Annual Report to Parliament on the Administration of the Access to Information Act 2019-20

Introduction

Each fiscal year, the head of every government institution prepares and submits an annual report to Parliament on the administration of the Access to Information Act.

This report is tabled in Parliament in accordance with section 94(2) of the Access to Information Act under the direction of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. The report describes how Public Safety administered and fulfilled its obligations under the Access to Information Act between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020.

The Access to Information Act

The Access to Information Act came into force on July 1, 1983 and was amended by Bill C-58 on June 21, 2019. It gives Canadian citizens and permanent residents as well as persons and corporations physically present in Canada, an enforceable right of access to records under the control of a government institution. The purpose of the Access to Information Act is to
enhance the accountability and transparency of federal institutions in order to promote an open and democratic society and to enable public debate on the conduct of those institutions.

The Access to Information Act is based on three main principles:

Individuals who are not satisfied with how an institution has processed their request under the Access to Information Act, may submit a complaint to the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada.

Overview of Public Safety Canada

Public Safety Canada was created in 2003 to ensure coordination across all federal departments and agencies responsible for national security and the safety of Canadians.

Mandate, Mission and Vision

Our mandate is to keep Canadians safe from a range of risks such as natural disasters, crime and terrorism. Our mission is to build a safe and resilient Canada. Our vision is to, through outstanding leadership, achieve a safe and secure Canada and strong and resilient communities.

Three Essential Roles of the Department

Organizational Structure

Public Safety Canada

The department is organized into five branches: Emergency Management and Programs, Community Safety and Countering Crime, Portfolio Affairs and Communications, National and Cyber Security, and Corporate Management. The department also has a Chief Audit and Evaluation Executive and is supported by the Legal Services Unit.

Five Regional Offices represent the Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies and British Columbia and the North. The regional offices are the primary point of contact for the Department at the provincial level. They deliver a coordinated federal response to emergencies; facilitate the effective delivery of emergency management, Indigenous policing and crime prevention programs; and improve partnerships with other levels of government and key regional stakeholders.

The Public Safety Portfolio: Partner Agencies and Review Bodies

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) manages the nation's borders by enforcing Canadian laws governing trade and travel, as well as international agreements and conventions. CBSA facilitates legitimate cross-border traffic and supports economic development while stopping people and goods that pose a potential threat to Canada.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) investigates and reports on activities that may pose a threat to the security of Canada. CSIS also provides security assessments, on request, to all federal departments and agencies.

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) helps protect society by encouraging offenders to become law-abiding citizens while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control. CSC is responsible for managing offenders sentenced to two years or more in federal correctional institutions and under community supervision.

The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) is an independent body that grants, denies or revokes parole for inmates in federal prisons and provincial inmates in provinces without their own parole board. The PBC helps protect society by facilitating the timely reintegration of offenders into society as law-abiding citizens.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) enforces Canadian laws, prevents crime and maintains peace, order and security.

The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (CRCC) investigates complaints from the public about the conduct of members of the RCMP in an open, independent and objective manner. The Commission also holds public hearings and conducts research and policy development to improve the public complaints process.

The Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) conducts independent, thorough and timely investigations about issues related to Correctional Service Canada. The OCI may initiate an investigation based on a complaint from (or on behalf of) an offender, as the result of a ministerial request, or on its own initiative.

The RCMP External Review Committee (ERC) is an independent agency that promotes fair and equitable labour relations within the RCMP. The Committee conducts an independent review of appeals in disciplinary, discharge and demotion matters, as well as certain kinds of grievances.

The Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Office

The ATIP Office is part of Public Safety Canada’s ATIP and Executive Services Division within the Department’s Portfolio Affairs and Communications Branch. The Director of ATIP and Executive Services, supported by one Administrative Assistant, is responsible for ATIP as well as Ministerial Correspondence and Secretariat Services. The ATIP Office consists of 13 full-time employees and consists of two streams of ATIP-related work: the ATIP Operations Unit and the Privacy Policy and Training Unit (PPTU).

