In the country's first-ever practical test of transparency, reporters visited city halls, police forces, school boards and federal government offices across Canada to test how bureaucrats administer laws protecting the public's right to government information.

They found a confusing patchwork of policies across the country. Officials handed over records to just one in every three requesters who came in person. The rest remained locked tight in government filing cabinets as applicants were told they had to file time-consuming — and often expensive — formal requests under provincial or federal access laws.

Jutta Mason is one citizen who knows only too well the frustrating labyrinth of information laws. Concerned about the lack of maintenance at a park in her west-end Toronto neighbourhood, she and others in her community began asking for an accounting of the city's parks budget more than two years ago.

Mason wanted to know how the parks and recreation department spends money, why some playground equipment was being removed and why there never seemed to be any money to pave the pathways where baby strollers, bikes and wheelchairs get stuck in the mud.

When she and her neighbours asked city hall, they were told they would have to file a formal freedom of information request. They've filed several requests since 2003. But most of their questions remain unanswered, Mason says.

Most formal information requests — more than three-quarters — are filed by citizens and businesses, federal statistics show. Media requests account for about 10 per cent and other organizations, such as labour unions, file close to 15 per cent.

In January, the city sent Mason a price tag of $12,960 for access to records of city spending on playground repairs. Mason made a formal appeal to have the fee waived in the public interest. The city denied that appeal last month.