Annual Report to Parliament on the Administration of the Access to Information Act 2022-23
Table of contents
- Introduction
- Organizational Structure
- Delegation Order
- Performance 2022-2023
- Training and Awareness
- Policies, Guidelines and Procedures
- Proactive Publication under Part 2 of the ATIA
- Initiatives and Projects to Improve Access to Information
- Summary of Key Issues and Actions Taken on Complaints
- Reporting on Access to Information Fees for the Purposes of the Service Fees Act
- Monitoring Compliance
- Annex A: Delegation Order
- Annex B: Statistical Report
- Annex C: Supplemental Statistical Report
Introduction
This report is tabled in Parliament in accordance with section 94(2) of the Access to Information Act and Section 20 of the Service Fees Act under the direction of the Minister of Public Safety. The report describes how Public Safety Canada (Public Safety) administered and fulfilled its obligations under the Access to Information Act between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.
Purpose of 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 provides 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. Individuals who are not satisfied with an institution’s handling of any matter related to a formal request made under the Access to Information Act are entitled to complain to the Information Commissioner of Canada.
Mandate of Public Safety
Public Safety was created in 2003 to ensure coordination across all federal departments and agencies responsible for national security and the safety of Canadians. 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.
Legislation governing the Department sets out three essential roles:
- Support the Minister’s responsibility for all matters related to public safety and emergency management not assigned to another federal organization;
- Exercise leadership at the national level for national security and emergency preparedness; and
- Support the Minister’s responsibility for the coordination of entities within the Public Safety Portfolio.
Organizational Structure
Public Safety
During the 2022-23 fiscal year, the department was organized into seven branches: Emergency Management and Programs, Crime Prevention, Portfolio Affairs and Communications, National and Cyber Security, Corporate Management, Firearms Compensation Program, and the Indigenous Affairs Secretariat . 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 and Nunavut, Ontario, Prairies and Northwest Territories, and British Columbia and Yukon. These offices are the primary point of contact for the department at the regional 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) is Canada’s national police service and is the police of jurisdiction for all provinces and territories except Ontario and Quebec. The RCMP works at the community, provincial, territorial and federal levels to prevent crime; enforce the law; investigate offences; keep Canadians, and their interests, safe and secure; and assist Canadians in emergency situations/incidents. The RCMP also offers expertise at the international level by
providing specialized training for police officers; conducting international policing activities, including peacekeeping; and sharing intelligence with trusted partners to support investigations, as well as disrupt and dismantle criminal operations.
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 regarding issues related to the Correctional Service of 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 department’s Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Office is responsible for the coordination and implementation of policies, guidelines, and procedures to ensure departmental compliance with the Access to Information Act as well as the Privacy Act. The ATIP Office is also responsible for responding to requests made under the Acts. In keeping with the department’s role to support the Minister in the coordination of entities within the Public Safety Portfolio, it also plays a leadership role with respect to ensuring alignment of approach with the ATIP Offices of other Public Safety Portfolio organizations.
The ATIP Office is housed within the department’s Portfolio Affairs and Communications Branch, and is headed by the Director of ATIP and Executive Services, who is also responsible for Ministerial Correspondence and Secretariat Services. It is divided into two teams, the ATIP Operations Unit and the Privacy Policy and Governance Unit (PPGU), each of which is headed by a Manager who reports to the Director of ATIP and Executive Services. In 2022-23, the ATIP Office consisted of 17 full-time employees.
Public Safety was not a party to any service agreements to provide services to other organizations under section 96 of the Access to Information Act during the fiscal year.
The ATIP Office has overall responsibility for the department’s proactive publication obligations under Part 2 of the Access to Information Act. The ATIP Office is directly responsible for proactive publication of the following information:
- Packages of briefing materials prepared for a new or incoming minister or deputy head;
- Titles and reference numbers of memoranda prepared for a minister or deputy head;
- Packages of question period notes prepared for a minister and in use on the last sitting day of the House of Commons in June and December;
- Packages of briefing materials prepared for a minister or deputy head for appearance before a committee.
Proactive publication of financial and human resources information under Part 2 of the Access to Information Act is handled by the department’s Corporate Management Branch, including:
- Travel and hospitality expenses;
- Contracts over $10,000;
- Grants and Contributions over $25,000;
- Publications and reports, and
- Reclassification of positions.
Additional information on the department’s proactive publication activities can be found in the section on Proactive Publication below.