The ATIP Office is responsible for the coordination and implementation of policies, guidelines and procedures to ensure departmental compliance with the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. The team is also responsible for responding to requests made under the Acts, as well as providing the following services to the Department:

Figure 1: ATIP and Executive Services Division Organization Chart

Figure 1: ATIP and Executive Services Division Organization Chart
Image Description

The figure illustrates the organizational structure of the ATIP and Executive Services Division. The Director of the ATIP and Executive Services Division is supported by one Administrative Assistant. The Director also has the Manager of ATIP Operations, the Manager of the Privacy Policy and Training Unit (PPTU) as well as the Manager of Secretariat Services and the Manager of the Ministerial Correspondence Unit as direct reports. The ATIP Office consists of 13 full-time positions including the Manager of ATIP Operations and the Manager of the PPTU. The Manager of ATIP Operations and the Manager of the PPTU manage two separate streams of the ATIP Office. These streams are:

  1. The ATIP Operations Unit which includes the Manager of ATIP Operations, two ATIP Team Leaders, five Senior ATIP Analysts, one ATIP Analyst, one Junior ATIP Analyst, and one ATIP Administrative Officer. The ATIP Team Leaders and the ATIP Administrative Officer report to the Manager. The Junior ATIP Analyst reports to the Manager for administrative tasks and to the first ATIP Team Leader for operational tasks. Two Senior ATIP Analysts and the ATIP Analyst also report to the first ATIP Team Leader. The other three Senior ATIP Analysts report to the second ATIP Team Leader.
  2. The PPTU which includes the Manager of the PPTU and one Senior Advisor who reports to the Manager of the PPTU.

Service Agreements Under Section 96 of the Access to Information Act

Public Safety was not a party to any service agreements under section 96 of the Access to Information Act during the fiscal year.

Delegation of Authority

The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness is responsible for how the department administers and complies with the Access to Information Act, the Access to Information Regulations and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat policy instruments. Section 95(1) of the Access to Information Act gives the Minister the authority to designate one or more officers or employees of Public Safety to exercise or perform all, or part, of the Minister’s powers, duties, and functions under the Act.

Public Safety’s current delegation order for the Access to Information Act was signed by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on January 8, 2016. The signed Delegation Order is attached in Annex A. This designation replaces all previous delegation orders.

The Public Safety positions that are authorized to perform the powers, duties, and functions given to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness as head of a government institution under the provisions of the Access to Information Act and its regulations are the following:

Deputy Minister

Associate Deputy Minister

Assistant Deputy Minister, Portfolio Affairs and Communications

Director General, Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs, and Executive Services

Director, ATIP and Executive Services

Manager, ATIP Operations

Team Leaders, ATIP Operations

Analysts, ATIP Operations

Highlights of the Statistical Report and Multi-Year Trends

Annex B provides a statistical report on Access to Information Act requests processed by Public Safety Canada between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020. The following explains and interprets the statistical information, and identifies multi-year trends. 

Overview of the Statistical Report

In 2019-2020, Public Safety Canada received 366 requests under the Access to Information Act, a decrease of approximately 22.6 per cent over the previous year. This year, Public Safety Canada completed 99.0 per cent of access to information (ATI) requests on time. It took the department an average of 73 days to process a request made under the Access to Information Act. For the past five consecutive years, Public Safety has completed 99.5 per cent of access to information requests on time.

ATIP Request Volume and Workload

In 2019-2020, the total number of requests received under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act decreased by 9.5 per cent and the total number of pages processed decreased by 19.9 per cent. The following table and chart demonstrate the ATIP workload over the past five years.

Table 1: ATIP Request Volume and Workload
 

2015-2016

2016-2017

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020

ATI requests received by
Public Safety Canada

346

417

421

473

366

ATI consultations received from other institutions

271

247

256

251

279

Privacy requests received by Public Safety Canada

35

67

21

62

59

Privacy consultations received from other institutions

3

4

3

1

8

Total volume (requests and consultations)

655

735

701

787

712

Total pages processed

109208

70109

85442

167184

133967

Figure 2: ATIP Request Volume

Figure 2: ATIP Request Volume
Image Description

The figure shows a line graph illustrating the data found in Table 1: ATIP Volume and Workload, regarding the volume of Access to Information (ATI) and Privacy requests and consultations received by Public Safety Canada. The graph shows four lines. The first line shows the number of ATI requests received by Public Safety Canada over the five fiscal years from 2015-2016 to 2019-2020. The second line shows the number of ATI consultations received from other institutions during the same period. The third line shows the number of Privacy requests received by Public Safety Canada during the same period. The fourth line shows the number of Privacy consultations received from other institutions during the same period.

 

Figure 3: ATIP Page Volumes

Figure 3: ATIP Page Volumes
Image Description

The figure shows a line graph illustrating the data found in Table 3: ATIP Page Volumes, regarding the volume of pages processed by Public Safety Canada. The graph shows one line. The line illustrates the volume of pages processed over the five fiscal years from 2015-2016 to 2019-2020.

Requests Received under the Access to Information Act

Public Safety Canada received 366 new Access to Information Act requests through the fiscal year, representing a decrease of approximately 22.6 per cent over the number of requests received the previous year (473). There were 105 requests carried forward from the previous fiscal year, resulting in a total of 471 requests to process. Of these requests, 404 were completed during the reporting year, while the remaining 67 requests were carried forward to the next reporting year.

Source of Requests

The media was the primary source of requests received by Public Safety Canada. Of the 366 requests received:

Extensions

Section 9 of the Access to Information Act allows institutions to extend the legal deadline for processing a request if a search for responsive records cannot be completed within 30 days of receipt of the request, or if the institution must consult with other institutions or third parties.

Public Safety Canada plays a role in coordinating activities which engage the partner agencies and review bodies within the Public Safety portfolio as well as with other federal institutions and organizations at all levels of government on matters relating to the safety of Canadians. Extensions are therefore often necessary in order to undertake the required consultations. A total of 276 extensions were taken during the fiscal year, of these:

Extensions taken because of interference with operations resulted in:

Completion Times

This fiscal year, 54 per cent of requests under the Access to Information Act were completed within 30 days, which represents a slight decrease from last fiscal year’s 56 per cent. The average number of days taken to process a request was 73 days which is the same as last fiscal year’s average of 73 days.

Disposition of Requests

Of the 404 completed requests:

In total 979 exemptions and 378 exclusions were applied under the Access to Information Act this fiscal year. The most frequently used sections are:

Figure 4: Access to Information Act sections applied for exemptions and exclusions during this fiscal year

Figure 4: Access to Information Act sections applied for exemptions and exclusions during this fiscal year
Image Description

The figure is a bar graph that illustrates the sections of the Access to Information that were most frequently applied to exempt or exclude information from requests during this fiscal year. The percentage of each section applied is as follows: section 15 was applied in 12.4 per cent of instances; section 16 was applied in 7.2 per cent of instances; section 19 was applied in 35.4 per cent of instances; section 21 was applied in 21.3 per cent of instances; section 23 was applied in 9.2 percent of instances; section 69 was applied in 16.1 percent of instances; and various other sections were applied in 7.2 percent of instances.

Consultations from other Institutions

Public Safety Canada received 256 new consultation requests under the Access to Information Act. There were six requests carried forward from the previous fiscal year, resulting in a total of 262 requests to process. Of these requests, 251 were completed during the reporting year, while the remaining 11 requests were carried forward to the next reporting year.

The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

On March 16, 2020, Public Safety Canada’s ATIP Office shifted to working remotely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Some of the challenges encountered during the period from March 16, 2020 to March 31, 2020 include:

Challenges/Complexities

Public Safety’s ATIP Office experienced several additional challenges during the fiscal year:

It is anticipated that the review of these records will remain a significant challenge to the operations of the ATIP Office, given the complexity and volume of the records.

Training and Awareness

Training

This fiscal year, the ATIP Office provided 15 training or information sessions on the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act. A variety of subject matters were presented, fromretrieving and reviewing records in response to an Access to Information (ATI) request, to proactive publication. A grand total of 397 people attended these sessions.

An additional 148 Public Safety employees completed the online course, Access to Information and Privacy Fundamentals (I015), this fiscal year. This course is offered by the Canada School of Public Service and is mandatory for all new employees joining Public Safety Canada.

Awareness

This fiscal year, the ATIP Office has also raised ATIP awareness through the department’s internal communications vehicles, publishing three articles in the department’s internal newsletter, and updating the department’s intranet site.

Policies, Guidelines or Procedures and Initiatives

Public Safety’s ATIP office developed a new Privacy Impact Assessment Guideline during this fiscal year. Public Safety’s statement of completeness form for ATIP requests was also updated.

Summary of Key Issues and Actions Taken on Complaints, Audits or Investigations

Public Safety Canada received notice of 23 new complaints to the Office of the Information Commissioner on 11 files. There were:

Of the 23 complaints received:

There have been no patterns or trends identified by Public Safety Canada as a result of complaints or investigations by the Office of the Information Commissioner.

Appeals to the Court

There was one appeal to the Federal Court that was included in the 2008-2009 Annual Report to Parliament. On April 25, 2019 the Federal Court of Appeal rendered its decision, dismissing the appeal.

No new appeals were received during the fiscal year.

Monitoring Compliance

Five recurring reports were prepared for the information of Senior Management during the fiscal year: the Weekly ATIP Report; the Quarterly Branch Performance Report; the Completed Request Report; the Upcoming Access to Information (ATI) Release Report; and the New Request Report. Together, these reports track a range of information including the list of new formal ATI requests received by the department each week, deadlines assigned for retrieval, and receipt and resolution of complaints. Reports were shared regularly with senior management and presented at senior management meetings within the department.

In its commitment to transparency and accountability, Public Safety Canada posts summaries of completed ATI requests on the Open Government website. In addition, ATIP performance is monitored at the ADM level through their Performance Management Agreements to ensure ATIP is a priority within the department.

Annex A: Delegation Orders

Delegation Order - Access to Information Act and Access to Information Regulations
(signed July 15, 2014)
Section Action Deputy Minister; Associate Deputy Minister Senior Assistant Deputy Minister; Assistant Deputy Ministers: National and Cyber Security, and Strategic Policy; Director General, Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs and Executive Services ATIP Manager; Director, Executive Services Senior ATIP Advisors and ATIP Analysts
4(2.1) Responsibility of head of institution Yes Yes Yes Yes
7(a) Notice where access requested Yes   Yes  
7(b) Giving access to record Yes   Yes  
8(1) Transfer of request Yes   Yes  
9 Extension of time limits Yes   Yes Yes
11(2)(3) (4)(5)(6) Additional Fees Yes   Yes Yes
12(2)(b) Language of access Yes   Yes  
12(3)(b) Access in an alternative format Yes   Yes  
13 Exemption - Information obtained in confidence Yes Yes Yes  
14 Exemption - Federal-provincial affairs Yes Yes Yes  
15 Exemption - International affairs and defence Yes Yes Yes  
16 Exemption - Law enforcement and investigations Yes Yes Yes  
16.5 Exemption - Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act Yes Yes Yes  
17 Exemption - Safety of individuals Yes Yes Yes  
18 Exemption - Economic interests of Canada Yes Yes Yes  
18.1 Exemption - Economic interest of certain government institutions Yes Yes Yes  
19 Exemption - Personal information Yes Yes Yes  
20 Exemption - Third-party information Yes Yes Yes  
21 Exemption - Operations of Government Yes Yes Yes  
22 Exemption - Testing procedures, tests and audits Yes Yes Yes  
22.1 Exemption - Internal Audits Yes Yes Yes  
23 Exemption -Solicitor-client privilege Yes Yes Yes  
24 Exemption - Statutory prohibitions Yes Yes Yes  
25 Severability Yes Yes Yes  
26 Refusal of access where information is to be published Yes Yes Yes  
27(1), (4) Third-party notification Yes   Yes  
28(1)(b), (2), (4) Third-party notification Yes   Yes  
29(1) Notice of decision to disclose Yes   Yes  
33 Notice to Information Commissioner of notices to third parties Yes   Yes  
35(2)(b) Right to make representations Yes Yes Yes  
37(4) Access to be given to complainant Yes   Yes  
43(1) Notice to third party of application to Federal Court for review Yes   Yes  
44(2) Notice to requester of application for review by third party Yes   Yes  
52(2)(b), 52(3) Special rules for hearings Yes   Yes  
69 Confidences of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada Yes Yes Yes  
71(1) Facilities for inspection of manuals Yes   Yes  
72 Annual report to Parliament Yes   Yes  
Regulation
6(1) Transfer of request Yes   Yes  
7(2) Search and preparation fees Yes   Yes Yes
7(3) Production and programming fees Yes   Yes Yes
8 Method of access Yes   Yes  
8.1 Limitations in respect of format Yes   Yes  

Delegation Order - Access to Information Act and Access to Information Regulations
(signed January 8, 2016)
Section Action Deputy Minister; Associate Deputy Minister Assistant Deputy Minister, Portfolio Affairs and Communications; Director General, Cabinet, Parliamentary and Executive Services ATIP Manager; Director, Executive Services Senior ATIP Advisors and ATIP Analysts
4(2.1) Responsibility of head of institution Yes Yes Yes Yes
7(a) Notice where access requested Yes   Yes  
7(b) Giving access to record Yes   Yes  
8(1) Transfer of request Yes   Yes  
9 Extension of time limits Yes   Yes Yes
11(2)(3) (4)(5)(6) Additional Fees Yes   Yes Yes
12(2)(b) Language of access Yes   Yes  
12(3)(b) Access in an alternative format Yes   Yes  
13 Exemption - Information obtained in confidence Yes Yes Yes  
14 Exemption - Federal-provincial affairs Yes Yes Yes  
15 Exemption - International affairs and defence Yes Yes Yes  
16 Exemption - Law enforcement and investigations Yes Yes Yes  
16.5 Exemption - Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act Yes Yes Yes  
17 Exemption - Safety of individuals Yes Yes Yes  
18 Exemption - Economic interests of Canada Yes Yes Yes  
18.1 Exemption - Economic interest of certain government institutions Yes Yes Yes  
19 Exemption - Personal information Yes Yes Yes  
20 Exemption - Third-party information Yes Yes Yes  
21 Exemption - Operations of Government Yes Yes Yes  
22 Exemption - Testing procedures, tests and audits Yes Yes Yes  
22.1 Exemption - Internal Audits Yes Yes Yes  
23 Exemption -Solicitor-client privilege Yes Yes Yes  
24 Exemption - Statutory prohibitions Yes Yes Yes  
25 Severability Yes Yes Yes  
26 Refusal of access where information is to be published Yes Yes Yes  
27(1), (4) Third-party notification Yes   Yes  
28(1)(b), (2), (4) Third-party notification Yes   Yes  
29(1) Notice of decision to disclose Yes   Yes  
33 Notice to Information Commissioner of notices to third parties Yes   Yes  
35(2)(b) Right to make representations Yes Yes Yes  
37(4) Access to be given to complainant Yes   Yes  
43(1) Notice to third party of application to Federal Court for review Yes   Yes  
44(2) Notice to requester of application for review by third party Yes   Yes  
52(2)(b), 52(3) Special rules for hearings Yes   Yes  
69 Confidences of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada Yes Yes Yes  
71(1) Facilities for inspection of manuals Yes   Yes  
72 Annual report to Parliament Yes   Yes  
Regulation
6(1) Transfer of request Yes   Yes  
7(2) Search and preparation fees Yes   Yes Yes
7(3) Production and programming fees Yes   Yes Yes
8 Method of access Yes   Yes  
8.1 Limitations in respect of format Yes   Yes  

Annex B: Statistical Report

Section 1: Requests Under the Access to Information Act

1.1 Number of requests
Number of Requests
Received during reporting period 366
Outstanding from previous reporting period 105
Total 471
Closed during reporting period 404
Carried over to next reporting period 67

 

1.2 Sources of requests
  Number of Requests
Media 118
Academia 23
Business (private sector) 7
Organization 18
Public 54
Decline to Identify 146
Total 366

 

1.3 Informal requests
Completion Time
1 to 15 Days 16 to 30 Days 31 to 60 Days 61 to 120 Days 121 to 180 Days 181 to 365 Days More Than 365 Days Total
370 139 22 2 0 1 0 534

Note: All requests previously recorded as “treated informally” will now be accounted for in this section only.

Section 2: Decline to act - vexatious, made in bad faith, abuse of right

Decline to act - vexatious, made in bad faith, abuse of right
  Number of Requests
Outstanding from previous reporting period 0
Sent during reporting period 1
Total 1
Approved by the Information Commissioner during reporting period  0
Declined by the Information Commissioner during  reporting period  0
Carried over to next reporting period 1

Section 3: Requests Closed During the Reporting Period

3.1 Disposition and completion time
Disposition of Requests Completion Time
1 to 15 Days 16 to 30 Days 31 to 60 Days 61 to 120 Days 121 to 180 Days 181 to 365 Days More Than 365 Days Total
All disclosed 6 24 7 8 0 0 0 45
Disclosed in part 21 56 34 66 34 22 10 243
All exempted 6 4 3 1 0 0 0 14
All excluded 7 9 1 0 0 0 0 17
No records exist 31 24 0 0 0 0 0 55
Request transferred 10 5 0 0 0 0 0 15
Request abandoned 13 1 0 0 0 0 1 15
Neither confirmed nor denied 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Decline to act with the approval of the Information Commisioner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 94 123 45 75 34 22 11 404

 

3.2 Exemptions
Section Number of Requests Section Number of Requests Section Number of Requests Section Number of Requests
13(1)(a) 22 16(2) 45 18(a) 1 20.1 0
13(1)(b) 3 16(2)(a) 1 18(b) 8 20.2 0
13(1)(c) 12 16(2)(b) 0 18(c) 0 20.4 0
13(1)(d) 5 16(2)(c) 32 18(d) 0 21(1)(a) 108
13(1)(e) 1 16(3) 0 18.1(1)(a) 0 21(1)(b) 82
14 11 16.1(1)(a) 0 18.1(1)(b) 0 21(1)c) 33
14(a) 19 16.1(1)(b) 0 18.1(1)(c) 0 21(1)(d) 5
14(b) 9 16.1(1)(c) 0 18.1(1)(d) 0 22 0
15(1) 10 16.1(1)(d) 0 19(1) 143 22.1(1) 0
15(1) - I.A.* 64 16.2(1) 0 20(1)(a) 0 23 52
15(1) - Def.* 25 16.3 0 20(1)(b) 27 23.1 0
15(1) - S.A.* 83 16.3(1) 0 20(1)(b.1) 1 24(1) 40
16(1)(a)(i) 11 16.4(1)(a) 0 20(1)(c) 18 26 2
16(1)(a)(ii) 3 16.4(1)(b)   0 20(1)(d) 1    
16(1)(a)(iii) 22 16.5   1        
16(1)(b) 32 16.6   1        
16(1)(c) 40 17   6        
16(1)(d) 0              

 

3.3 Exclusions
Section Number of Requests Section Number of Requests Section Number of Requests
68(a) 3 69(1) 0 69(1)(g) re (a) 85
68(b) 0 69(1)(a) 38 69(1)(g) re (b) 0
68(c) 0 69(1)(b) 0 69(1)(g) re (c) 31
68.1 0 69(1)(c) 11 69(1)(g) re (d) 40
68.2(a) 0 69(1)(d) 30 69(1)(g) re (e) 46
68.2(b) 0 69(1)(e) 46 69(1)(g) re (f) 38
69(1)(f) 10 69.1(1) 0

 

3.4 Format of information released
Paper Electronic Other
18 270 0

 

3.5 Complexity

3.5.1 Relevant pages processed and disclosed
Number of Pages Processed Number of Pages
Disclosed
Number of Requests
118,618 46,514 334

 

3.5.2 Relevant pages processed and disclosed by size of requests
Disposition Less Than 100
Pages Processed
101-500
Pages Processed
501-1000
Pages Processed
1001-5000
Pages Processed
More Than 5000
Pages Processed
Number of Requests Pages Disclosed Number of Requests Pages Disclosed Number of Requests Pages Disclosed Number of Requests Pages Disclosed Number of Requests Pages Disclosed
All disclosed 40 814 3 741 1 603 1 1,342 0 0
Disclosed in part 145 2,883 59 8,682 24 9,272 13 14,415 2 4,043
All exempted 12 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
All excluded 15 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Request abandoned  14 0 0 0 0 0 1 3,719 0 0
Neither confirmed nor denied 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 226 3,697 66 9,423 25 9,875 15 19,476 2 4,043

 

3.5.3 Other complexities
Disposition Consultation Required Assessment of Fees Legal Advice Sought Other Total
All disclosed 17 0 0 0 17
Disclosed in part 181 0 1 0 182
All exempted 5 0 0 0 5
All excluded 17 0 0 0 17
Request abandoned 1 0 0 0 1
Neither confirmed nor denied 0 0 0 0 0
Total 221 0 1 0 222

3.6 Closed requests

3.6.1 Number of requests closed within legislated timelines
  Requests closed within legislated timelines
Number of requests closed within legislated timelines 400
Percentage of requests closed within legislated timelines (%) 99

3.7 Deemed refusals

3.7.1 Reasons for not meeting legislated timelines
Number of Requests Closed Past the Legislated Timelines Principal Reason
Interference with Operations / Workload External Consultation Internal Consultation Other
4 3 1 0 0

 

3.7.2 Requests closed beyond legislated timelines (including any extension taken)
Number of Days Past Legislated Timelines Number of Requests Past Legislated Timeline Where No Extension Was Taken Number of Requests Past  Legislated Timeline Where an Extension Was Taken Total
1 to 15 days 0 1 1
16 to 30 days 0 0 0
31 to 60 days 1 0 1
61 to 120 days 0 0 0
121  to 180 days 1 0 1
181 to 365 days 0 0 0
More than 365 days 0 1 1
Total 2 2 4

 

3.8 Requests for translation
Translation Requests Accepted Refused Total
English to French  0 0 0
French to English  0 0 0
Total 0 0 0

Section 4: Extensions

4.1  Reasons for extensions and disposition of requests
Disposition of Requests Where an Extension Was Taken 9(1)(a)
Interference With Operations
9(1)(b)
Consultation
9(1)(c)
Third-Party Notice
Section 69 Other
All disclosed 0 0 7 3
Disclosed in part 26 65 118 7
All exempted 0 3 1 0
All excluded 0 1 0 0
No records exist 0 0 0 0
Request abandoned 1 0 1 1
Total 27 69 127 11

 

4.2 Length of extensions
Length of Extensions 9(1)(a)
Interference With Operations
9(1)(b)
Consultation
9(1)(c)
Third-Party Notice
Section 69 Other
30 days or less 8 8 2 0
31 to 60 days 9 7 16 10
61 to 120 days 5 33 70 1
121 to 180 days 2 10 16 0
181 to 365 days 1 8 17 0
365 days or more 2 3 6 0
Total 27 69 127 11

Section 5: Fees

Fees
Fee Type Fee Collected Fee Waived or Refunded
Number of
Requests
Amount Number of
Requests
Amount
Application 400 $2,000 2 $10
Other fees 0 $0 0 $0
Total 400 $2,000 2 $10

Section 6: Consultations Received From Other Institutions and Organizations

6.1  Consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions and organizations
Consultations Other Government of Canada Institutions Number of Pages to Review Other Organizations Number of Pages to Review
Received during reporting period 256 8,166 15 383
Outstanding from the previous reporting period 6 371 2 132
Total 262 8,537 17 515
Closed during the reporting period 251 7,796 17 515
Carried over to next reporting period 11 741 0 0

 

6.2 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions
Recommendation Number of Days Required to Complete Consultation Requests
1 to 15 Days 16 to 30 Days 31 to 60 Days 61 to 120 Days 121  to 180 Days 181 to 365 Days More Than 365 Days Total
Disclose entirely 114 40 0 0 0 0 0 154
Disclose in part 27 39 16 6 1 0 0 89
Exempt entirely 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 3
Exclude entirely 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Consult other institution 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
Total 147 79 18 6 1 0 0 251

 

6.3 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other organizations
Recommendation Number of Days Required to Complete Consultation Requests
1 to 15 Days 16 to 30 Days 31 to 60 Days 61 to 120 Days 121  to 180 Days 181 to 365 Days More Than 365 Days Total
Disclose entirely 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 14
Disclose in part 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3
Exempt entirely 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Exclude entirely 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Consult other institution 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 17

Section 7: Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences

7.1 Requests with Legal Services
Number of Days Fewer Than 100 Pages Processed 101-500 Pages Processed 501-1000
Pages Processed
1001-5000
Pages Processed
More Than 5000
Pages Processed
Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed
1 to 15 75 579 9 233 2 18 0 0 0 0
16 to 30 4 107 3 37 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 to 60 1 34 2 193 0 0 0 0 0 0
61 to 120 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
121 to 180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
181 to 365 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More than 365 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 80 720 14 463 2 18 0 0 0 0

 

7.2 Requests with Privy Council Office
Number of Days Fewer Than 100 Pages Processed 101‒500 Pages Processed 501-1000
Pages Processed
1001-5000
Pages Processed
More Than 5000
Pages Processed
Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed Number of
Requests
Pages Disclosed
1 to 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 to 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 to 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
61 to 120 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
121 to 180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
181 to 365 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More than 365 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Section 8: Complaints and investigations

Complaints and investigations
Section 32 Notice of intention to investigate Subsection 30(5) Ceased to  investigate
Section 35 Formal representations Section 37 Reports of finding received Section 37 Reports of finding containing recommendations issued by the Information Commissioner Section 37 Reports of finding containing orders issued by the Information Commissioner
23 0 2 3 0 0

Section 9: Court actions on complaints received before June 21, 2019 and on-going

9.1 Court actions on complaints received before June 21, 2019 and on-going
Section 41 (before June 21, 2019) Section 42 Section 44
0 0 0

 

9.2 Court actions on complaints received after June 21, 2019
Section 41 (after June 21, 2019) 
Complainant (1) Institution (2) Third Party (3) Privacy Commissioner (4) Total
0 0 0 0 0

Section 10: Resources Related to the Access to Information Act

10.1  Costs
Expenditures Amount
Salaries  $747,878.00
Overtime $0.00
Goods and Services $342,863.00
• Professional services contracts $311,319.00  
• Other $31,544.00
Total $1,090,741.00

 

10.2  Human Resources
Resources Person Years Dedicated to Access to Information Activities 
Full-time employees 9.87
Part-time and casual employees 0.01
Regional staff 0.00
Consultants and agency personnel 1.47
Students 0.00
Total 11.35

Annex C: Supplemental Statistical Report – Requests affected by COVID-19 measures

The following table reports the total number of formal requests received during two periods; 2019-04-01 to 2020-03-13 and 2020-03-14 to 2020-03-31.

Table 1 – Requests Received
 

Number of requests

Received from 2019-04-01 to 2020-03-13

364

Received from 2020-03-14 to 2020-03-31

2

Total

366

The following table reports the total number of requests closed within the legislated timelines and the number of closed requests that were deemed refusals during two periods 2019-04-01 to 2020-03-13 and 2020-03-14 to 2020-03-31.

Table 2 – Requests Closed
 

Number of requests closed within the legislated timelines

Number of requests closed past the legislated timelines

Received from 2019-04-01 to 2020-03-13 and outstanding from previous reporting periods

388

4

Received from 2020-03-14 to 2020-03-31

12

0

Total

400

4

The following table reports the total number of requests carried over during two periods; 2019-04-01 to 2020-03-13 and 2020-03-14 to 2020-03-31.

Table 3 – Requests Carried Over
 

Number of requests

Requests received from 2019-04-01 to 2020-03-13 and outstanding from previous reporting period that were carried over to the 2020-2021 reporting period

65

Requests received from 2020-03-14 to 2020-03-31 that were carried over to the 2020-2021 reporting period

2

Total

67

Date modified: