,000 in total spending linked to the file.
Michetti has criticized the spending, questioning why external legal counsel was used instead of processing the request internally, and whether the costs provided value for taxpayers.
“The real issue is why the Village chose to spend more than $18,000 of taxpayer money fighting a Freedom of Information request that the Privacy Commissioner ultimately ordered them to process,” she said.
Village says request unusually large and complex
In response, the Village says the request involves reviewing more than 5,000 records spanning multiple departments, including emails, text messages, and paper files dating back to 2015.
Officials say processing the records requires careful review to remove personal, confidential, and legally protected information before anything can be released.
The Village also confirmed it sought guidance from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner due to the scope of the request, but was directed to proceed through the normal FOI process.
It estimates the file will require more than 100 additional staff hours to complete.
Village officials say for a small municipality, requests of that scale can affect day-to-day operations and require outside support.
The Village says rising FOI activity has slowed operations and increased costs for taxpayers, particularly when requests involve thousands of documents and sensitive information.
Broader concerns around transparency
The dispute stems from two FOI requests submitted by Michetti in June, which sought information related to zoning, community consultation, and details about the North Wind Drug Rehab Centre project.
Michetti has argued that transparency from the Village has been lacking and has filed a complaint with the B.C. Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. (OIPC)
“The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner rejected the Village’s attempt to characterize this request as frivolous or vexatious. Residents deserve to know why thousands of public dollars were spent resisting disclosure instead of simply providing the records,” said Michetti.
The Village’s response letter confirms the Commissioner’s office can review the handling of the request, with applicants given 30 days to seek a review.
Michetti points out that the Privacy Commissioner’s order directing the Village to process the request was issued on April 27, 2026.
She says she has still have not received the requested records, and the Village is now seeking an additional fee while retaining outside assistance to process the request.
The Village responded by saying the OIPC is currently considering the applicants fee complaint.
Mayor defends process, cost pressures
Mayor Danielle Veach says the Village supports both transparency and the North Wind Wellness Centre project but adds the scope of this request has created challenges.
“Repeat FOIs are very challenging for our small municipality and difficult for our small staff… requests requiring close to 5,000 documents are a perfect example,” Veach said.
Veach says meeting legal obligations under provincial privacy laws requires detailed review and, in some cases, outside expertise.
“While FOI’s are an important tool to maintain public trust, if requests are too broad it creates challenges for those administering them,” Veach said.
Disagreement over North Winds
Veach also pushed back on criticism surrounding the North Wind project, saying the facility is expected to have a positive impact in the region.
The current Mayor said she finds it disheartening that the “not in my backyard” mentality is overshadowing the opportunity that Northwind’s represents to those who are struggling with the disease of addiction.
“The former mayor was around when the Northwind’s Wellness Centre was presented to the community in 2017. During my time as mayor, I have always support the Northwind’s project, but when it comes to the work needed to begin the build, a large majority of it was completed by the former mayor and council; unless authorizing a building permit count as doing all the work?” said Veach.
Michetti responded by saying she didn’t want the centre in the village and instead wanted it where the existing rehab centre near Farmington.
Request remains ongoing
The Village says it continues to process the records “in the most efficient way possible” while balancing transparency and privacy obligations.
Michetti says she has yet to receive all requested documents and has raised the matter with the province’s privacy commissioner.
“After spending more than $18,000 on legal fees, the Village is now asking me to pay approximately $450 to obtain the records. Taxpayers have a right to know who is providing this outside assistance, how much it will cost, and whether more public money is being spent before this request is finally completed,” said Michetti.
Village officials said, “The Village recognizes the public’s right to ask and obtain information about the Village’s activities, and that Freedom of Information requests are an important way to preserve trust.”
It remains unclear when the full set of records will be released or whether additional review will be required.