Delegation Order
Public Safety’s current delegation order for the Access to Information Act and related regulations was signed by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on July 21, 2020. As of October 26, 2021, the responsibilities of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness were divided between two Ministers: the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Emergency Preparedness. Despite this change, the current Delegation Order remained valid for all exercise of delegated authorities by employees of the department under the Access to Information Act and can be found in Annex A.
The following authorities are granted under this delegation order:
- Full authority is granted to the Deputy Minister of Public Safety, the Associate Deputy Minister, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Portfolio Affairs and Communication Branch, the Director General of Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs and Executive Services, the Director of ATIP and Executive Services, as well as the Manager of ATIP Operations.
- ATIP Operations Team Leaders and ATIP Analysts possess authority for Sections 4(2.1), 9 and 11(2) of the Access to Information Act and 7(2) and 7(3) of the Access to Information Regulations.
Performance 2022-2023
The following sections provide an overview of key data on Public Safety’s processing of Access to Information Act requests between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. The full statistical report can be found in Annex B, and the Supplemental Statistical Report found in Annex C.
During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Public Safety saw a significant increase in overall ATIP volumes compared to the previous year:
- Formal requests: 483 new formal requests were received by the ATIP Office (an increase of 11% compared with the previous year), and 463 completed (an increase of 40%);
- Consultations: 242 new consultations were received (an increase of 28% over the previous year), and 252 completed (an increase of 44%); and
- Informal requests: 481 new informal requests were received (an increase of 124% over the previous year), and 528 completed (an increase of 197%).
Response within Legislated Timelines
Of the 463 new formal requests completed, 73% were completed on time, a slight increase compared with the previous year (72%). As with the previous year, the department’s on-time completion rate continued to be impacted by the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, the ATIP Office was temporarily unable to process files containing classified or physical records, in cases where these could not be retrieved by employees working remotely. In 2021-22, the department restored full capacity to process requests, and the ATIP team has since turned its attention to addressing the backlog of files. As files are completed, they will continue to have the temporary effect of lowering Public Safety’s overall on-time completion rate, a situation which will continue until all of the backlog files are dealt with. That being said, when considering only files received during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the department’s on-time completion rate was 93%.
Completion Times
A total of 463 formal requests were completed during the fiscal year. Due to the focus on completing backlog files delayed by the pandemic, there has been an increase in files with longer completion times (greater than 180 days), similar to last year.
Completion Time | Number of Files |
---|---|
1 to 15 days | 74 |
16 to 30 days | 94 |
31 to 60 days | 77 |
61 to 120 days | 81 |
121 to 180 days | 27 |
181 to 365 days | 46 |
More than 365 days | 64 |
Active Requests Outstanding from Previous Reporting Periods
At the end of the fiscal year, Public Safety had a total of 422 active requests that were carried over to the next reporting period. Of these, 115 were within the legislated timeline, while 307 were beyond the legislated timeline. Of the 307 requests, 265 (86%) were delayed due to the pandemic. Public Safety also has a small number of complex files (2018 and earlier) where multi-year extensions were taken due to the large volume of records that must be processed.
Fiscal Year Received | Number of Files |
---|---|
2022-23 | 147 |
2021-22 | 120 |
2020-21 | 123 |
2019-20 | 24 |
2018-19 | 2 |
2017-18 | 2 |
2016-17 | 0 |
2015-16 | 4 |
Active Complaints Outstanding from Previous Reporting Periods
At the end of the fiscal year, Public Safety had a total of 21 active complaints that were carried over to the next reporting period. The ATIP Office worked closely with the Office of the Information Commissioner throughout the year to ensure complaints were addressed, and no significant issues were flagged.
Fiscal Year Received | Number of Files |
---|---|
2022-23 | 14 |
2021-22 | 4 |
2020-21 | 0 |
2019-20 | 3 |
Reasons for Extensions
A total of 132 extensions were taken during the fiscal year. The distribution of extensions was consistent with previous fiscal years.
Reason for Extension (With corresponding section of the Act) | Number of Files |
---|---|
Interference with Operations – s. 9(1)(a) | 90 |
Consultations – s. 9(1)(b) | 176 |
Notice to Third Parties – s. 9(1)(c) | 21 |
Consultations from Other Institutions
Public Safety completed 252 consultations for other institutions. The distribution of completion timelines was consistent with previous fiscal years.
Completion Time | Number of Files |
---|---|
1 to 15 days | 78 |
16 to 30 days | 93 |
31 to 60 days | 49 |
61 to 120 days | 14 |
121 to 180 days | 7 |
181 to 365 days | 5 |
More than 365 days | 6 |
Disposition of Requests
Of the 463 completed requests, 12% had records that were entirely disclosed, and 58% had records that were disclosed in part. The remaining requests were either exempted or excluded in their entirety; transferred; abandoned; or no records existed corresponding to the request.
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic
A primary focus for the ATIP Office in 2022-23 was implementing plans to tackle the backlog of files delayed during the pandemic. Key measures taken during the year included:
- Securing approval to hire additional resources to focus on the backlog effort;
- Conducting a systematic review of all 375 backlog files, and developing a plan to task files to program areas on a priority basis;
- Creating a dedicated intake unit responsible for triaging and tasking out requests and receiving records from program areas; and
- Developing a “concierge”-style support service for specific program areas dealing with especially large volumes, or other complexities.
By March 31, 2022, the ATIP Office had reviewed and triaged the entire backlog (375 files); tasked out 308 backlog files to program areas (82%); received responses and records for 275 files, in preparation for review by the ATIP analyst team (73%); and completed review of 87 files (23%).
While the initial intention was to task out the entire backlog by the end of the fiscal year, some program areas within the department found it challenging to keep pace with the rate of backlog taskings, in addition to the very heavy volume of new ATIP taskings experienced this year. This prompted a decision to slow the rate of tasking of backlog files, in order to allow program areas to focus on providing timely responses to the files they were tasked. While this meant a slower pace of progress on addressing the backlog, it allowed the department to maintain a high rate of on-time processing for new incoming files. Progress toward completing the backlog will continue in 2023-24.
Training and Awareness
Public Safety remains committed to promoting awareness and providing ongoing training opportunities to all employees. During the year, the ATIP team updated its training and outreach function to the department to reinforce knowledge and understanding of the legislation and ATIP process among policy and program areas. The team completely revised its training model, distributing the training function among a team of senior ATIP analysts, in order to better respond to the diverse needs of the department. ATIP also updated its training materials to simplify its approach and incorporate best practices from other departments.
Over the course of the year, the ATIP Office provided 21 training and information sessions on the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act. A variety of subject matter was presented, including strategies for retrieving records and applying exemptions, as well as requirements for proactive publication. A total of 393 people attended these sessions.
The ATIP Office also continued to provide outreach and awareness through department-wide communication mechanisms, such the weekly InfoBulletin and the Administrative Professionals Network Newsletter.
Policies, Guidelines and Procedures
During the year, Public Safety’s ATIP Office worked closely with external and internal partners to ensure continuous alignment with policies, guidelines, and procedures issued by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and the Privy Council Office to support security of information in both the remote and hybrid work environment. This included supporting implementation of TBS policies on the return to the hybrid workplace, as well as the department’s Hybrid Workforce Framework.
Proactive Publication under Part 2 of the ATIA
Public Safety is a government institution listed under Schedule I of the Financial Administration Act, for the purposes of Part 2 of the ATIA. In line with the department’s obligations under Part 2 of the ATIA, Public Safety proactively publishes the following information:
- Titles and reference numbers of memoranda prepared for a minister or deputy head;
- Packages of briefing materials prepared for a new or incoming minister or deputy head;
- Packages of briefing materials prepared for a minister or deputy head for appearance before a committee;
- Packages of question period notes prepared for a minister and in use on the last sitting day of the House of Commons in June and December;
- Travel and hospitality expenses;
- Contracts over $10,000;
- Grants and contributions over $25,000;
- Publications and Reports, and
- Reclassification of positions.
While the department takes care to ensure that all required materials are proactively published in line with the requirements of Part 2, the ATIP Office to date has not collected or reported on statistics showing the proportion of proactive publication deliverables that are posted within the legislative timelines. To support increased transparency and accountability in this area, the ATIP Office is developing procedures to systematically monitor and report on proactive publication timelines going forward. These measures will be introduced in 2023-24, and periodic reports will be shared with senior management to support accountability and ensure compliance with the department’s legislative obligations.
Proactive Publication of Briefing Note Titles
In January 2023, Public Safety’s ATIP Office became aware of a gap in the department’s reporting of titles and reference numbers of memoranda (briefing notes). Specifically, the ATIP team discovered a coding error in the departmental tracking system, by which some of the briefing notes being sent to the Minister of Public Safety, the Minister of Emergency Preparedness, and the Deputy Minister each month, were not being captured on the list generated monthly for proactive publication, and therefore had not been proactively disclosed on the TBS’s Open Government website.
Working with internal partners, the ATIP Office conducted a systematic review and identified a total of 820 titles that had not been published, going back several years. The team reviewed the list of titles and published them on Open Government, bringing the department back into compliance with legislative obligations. The department ensured that TBS and the Information Commissioner were kept apprised of progress, and additional measures were taken to ensure the issue would not recur going forward:
- The source of the coding error was fixed, ensuring that future reports will be accurate in the tracking system.
- Additional checks and balances were integrated within the monthly reporting exercise to provide additional safeguards and to guarantee accuracy.
- Regular periodic information and training sessions were established to ensure employees are fully aware and have the tools to support the department’s obligations pursuant to Part 2 of the Access to Information Act.
Initiatives and Projects to Improve Access to Information
During the year, the ATIP Office provided dedicated support on a number of high visibility files within Public Safety and the Portfolio, that required a coordinated approach to handling of ATIP requests, above and beyond the normal ATIP process. For example, the ATIP Office provided support to the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency (DEDC) and the Public Order Emergency Commission (POEC) which had responsibility for reviewing the events surrounding the decision to invoke the Emergencies Act in February 2022. The team collaborated closely with officials within the department’s Crime Prevention Branch (CPB), to review documents being provided to DEDC and POEC, loaning three senior ATIP staff to the Department of Justice over a period of several weeks to review records onsite in a secure environment. These efforts helped support transparency in the materials being released to DEDC and POEC.
In July 2022, the ATIP Office onboarded to the new ATIP Online Management Tool, which has allowed the department to modernize the delivery of services and improved the efficiency of request processing.
Summary of Key Issues and Actions Taken on Complaints
Public Safety has historically received a comparatively low volume of complaints on requests made under the Access to Information Act. During the year, the OIC received 34 new complaints against the department, and concluded 34 investigations on Public Safety files. Of these, only 8 files (23%) were deemed to be well-founded.
During the year, the ATIP Office had a constructive relationship with the OIC. Through regular meetings the Office worked collaboratively to ensure ongoing alignment of approach, to identify priority files for attention, and to address any areas of concern as they arose. No specific areas of concern were noted by the OIC, and the Commissioner did not issue any orders to Public Safety during the year.
Reporting on Access to Information Fees for the Purposes of the Service Fees Act
The Service Fees Act requires a responsible authority to report annually to Parliament on the fees collected by the institution. With respect to fees collected under the Access to Information Act, the information below is reported in accordance with the requirements of section 20 of the Service Fees Act.
- Enabling authority: Access to Information Act.
- Fee payable: $5.00 application fee is the only fee charged for an Access to Information request.
- Total revenue: $1,835.00.
- Fees waived: $15.00.
- Cost of operating the program: $1,239,343.00.
Monitoring Compliance
Time Taken to Process Access to Information Requests
Public Safety prepares four recurring ATIP reports to inform senior management during the fiscal year. These reports track a range of information including the list of new formal Access to Information requests received by the department each week, deadlines assigned for retrieval, as well as quarterly record retrieval response time for the branches. Reports are shared regularly with Assistant Deputy Ministers and other senior officials and discussed at senior management meetings as required. In addition, ATIP performance is monitored at the ADM level through performance agreements and evaluations, to ensure ATIP remains a priority within the department.
Inter-Institutional Consultation
Public Safety limits inter-institutional consultation by assessing the sensitivity of records. When information pertains to a routine process, the department may release the information without consultation. A courtesy consultation is often used to advise other institutions that information is to be released on a given date and to invite comments within a given timeframe, which is done with a short turnaround time for review. Formal consultations are reserved for more sensitive matters or where Public Safety is unable to properly assess the sensitivity of records without seeking fulsome input from another institution. Both courtesy and formal consultations are monitored by the Manager, ATIP Operations in discussion with the Director, ATIP and Executive Services.
Frequently Requested Types of Information
As the lead department for the Public Safety Portfolio, Public Safety is responsible for a wide range of policy deliverables. As such, records related to the department’s major policy files (e.g., policy documents, briefing materials, correspondence of senior officials on policy deliverables) are among the most frequently recurring categories of information requested under the Access to Information Act. Over the past year, the department saw a large increase in the volume of informal requests for previous ATIP release packages. In light of this increase, the ATIP Office concluded that there was a need to enhance the availability of information to requesters by streamlining the process for responding to informal requests. Accordingly, a new intake unit was created, and while the primary focus of the intake unit was tackling the department’s pandemic backlog, this unit was also given full responsibility for processing informal requests. Procedures were revised and updated, and information management protocols were centralized in order to quickly locate records and prepare release packages. The new process has allowed for a more timely response to requesters, evidenced by the processing of 528 informal requests over the course of the year, an increase of 197% over the previous year.
Contracts, Information Sharing Agreements, and Information Sharing Arrangements
As required under Part 2 of the Access to Information Act, contracts over $10,000 are posted on the Open Government site. Any contract, information sharing agreement, or information sharing arrangement not posted on Open Government can be requested under the Access to Information Act. In processing any request, the ATIP Office strives to uphold the principle of transparency and to support the right of access to the greatest extent possible, with a focus on ensuring that any exemptions or exclusions are specific, targeted, and reasonable.
Accuracy and Completeness of Proactively Published Information
As mentioned previously, while Public Safety takes care to ensure that all required materials are proactively published in line with the requirements of Part 2, to date, the ATIP Office has not conducted systematic reporting on its proactive publication activities. To support increased transparency and accountability in this area, the ATIP Office is currently developing procedures to systematically monitor and report on proactive publication timelines going forward, which will be introduced in 2023-24.
Annex A: Delegation Order
The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, pursuant to section 95(1) of the Access to Information Act, hereby designates the persons holding the positions set out in the schedule hereto, or the persons occupying on an acting basis those positions, to exercise the powers, duties and functions of the Minister as the head of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, under the provisions of the Access to Information Act and related regulations set out in the schedule opposite each position. This designation replaces all previous delegation orders.
Position | Authorities Under the Access to Information Act and Access to Information Regulations |
---|---|
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 ATIP Manager |
Full authority |
Team Leader, ATIP Operations ATIP Analyst |
Sections 4(2.1), 9 and 11(2) of the Access to Information Act and 7(2) and 7(3) of the Access to Information Regulations |
Dated, at the City of Ottawa, this 21st day of July, 2020.
The Honourable William Sterling Blair, P.C., C.O.M., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Annex B: Statistical Report
Section 1: Requests Under the Access to Information Act
Description | Number of Requests |
---|---|
Received during reporting period | 483 |
Outstanding from previous reporting periods
|
402 |
Total | 885 |
Closed during reporting period | 463 |
Carried over to next reporting period
|
422 |
Source | Number of Requests |
---|---|
Media | 179 |
Academia | 44 |
Business (private sector) | 22 |
Organization | 10 |
Public | 92 |
Decline to Identify | 136 |
Total | 483 |
Source | Number of Requests |
---|---|
Online | 458 |
16 | |
9 | |
In person | 0 |
Phone | 0 |
Fax | 0 |
Total | 483 |
Section 2: Informal Requests
Description | Number of Requests |
---|---|
Received during reporting period | 481 |
Outstanding from previous reporting periods
|
48 |
Total Requests | 529 |
Closed during reporting period | 528 |
Carried over to next reporting period | 1 |
Source | Number of Requests |
---|---|
Online | 457 |
24 | |
0 | |
In person | 0 |
Phone | 0 |
Fax | 0 |
Total | 481 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
295 | 97 | 40 | 88 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 528 |
Less Than 100 Pages Released | 100-500 Pages Released | 501-1,000 Pages Released | 1,001-5,000 Pages Released | More Than 5,000 Pages Released | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of Requests | Pages Released | Number of Requests | Pages Released | Number of Requests | Pages Released | Number of Requests | Pages Released | Number of Requests | Pages Released |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Less Than 100 Pages Re-released | 100-500 Pages Re-released | 501-1,000 Pages Re-released | 1,001-5,000 Pages Re-released | More Than 5,000 Pages Re-released | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of Requests | Pages Re-released | Number of Requests | Pages Re-released | Number of Requests | Pages Re-released | Number of Requests | Pages Re-released | Number of Requests | Pages Re-released |
393 | 10,125 | 106 | 22,407 | 17 | 11,070 | 12 | 20,527 | 0 | 0 |
Section 3: Applications to the Information Commissioner on Declining to Act on Requests
Description | Number of Requests |
---|---|
Outstanding from previous reporting period | 0 |
Sent during reporting period | 0 |
Total | 0 |
Approved by the Information Commissioner during reporting period | 0 |
Declined by the Information Commissioner during reporting period | 0 |
Withdrawn during reporting period | 0 |
Carried over to next reporting period | 0 |
Section 4: Requests Closed During the Reporting Period
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 | 23 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 57 |
Disclosed in part | 6 | 32 | 53 | 65 | 25 | 44 | 44 | 269 |
All exempted | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
All excluded | 0 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 24 |
No records exist | 37 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 77 |
Request transferred | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Request abandoned | 19 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 |
Neither confirmed nor denied | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 74 | 94 | 77 | 81 | 27 | 46 | 64 | 463 |
Section | Number of Requests |
---|---|
13(1)(a) | 6 |
13(1)(b) | 0 |
13(1)(c) | 10 |
13(1)(d) | 5 |
13(1)(e) | 0 |
14 | 20 |
14(a) | 19 |
14(b) | 4 |
15(1) | 4 |
15(1) - I.A.Table note i | 41 |
15(1) - Def.Table note ii | 25 |
15(1) - S.A.Table note iii | 64 |
16(1)(a)(i) | 11 |
16(1)(a)(ii) | 1 |
16(1)(a)(iii) | 0 |
16(1)(b) | 8 |
16(1)(c) | 24 |
16(1)(d) | 0 |
16(2) | 52 |
16(2)(a) | 1 |
16(2)(b) | 1 |
16(2)(c) | 12 |
16(3) | 0 |
16.1(1)(a) | 0 |
16.1(1)(b) | 0 |
16.1(1)(c) | 0 |
16.1(1)(d) | 0 |
16.2(1) | 0 |
16.3 | 0 |
16.4(1)(a) | 0 |
16.4(1)(b) | 0 |
16.5 | 0 |
16.6 | 0 |
17 | 47 |
18(a) | 2 |
18(b) | 5 |
18(c) | 0 |
18(d) | 0 |
18.1(1)(a) | 0 |
18.1(1)(b) | 0 |
18.1(1)(c) | 0 |
18.1(1)(d) | 1 |
19(1) | 136 |
20(1)(a) | 1 |
20(1)(b) | 25 |
20(1)(b.1) | 2 |
20(1)(c) | 31 |
20(1)(d) | 4 |
20.1 | 0 |
20.2 | 0 |
20.4 | 0 |
21(1)(a) | 93 |
21(1)(b) | 96 |
21(1)(c) | 16 |
21(1)(d) | 1 |
22 | 0 |
22.1(1) | 0 |
23 | 31 |
23.1 | 0 |
24(1) | 23 |
26 | 1 |
- Table note i
-
I.A.: International Affairs
- Table note ii
-
Def.: Defence of Canada
- Table note iii
-
S.A.: Subversive Activities
Section | Number of Requests |
---|---|
68(a) | 12 |
68(b) | 0 |
68(c) | 0 |
68.1 | 0 |
68.2(a) | 0 |
68.2(b) | 0 |
69(1) | 0 |
69(1)(a) | 35 |
69(1)(b) | 0 |
69(1)(c) | 7 |
69(1)(d) | 19 |
69(1)(e) | 36 |
69(1)(f) | 5 |
69(1)(g) re (a) | 98 |
69(1)(g) re (b) | 0 |
69(1)(g) re (c) | 16 |
69(1)(g) re (d) | 21 |
69(1)(g) re (e) | 26 |
69(1)(g) re (f) | 26 |
69.1(1) | 0 |
Paper | Electronic | Other | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
E-record | Data set | Video | Audio | ||
10 | 317 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
4.5 Complexity
Number of Pages Processed | Number of Pages Disclosed | Number of Requests |
---|---|---|
73,477 | 28,417 | 381 |
Disposition | Less Than 100 Pages Processed | 100-500 Pages Processed | 501-1,000 Pages Processed | 1,001-5,000 Pages Processed | More Than 5,000 Pages Processed | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of Requests | Pages Processed | Number of Requests | Pages Processed | Number of Requests | Pages Processed | Number of Requests | Pages Processed | Number of Requests | Pages Processed | |
All disclosed | 53 | 904 | 3 | 355 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1,241 | 0 | 0 |
Disclosed in part | 172 | 4,159 | 70 | 16,785 | 19 | 12,471 | 7 | 12,059 | 1 | 22,615 |
All exempted | 6 | 135 | 2 | 377 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
All excluded | 17 | 819 | 7 | 1,247 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Request abandoned | 22 | 0 | 1 | 310 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Neither confirmed nor denied | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 270 | 6,017 | 83 | 19,074 | 19 | 12,471 | 8 | 13,300 | 1 | 22,615 |
Number of Minutes Processed | Number of Minutes Disclosed | Number of Requests |
---|---|---|
0 | 0 | 0 |
Disposition | Less Than 60 Minutes Processed | 60 - 120 Minutes Processed | More than 120 Minutes Processed | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of Requests | Minutes Processed | Number of Requests | Minutes Processed | Number of Requests | Minutes Processed | |
All disclosed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Disclosed in part | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
All exempted | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
All excluded | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Request abandoned | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Neither confirmed nor denied | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Number of Minutes Processed | Number of Minutes Disclosed | Number of Requests |
---|---|---|
0 | 0 | 0 |
Disposition | Less Than 60 Minutes Processed | 60 - 120 Minutes Processed | More than 120 Minutes Processed | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of Requests | Minutes Processed | Number of Requests | Minutes Processed | Number of Requests | Minutes Processed | |
All disclosed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Disclosed in part | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
All exempted | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
All excluded | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Request abandoned | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Neither confirmed nor denied | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Disposition | Consultation Required | Legal Advice Sought | Other | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
All disclosed | 18 | 0 | 21 | 39 |
Disclosed in part | 205 | 1 | 160 | 366 |
All exempted | 5 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
All excluded | 23 | 0 | 15 | 38 |
Request abandoned | 1 | 0 | 17 | 18 |
Neither confirmed nor denied | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 252 | 1 | 216 | 469 |
4.6 Closed requests
Number of requests closed within legislated timelines |
337 |
---|---|
Percentage of requests closed within legislated timelines (%) |
72.78617711 |
4.7 Deemed refusals
Number of requests closed past the legislated timelines | Principal Reason |
|||
---|---|---|---|---|
Interference with operations/ Workload | External Consultation | Internal Consultation | Other | |
126 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 126 |
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 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
16 to 30 days | 0 | 7 | 7 |
31 to 60 days | 1 | 8 | 9 |
61 to 120 days | 3 | 15 | 18 |
121 to 180 days | 4 | 5 | 9 |
181 to 365 days | 5 | 13 | 18 |
More than 365 days | 47 | 10 | 57 |
Total | 61 | 65 | 126 |
Translation Requests | Accepted | Refused | Total |
---|---|---|---|
English to French | 0 | 0 | 0 |
French to English | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Section 5: Extensions
Disposition of Requests Where an Extension Was Taken | 9(1)(a) Interference With Operations/ Workload | 9(1)(b) Consultation | 9(1)(c) Third-Party Notice | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Section 69 | Other | |||
All disclosed | 8 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
Disclosed in part | 75 | 9 | 138 | 20 |
All exempted | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
All excluded | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
Request abandoned | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
No records exist | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 90 | 14 | 162 | 21 |
Length of Extensions | 9(1)(a) Interference With Operations/ Workload | 9(1)(b) Consultation | 9(1)(c) Third-Party Notice | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Section 69 | Other | |||
30 days or less | 64 | 5 | 51 | 2 |
31 to 60 days | 20 | 9 | 34 | 19 |
61 to 120 days | 4 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
121 to 180 days | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
181 to 365 days | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
365 days or more | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 90 | 14 | 162 | 21 |
Section 6: Fees
Fee Type | Fee Collected | Fee Waived | Fee Refunded | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of Requests | Amount | Number of Requests | Amount | Number of Requests | Amount | |
Application | 367 | $1,835.00 | 3 | $15.00 | 0 | $0.00 |
Other fees |
0 | $0.00 | 0 | $0.00 | 0 | $0.00 |
Total | 367 | $1,835.00 | 3 | $15.00 | 0 | $0.00 |
Section 7: Consultations Received From Other Institutions and Organizations
Consultations | Other Government of Canada Institutions | Number of Pages to Review | Other Organizations | Number of Pages to Review |
---|---|---|---|---|
Received during the reporting period | 242 | 7043 | 28 | 1,597 |
Outstanding from the previous reporting period | 28 | 1,216 | 2 | 79 |
Total | 270 | 8,259 | 30 | 1,676 |
Closed during the reporting period | 252 | 6,692 | 29 | 1,669 |
Carried over within negotiated timelines | 6 | 373 | 0 | 0 |
Carried over beyond negotiated timelines | 12 | 1,194 | 1 | 7 |
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 | 68 | 57 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 145 |
Disclose in part | 6 | 31 | 32 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 95 |
Exempt entirely | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Exclude entirely | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Consult other institution | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Other | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
Total | 78 | 93 | 49 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 252 |
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 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
Disclose in part | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
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 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 15 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
Section 8: Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences
Number of Days | Fewer Than 100 Pages Processed | 100-500 Pages Processed | 501-1,000 Pages Processed | 1001-5,000 Pages Processed | More Than 5,000 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 | 55 | 378 | 6 | 432 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
16 to 30 | 4 | 34 | 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 | 59 | 412 | 6 | 432 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Number of Days | Fewer Than 100 Pages Processed | 100‒500 Pages Processed | 501-1,000 Pages Processed | 1001-5,000 Pages Processed | More Than 5,000 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 9: Investigations and Reports of finding
Section 32 Notice of intention to investigate | Subsection 30(5) Ceased to investigate | Section 35 Formal Representations |
---|---|---|
17 | 19 | 2 |
Section 37(1) Initial Reports | Section 37(2) Final Reports | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Received | Containing recommendations issued by the Information Commissioner | Containing orders issued by the Information Commissioner | Received | Containing recommendations issued by the Information Commissioner | Containing orders issued by the Information Commissioner |
1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1 |
Section 10: Court Action
Section 41 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Complainant (1) | Institution (2) | Third Party (3) | Privacy Commissioner (4) | Total |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
10.2 Court actions on third party notifications under paragraph 28(1)(b)
Section 44 - under paragraph 28(1)(b)
- 0
Section 11: Resources Related to the Access to Information Act
Expenditures | Amount |
---|---|
Salaries | $1,142,986 |
Overtime | $11,174 |
Goods and Services
|
$85,183 |
Total | $1,239,343 |
Resources | Person Years Dedicated to Access to Information Activities |
---|---|
Full-time employees | 14.046 |
Part-time and casual employees | 0.050 |
Regional staff | 0.000 |
Consultants and agency personnel | 0.000 |
Students | 0.030 |
Total | 14.126 |
Annex C: Supplemental Statistical Report
Section 1: Capacity to Receive Requests under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act
Description | Number of Weeks |
---|---|
Able to receive requests by mail | 52 |
Able to receive requests by email | 52 |
Able to receive requests through the digital request service | 52 |
Section 2: Capacity to Process Records under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act
Type of Paper Record | No Capacity | Partial Capacity | Full Capacity | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Unclassified Paper Records | 0 | 0 | 52 | 52 |
Protected B Paper Records | 0 | 0 | 52 | 52 |
Secret and Top Secret Paper Records | 0 | 0 | 52 | 52 |
Type of Electronic Record | No Capacity | Partial Capacity | Full Capacity | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Unclassified Electronic Records | 0 | 0 | 52 | 52 |
Protected B Electronic Records | 0 | 0 | 52 | 52 |
Secret and Top Secret Electronic Records | 0 | 0 | 52 | 52 |
Section 3: Open Requests and Complaints Under the Access to Information Act
Fiscal Year Open Requests Were Received | Open Requests that are Within Legislated Timelines as of March 31, 2023 | Open Requests that are Beyond Legislated Timelines as of March 31, 2023 | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Received in 2022-2023 | 118 | 29 | 147 |
Received in 2021-2022 | 6 | 114 | 120 |
Received in 2020-2021 | 1 | 122 | 123 |
Received in 2019-2020 | 2 | 22 | 24 |
Received in 2018-2019 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Received in 2017-2018 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Received in 2016-2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Received in 2015-2016 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Received in 2014-2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Received in 2013-2014 or earlier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 132 | 290 | 422 |
Fiscal Year Open Complaints Were Received by Institution | Number of Open Complaints |
---|---|
Received in 2022-2023 | 17 |
Received in 2021-2022 | 2 |
Received in 2020-2021 | 0 |
Received in 2019-2020 | 3 |
Received in 2018-2019 | 0 |
Received in 2017-2018 | 0 |
Received in 2016-2017 | 0 |
Received in 2015-2016 | 0 |
Received in 2014-2015 | 0 |
Received in 2013-2014 or earlier | 0 |
Total | 22 |
Section 4: Open Requests and Complaints Under the Privacy Act
Fiscal Year Open Requests Were Received | Open Requests that are Within Legislated Timelines as of March 31, 2023 | Open Requests that are Beyond Legislated Timelines as of March 31, 2023 | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Received in 2022-2023 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Received in 2021-2022 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Received in 2020-2021 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Received in 2019-2020 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Received in 2018-2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Received in 2017-2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Received in 2016-2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Received in 2015-2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Received in 2014-2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Received in 2013-2014 or earlier | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 2 | 4 | 6 |
Fiscal Year Open Complaints Were Received by Institution | Number of Open Complaints |
---|---|
Received in 2022-2023 | 1 |
Received in 2021-2022 | 0 |
Received in 2020-2021 | 2 |
Received in 2019-2020 | 0 |
Received in 2018-2019 | 0 |
Received in 2017-2018 | 0 |
Received in 2016-2017 | 0 |
Received in 2015-2016 | 0 |
Received in 2014-2015 | 0 |
Received in 2013-2014 or earlier | 0 |
Total | 3 |
Section 5: Social Insurance Number
Has your institution begun a new collection or a new consistent use of the SIN in 2022-2023?
- No
Section 6: Universal Access under the Privacy Act
How many requests were received from confirmed foreign nationals outside of Canada in 2022-2023?
- 0
- Date modified: