2023-24 Annual Report to Parliament on the Access to Information Act

October 2023

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Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
30 Victoria Street, 1st Floor
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 1H3

Telephone: 819-994-5444, 1-800-282-1376
Fax: 819-994-5424

Follow us on X (Twitter): @privacyprivee

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Introduction

The Access to Information Act (ATIA) came into effect on July 1, 1983. It provides Canadian citizens, permanent residents and any person and corporation present in Canada a right of access to information contained in government records, subject to certain specific and limited exceptions.

While not initially subject to the ATIA, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) and other Agents of Parliament became so on April 1, 2007, when relevant provisions of the Federal Accountability Act came into force. 

Section 94 of the ATIA requires that the head of every federal government institution submit an annual report to Parliament on the administration of the Act within their institution during the fiscal year.

The OPC is pleased to submit its seventeenth Annual Report which describes how we fulfilled our responsibilities under the ATIA in 2023-24.

Mandate and Mission of the OPC

The mandate of the OPC is to oversee compliance with both the Privacy Act (PA), which covers the personal information handling practices of federal government departments and agencies, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada’s private sector privacy law.

The OPC’s mission is to protect and promote the fundamental privacy rights of individuals.

The Commissioner works independently from any other part of the government to investigate privacy complaints from individuals with respect to the federal public sector and certain aspects of the private sector.

With respect to public sector matters, individuals may complain to the Commissioner about any matter specified in section 29 of the PA.

For matters relating to personal information in the private sector, the Commissioner may investigate complaints under section 11 of PIPEDA except in the provinces that have adopted substantially similar privacy legislation, namely Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta. Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador now fall into this category with respect to personal health information held by health information custodians under their health sector privacy laws. However, even in those provinces with substantially similar legislation, and elsewhere in Canada, PIPEDA applies to personal information collected, used or disclosed by all federal works, undertakings and businesses, including personal information about their employees. PIPEDA also applies to all personal data that flows across provincial or national borders, in the course of commercial activities.

The Commissioner focuses on resolving complaints through negotiation and persuasion, using mediation and conciliation if appropriate. If voluntary cooperation is not forthcoming however, the Commissioner has the power to summon witnesses, administer oaths and compel the production of evidence. In cases that remain unresolved, particularly under PIPEDA, the complainant or the Commissioner may take the matter to Federal Court and seek a court order to rectify the situation.

As the agent of Parliament responsible for the protection of the privacy rights of Canadians, the Commissioner carries out the following activities:

• Investigating complaints and issuing reports with recommendations to federal government institutions and private sector organizations to remedy situations of non-compliance, as appropriate;
• Pursuing legal action before the federal courts where appropriate to resolve outstanding matters;
• Assessing compliance with obligations contained in the PA and PIPEDA through the conduct of independent audit and review activities;
• Advising on, and reviewing, Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) of new and existing government initiatives;
• Providing legal and policy analysis and expertise to help guide Parliament’s review of evolving legislation to ensure respect for individuals’ right to privacy;
• Responding to inquiries from parliamentarians, individual Canadians and organizations seeking information and guidance, and taking proactive steps to inform them of emerging privacy issues;
• Promoting privacy awareness and compliance, and fostering understanding of privacy rights and obligations through proactive engagement with federal government institutions, private-sector organizations, industry associations, the legal community, academia, professional associations, and other stakeholders;
• Preparing and disseminating public education materials, positions on evolving legislation, regulations and policies, guidance documents and fact sheets for use by the general public, federal government institutions and private sector organizations;
• Conducting research and monitoring trends in technological advances and privacy practices, identifying systemic privacy issues that need to be addressed by federal government institutions and private sector organizations and promoting integration of best practices; and
• Working with privacy stakeholders from other jurisdictions in Canada and internationally to address global privacy issues that result from ever increasing transborder data flows.

Organizational Structure

The Privacy Commissioner is an Agent of Parliament who reports directly to the House of Commons and the Senate. 

The core responsibility of the OPC is the protection of Canadian’s privacy rights. To do this, the OPC’s work falls into two program areas — Compliance and Promotion. Both areas are part of the OPC’s mandate and are important in protecting privacy.

The OPC’s organizational structure is comprised of four sectors: Compliance; Policy and Promotion; Corporate Management; and Legal Services. The work of each sector is overseen by a Deputy Commissioner. The four Deputy Commissioners report directly to the Privacy Commissioner. The Commissioner is also supported by the OPC’s Executive Secretariat.

Additional information about the OPC’s structure is provided below.

Compliance Sector

The OPC’s compliance program, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Compliance, focuses on addressing existing privacy compliance problems through a variety of enforcement activities to ensure violations of the law are identified and that remedies are recommended. This includes initiating investigations into complaints filed by Canadians, but also a shift towards more proactive enforcement, such as, proactive Commissioner-initiated investigations or, in certain cases, audits, to review issues that are not being addressed through the complaint system.

The Compliance Sector includes three directorates: the Privacy Act Compliance Directorate (public sector), the PIPEDA Compliance Directorate (private sector) and the Compliance, Intake and Resolution Directorate (public and private sectors).

Privacy Act Compliance Directorate

The PA Compliance Directorate investigates complaints under the Privacy Act from individuals who believe that they have not been given access to their personal information held by government institutions, or feel that their information has been inappropriately, collected, used, disclosed or managed. The Directorate also investigates complaints and conducts audits that are initiated by the Commissioner.

PIPEDA Compliance Directorate

The PIPEDA Compliance Directorate investigates complaints from individuals under the PIPEDA about the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information in the course of commercial activities. The Directorate also investigates complaints and conducts audits that are initiated by the Commissioner, including, in some cases, investigations into activities of sectors of the economy.

Compliance, Intake and Resolution Directorate

The Compliance, Intake and Resolution Directorate is responsible for receiving all complaints, and quickly resolving certain complaints received under the PIPEDA and the Privacy Act. The Directorate also:

• reviews mandatory reporting of data breaches submitted by private-sector organization and federal institutions and tracks them;
• investigates privacy breaches; and
• ensures compliance monitoring.

On January 1, 2020, the Compliance, Intake and Resolution Directorate’s Executive Director took on the role of Chief Privacy Officer for the OPC.

Policy and Promotion Sector

The promotion program, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Policy and Promotion, is forward-looking and aims to inform Canadians of their rights and how to exercise them, and to bring organizations into compliance with the law. This involves, for example, the development and promotion of general—yet practical—information and guidance, reviewing and commenting on Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs), and offering industry advice on specific initiatives. The goal is to share information and advice with businesses and departments when they are designing their services so that Canadians may enjoy the benefits of innovation without undue risk to their privacy.

The Policy and Promotion Sector includes six directorates: the Government Advisory Directorate; Business Advisory; Policy, Research and Parliamentary Affairs; Technology Analysis; Communications; and International, Provincial and Territorial Relations.

Government Advisory Directorate

The Government Advisory Directorate provides advice and recommendations to federal public sector institutions in relation to specific programs and initiatives, as well as in the review of PIAs and information sharing agreements submitted by departments and agencies. This group also undertakes various outreach initiatives with the federal public sector in order to encourage compliance with the Privacy Act.

Business Advisory Directorate

The Business Advisory Directorate provides advice to businesses subject to PIPEDA in the context of advisory services for new programs and initiatives, reviews for existing privacy practices and proactive engagements with the business community. This group also undertakes various outreach initiatives with the private sector in order to encourage compliance with PIPEDA.

Policy, Research and Parliamentary Affairs Directorate

The Policy, Research and Parliamentary Affairs Directorate develops strategic policy positions on legislative bills, government policies and private sector initiatives; supports the Commissioner’s appearances before Parliament; develops guidance for the public and private sectors; and conducts applied research on emerging privacy issues in support of this work. This Directorate also manages the OPC Contributions Program which funds external researchers and non-profit organizations to advance and apply new knowledge about data protection in the private sector.

Technology Analysis Directorate

The Technology Analysis Directorate identifies and analyzes technological trends and developments in electronic platforms and digital media; conducts research to assess the impact of technology on the protection of personal information in the digital world and provides strategic analysis and guidance on complex, varied and sensitive technological issues involving government and commercial systems that store personal information.

Communications Directorate

The Communications Directorate focuses on providing strategic advice and support for the planning and execution of public education and communications activities. This includes the production and dissemination of information for Canadians and organizations aimed at increasing awareness of privacy rights and obligations through, for example, media monitoring and analysis, public opinion polling, media relations, publications, special events, various outreach campaigns and the OPC web site. The Directorate is also responsible for responding to requests for information from the public and organizations regarding privacy rights and responsibilities through the OPC’s Information Centre.

International, Provincial and Territorial Relations 

The International, Provincial and Territorial Relations Directorate serves as the focal point for the Office’s domestic and international engagement. The OPC strives to work collaboratively with its counterparts on public-sector and private-sector compliance, public education and policy matters. It has established frameworks with a number of counterparts to formalize consultation, cooperation and the sharing of relevant information. The OPC also participates in a number of international privacy protection organizations to help shape and improve privacy policies and standards around the world, which in turn leads to better protection for Canadian’s personal information.

Corporate Management Sector

The Corporate Management Sector is led by the Deputy Commissioner, Corporate Management. The Corporate Management Sector includes four directorates: Human Resources; Finance and Administration; Information Management/Information Technology; and Business Planning, Performance, Audit and Evaluation.

The Corporate Management Sector provides advice and integrated administrative services to managers and staff, in the areas of corporate planning, resource management, financial management, information management/technology, human resources and people management and general administration.

Legal Services Sector

The Legal Services Sector is led by the Deputy Commissioner and Senior General Counsel who reports directly to the Privacy Commissioner. The sector provides legal advice in relation to PIPEDA and PA investigations and audits, and in support of other operational activities across the OPC. It represents the OPC in litigation matters before the courts and in negotiations with other parties. The sector also includes the OPC’s Access to Information and Privacy Division.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

In 2023-24, the ATIP Division was headed by a director supported by two analysts.

Under section 95(1) of the ATIA, as the head of the OPC, the Privacy Commissioner’s authority has been delegated to the ATIP Director as well as to the Deputy Commissioner and Senior General Counsel with respect to the application of the ATIA and its Regulations. A copy of the Delegation Order is attached as Appendix A.

ATIP Division Activities

Training employees

Although training offered to new OPC employees has moved to an online, self-paced learning platform, the ATIP Division continues to offer ad hoc training to individuals and groups.

Access to Information Act Statistical Interpretation

The OPC’s Statistical Report on the ATIA is attached as Appendix B.

The OPC received 83 formal requests under the ATIA in 2023-24. This was in addition to the 14 requests carried forward from the previous year, for a total of 97 requests. Of the 83 requests received, two sought access to records which were under the control of other federal departments; these requests were therefore transferred to the appropriate federal institutions for processing.

Three of the requests received during the reporting period were carried forward to the 2024-25 reporting year. Responses were therefore provided to 97 % of all requests handled in 2023-24 during the fiscal year. Of the three requests carried over to the next reporting period, one was received in 2022-23 (outside of legislated timeframe), and two were received in 2023-24 (both within legislated timeframe).

The OPC processed 16 requests for consultations received from other institutions during the reporting period. This included three requests carried over forward from the previous reporting period on a total of 325 pages. Of the 16 requests, 12 were answered within 15 days, two were answered within 16  to 30 days and two were answered within 31 to 60 days.

The OPC also received 67 informal requests for access to information during this period.

Requests under the ATIA

Text version

Requests under the ATIA

Year	2021-2022	2022-2023	2023-2024
Received	115	61	83
Transferred	0	0	2
Processed	129	62	94

In 2023-24 the ATIP Division closed 94 requests for information received by the OPC (94% were closed within legislated timelines), which represented 32,743 pages of information processed. While the 94 requests processed in 2023-24 represent a substantial 52% increase compared to the 62 requests processed in 2022-23, there was a comparatively smaller 20% increase in the number of pages processed (i.e.,32,743 pages in 2023-24 compared to 27,371 pages the previous year). Of these 94 responses, 11 were for requests that had been received in 2022-23, one was for a request that had been received in 2020-21 and one was for a request received in 2018-19.

Extensions were claimed with respect to nine requests. In all, the OPC responded to 76 requests within the first 30 days. Given the complexities of the information and the requirement to consult with other entities, the extensions claimed for 20 requests were for more than 30 days. 

Of the 94 requests completed during the fiscal year, 24 were for Briefing Notes prepared by the OPC on various topics, including: Bill C-26, artificial intelligence, the Annual Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting and various meetings and speaking engagements.  

In addition to the requests for briefing notes, 23 concerned personal matters, two requests sought access to information regarding investigations or complaints, two concerned privacy breaches that were reported to the OPC, four related to the OPC Contributions Program and the remainder were for miscellaneous information or information that was not under the control of the OPC. 

The OPC endeavours to release as much information as possible. Of the 94 requests processed, the documents were released in their entirety in 15 cases (15.9%), and in 48 cases (51.1%), the OPC made partial releases. Of the remaining requests, 18 were abandoned by the applicants (19.1%), one (1.1%) had all material exempted, one (1.1%) had all material excluded, nine requests (9.6%) had no relevant records and two (2.1%) were transferred to other departments.

Section 16.1(1)(d) of the ATIA prohibits the OPC from releasing information it obtained during the course of its investigations or audits, even after the matter and all related proceedings have been concluded. However, subject to any applicable exemptions, the OPC cannot refuse to disclose information it created during the course of an investigation or audit, once they and any related proceedings are completed. With respect to requests for access to PA and PIPEDA investigation files, none were disclosed in their entirety–all had some information withheld under section 16.1(1)(d) and in most cases under section 19(1). Additional information was withheld under sections 20, 21, 23 and 24 of the ATIA. 

The exemption provision invoked most often was section 21(1)(a)(b) and (c) (Operations of Government) followed by section 19(1) (Personal information of others), section 16.1(1)(d) (Investigations conducted by the Privacy Commissioner), and section 23 (Solicitor-client privilege). In other cases, this year, the OPC also withheld information under one or more of the following sections of the ATIA: 13(1), 15(1), 16(1), 16(2), 20, 22, 24 and 26. 

Requests under ATIA by source

Text version

Requests under the ATIA by source

Year	Media	Business	Public	Academia	Declined
2021/2022	65	12	27	3	8
2022/2023	23	2	22	4	10
2023/2024	26	7	27	11	12

Of the 83 requests received this reporting year, the media and businesses submitted 26 and seven respectively, for a total of 33 requests (39.7%), while the public submitted 27 requests (32.5%). Academia submitted 11 requests which accounts for 13.3%. Twelve applicants declined to be identified (14.5%).

Application fees amounted to $335.00 during the reporting period.

In the cases where records were provided, electronic copies were given out on 55 occasions and paper copies were provided on eight occasions.

Processing times for access to information requests are tracked on a weekly basis by the ATIP Division using the access to information management system.

COVID-19 Operational impact

Most OPC staff have been teleworking since mid-March 2020. The OPC  Division was able to work at its usual capacity throughout the pandemic period. On December 15, 2022, the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) announced the adoption of a common hybrid work model for the core public administration, which includes the OPC. The new model began being implemented at the beginning of 2023, and it has now been fully implemented.

The OPC’s operations were not affected by COVID-19 during this reporting period.

Proactive Publication

As a government institution listed in Schedule I of the Access to Information Act, the OPC continues to strive to fulfil its obligation for proactive disclosure requirements to ensure that relevant information is posted online by the prescribed publication timeline.

Legislative Requirement	Section	Publication Timeline	Institutional Requirement
All Government Institutions as defined in section 3 of the Access to Information Act
Travel Expenses	82	Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement	100%
Hospitality Expenses	83	Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement	100%
Reports tabled in Parliament	84	Within 30 days after tabling	100%
Government entities or Departments, agencies, and other bodies subject to the Act and listed in Schedules I, I.1, or II of the Financial Administration Act
Contracts over $10,000	86	Q1-3: Within 30 days after the quarter  Q4: Within 60 days after the quarter	100%
Grants & Contributions over $25,000	87	Within 30 days after the quarter	75%
Titles and reference numbers of memoranda prepared for a deputy head or equivalent, that is received by their office	88(b)	Within 30 days after the end of the month received	83%
Packages of briefing materials prepared for a deputy head or equivalent’s appearance before a committee of Parliament	88(c)	Within 120 days after appearance	75%
Government institutions that are departments named in Schedule I to the Financial Administration Act or portions of the core public administration named in Schedule IV to that Act (i.e. government institutions for which Treasury Board is the employer)
Reclassification of positions	85	Within 30 days after the quarter	100%

Links to all OPC Proactive Publications can be found at the following websites:

Proactive disclosure on the OPC website

and 

Proactive disclosure on the Government of Canada website

Reporting on access to information fees for the purposes of the Service Fees Act

The Service Fees Act requires a responsible authority to report to Parliament annually on the fees the institution has collected.

For fees collected under the Access to Information Act, the following information is reported in accordance with section 20 of the Service Fees Act.

• Enabling authority: Access to Information Act
• Fee payable: $5 application fee is the only fee charged for an access to information request
• Total revenues: $335
• Fees waived: $80

  In accordance with the Directive on the Access to Information Requests which took effect on July 13, 2022, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada waives all fees under the ATIA and Regulations, with the exception of the $5 filing fee in section 7 of the Regulations.

• Cost of operating the program: $147,055

Access to Information Act complaints against the OPC

This reporting year, the OPC received four notifications of complaints from the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada (OIC). Moreover, the OIC ceased to investigate three of these complaints (two delay complaints and one extension complaint) based on the fact that the OPC had already responded to the applicants and the OIC therefore found it unnecessary to continue to investigate. The OIC also rendered a decision on a complaint related to exemptions applied by the OPC and found that complaint to be not well-founded. No further measure or follow-up were recommended by the OIC. The OPC also has one active complaint against it which was made in 2022-23.

For additional information on the OPC’s activities, please visit www.priv.gc.ca.

Additional copies of this report may be obtained from:

Director, Access to Information and Privacy
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
30 Victoria Street, 1st Floor
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1H3

Access to Information-Related Policy Instruments

While the OPC examined a number of internal policy instruments to confirm that they remained applicable, this exercise did not identify any immediate and pressing changes.

Appendix A – Access to Information Act
Delegation Order

Pursuant to subsection 95(1) of the Access to Information Act, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, as the head of the government institution, hereby delegates the following powers, duties, or functions to the person holding the position set out below, or to the person occupying on an acting basis that position, as specified below:

Position	Legislative Authority
Director, ATIP Deputy Commissioner and Senior General Counsel	Access to Information Act: Full authority Access to Information Regulations: Full authority

For greater clarity, this delegation to the position set out above, or to the person occupying on an acting basis that position, includes all powers, duties, and functions as they existed prior to June 21, 2019 under section 73 of the Access to Information Act to be exercised with respect to any complaint, investigation, application, judicial review or appeal that was initiated before June 21, 2019.

This delegation of authority supersedes any previous delegation of the powers, duties and functions set out herein.

Dated at the City of Gatineau, this 6th day of February, 2024.

 

(Original signed by)

Access to Information Act

4(2.1)	Shall assist the person in connection with the request, respond to the request accurately and completely and provide timely access in the format requested
7	Respond to request for access within 30 days; give access or give notice
8(1)	Transfer of Request to government institution with greater interest
9	Extend time limit for responding to request for access
11(2), (3), (4), (5), (6)	Additional fees
12(2)(b)	Decide whether to translate requested record
12(3)	Decide whether to give access in an alternative format
13(1)	Shall refuse to disclose information obtained in confidence from another government
13(2)	May disclose any information referred to in 13(1) if the other government consents to the disclosure or makes the information public
14	May refuse to disclose information injurious to the conduct of federal-provincial affairs
15	May refuse to disclose information injurious to international affairs or defence
16	Series of discretionary exemptions related to law enforcement and investigations; security; and policing services for provinces or municipalities.
16.1(1)	In force April 1, 2007 – Specific to four named Officers of Parliament – Auditor General, Commissioner of Official Languages, Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner – shall refuse to disclose information obtained or created by them in the course of an investigation or audit
16.1(2)	In force April 1, 2007 – Specific to two named Officers of Parliament – Information and Privacy Commissioner – shall not refuse under 16.1(1) to disclose any information created by the Commissioner in the course of an investigation or audit once the investigation or audit and related proceedings are concluded
17	May refuse to disclose information which could threaten the safety of individuals
18	May refuse to disclose information related to economic interests of Canada
18.1(1)	May refuse to disclose confidential commercial information of Canada Post Corporation, Export Development Canada, Public Sector Pension Investment Board, or VIA Rail Inc.
18.1(2)	Shall not refuse under 18.1(1) to disclose information relating to general administration of the institution
19	Shall refuse to disclose personal information as defined in section 3 of the Privacy Act, but may disclose if individual consents, if information is publicly available, or disclosure is in accordance with section 8 of Privacy Act
20	Shall refuse to disclose third party information, subject to exceptions
21	May refuse to disclose records containing advice or recommendations
22	May refuse to disclose information relating to testing or auditing procedures
22.1	May refuse to disclose draft report of an internal audit
23	May refuse to disclose information subject to solicitor/client privilege
24	Shall refuse to disclose information where statutory prohibition (Schedule II)
25	Shall disclose any part of record that can reasonably be severed
26	May refuse to disclose where information to be published
27(1),(4)	Third party notification
28(1),(2),(4)	Receive representations of third party
29(1)	Disclosure on recommendation of Information Commissioner
32	Receive notice of investigation by Information Commissioner
33	Advise Information Commissioner of third party involvement
35(2)	Right to make representations to the Information Commissioner during an investigation
37(1)	Receive Information Commissioner’s report of findings of the investigation and give notice of action taken
37(4)	Give complainant access to information after 37(1)(b) notice
43(1)	Notice to third party (application to Federal court for review)
44(2)	Notice to applicant (application to federal Court by third party)
52(2)(b)	Request that section 52 hearing be held in the National Capital Region
52(3)	Request and be given right to make representations in section 51 hearings
69	Refuse to provide information that is excluded from the Act as a cabinet confidence
71	Provide facilities for public to inspect manuals; exempt information may be severed from manuals
72(1)	Prepare annual report to Parliament

Access to Information Regulations

5	Inform requester of certain procedures regarding access
6(1)	Procedures relating to transfer of access request to another government institution under 8(1) of the Act
7(2) and (3)	Require payment of additional fees for access in certain situations
8	Form of Access
8.1	Determinations with respect to the conversion of records into different formats

Appendix B – Statistical Report

Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act

Name of institution: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Reporting period: 2023-04-01 to 2024-03-31

Section 1: Requests under the Access to Information Act

1.1 Number of requests

		Number of requests
Received during reporting period		83
Outstanding from previous reporting period		14
Outstanding from previous reporting period	11
Outstanding from more than one reporting period	3
Total		97
Closed during reporting period		94
Carried over to next reporting period		3
Carried over within legislated timeline	2
Carried over beyond legislated timeline	1

1.2 Sources of requests

Source	Number of requests
Media	26
Academia	11
Business (private sector)	7
Organization	0
Public	27
Decline to identify	12
Total	83

1.3 Channels of requests

Source	Number of requests
Online	82
E-mail	0
Mail	1
In person	0
Phone	0
Fax	0
Total	83

Section 2: Informal Requests

2.1 Number of informal requests

		Number of requests
Received during reporting period		67
Outstanding from previous reporting period		0
Outstanding from previous reporting period	0
Outstanding from more than one reporting period	0
Total		67
Closed during reporting period		67
Carried over to next reporting period		0

2.2 Channels of informal requests

Source	Number of requests
Online	67
E-mail	0
Mail	0
In person	0
Phone	0
Fax	0
Total	67

2.3 Completion time of 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
67	0	0	0	0	0	0	67

2.4 Pages released informally

Less than 100 pages released		100-500 pages released		501-1000 pages released		1001-5000 pages released		More than 5000 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

2.5 Pages re-released informally

Less than 100 pages re-released		100-500 pages re-released		501-1000 pages re-released		1001-5000 pages re-released		More than 5000 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
32	564	20	4894	13	10670	2	5822	0	0

Section 3: Applications to the Information Commissioner on Declining to Act on Requests

	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

4.1 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	2	12	1	0	0	0	0	15
Disclosed in part	3	28	1	5	6	2	3	48
All exempted	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
All excluded	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
No records exist	5	4	0	0	0	0	0	9
Request transferred	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Request abandoned	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	18
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	31	45	2	5	6	2	3	94

4.2 Exemptions

Section	Number of requests	Section	Number of requests	Section	Number of requests	Section	Number of requests
13(1)(a)	1	16(2)	6	18(a)	0	20.1	0
13(1)(b)	0	16(2)(a)	1	18(b)	0	20.2	0
13(1)(c)	1	16(2)(b)	1	18(c)	0	20.4	0
13(1)(d)	0	16(2)(c)	4	18(d)	0	21(1)(a)	21
13(1)(e)	0	16(3)	0	18.1(1)(a)	0	21(1)(b)	23
14	0	16.1(1)(a)	0	18.1(1)(b)	0	21(1)(c)	2
14(a)	0	16.1(1)(b)	0	18.1(1)(c)	0	21(1)(d)	1
14(b)	0	16.1(1)(c)	0	18.1(1)(d)	0	22	1
15(1)	3	16.1(1)(d)	14	19(1)	25	22.1(1)	0
15(1) – I.A.Footnote *	0	16.2(1)	0	20(1)(a)	0	23	11
15(1) – Def.Footnote **	0	16.3	0	20(1)(b)	9	23.1	0
15(1) – S.A.Footnote ***	0	16.4(1)(a)	0	20(1)(b.1)	0	24(1)	3
16(1)(a)(i)	0	16.4(1)(b)	0	20(1)(c)	6	26	1
16(1)(a)(ii)	0	16.5	0	20(1)(d)	1
16(1)(a)(iii)	0	16.6	0
16(1)(b)	8	17	0
16(1)(c)	7
16(1)(d)	0

4.3 Exclusions

Section	Number of requests	Section	Number of requests	Section	Number of requests
68(a)	2	69(1)	0	69(1)(g) re (a)	0
68(b)	0	69(1)(a)	0	69(1)(g) re (b)	0
68(c)	0	69(1)(b)	0	69(1)(g) re (c)	0
68.1	0	69(1)(c)	0	69(1)(g) re (d)	0
68.2(a)	0	69(1)(d)	0	69(1)(g) re (e)	0
68.2(b)	0	69(1)(e)	0	69(1)(g) re (f)	0
		69(1)(f)	0	69.1(1)	0

4.4 Format of information released

Paper	Electronic				Other
	E-record	Data set	Video	Audio
8	55	0	0	0	0

4.5 Complexity

4.5.1 Relevant pages processed and disclosed for paper and e-record formats

Number of pages processed	Number of pages disclosed	Number of requests
32743	16506	83

4.5.2 Relevant pages processed per request disposition for paper and e-record formats by size of requests

Disposition	Less than 100 pages processed		100-500 pages processed		501-1000 pages processed		1001-5000 pages processed		More than 5000 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	14	230	1	182	0	0	0	0	0	0
Disclosed in part	22	240	14	3985	4	2935	6	12278	2	12877
All exempted	1	16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
All excluded	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Request abandoned	18	0	0	0	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	56	486	15	4167	4	2935	6	12278	2	12877

4.5.3 Relevant minutes processed and disclosed for audio formats

Number of minutes processed	Number of minutes disclosed	Number of requests
0	0	0

4.5.4 Relevant minutes processed per request disposition for audio formats by size of requests

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

4.5.5 Relevant minutes processed and disclosed for video formats

Number of minutes processed	Number of minutes disclosed	Number of requests
0	0	0

4.5.6 Relevant minutes processed per request disposition for video formats by size of requests

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

4.5.7 Other complexities

Disposition	Consultation Required	Legal Advice Sought	Other	Total
All disclosed	9	0	0	9
Disclosed in part	30	1	5	36
All exempted	0	0	0	0
All excluded	0	0	0	0
Request abandoned	0	0	0	0
Neither confirmed nor denied	0	0	0	0
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner	0	0	0	0
Total	39	1	5	45

4.6 Closed requests

4.6.1 Requests closed with legislated timelines

Number of requests closed within legislated timelines	88
Percentage of requests closed within legislated timelines (%)	93.61702128

4.7 Deemed refusals

4.7.1 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
6	2	4	0	0

4.7.2 Requests closed beyond legislated timelines (including any extension taken)

Number of days past legislated timelines	Number of requests past legislated timelines where no extension was taken	Number of requests past legislated timelines where an extension was taken	Total
1 to 15 days	0	0	0
16 to 30 days	0	0	0
31 to 60 days	1	1	2
61 to 120 days	0	0	0
121 to 180 days	1	0	1
181 to 365 days	0	1	1
More than 365 days	0	2	2
Total	2	4	6

4.8 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 5: Extensions

5.1 Reasons for extensions and disposition of requests

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	0	0	1	0
Disclosed in part	5	0	11	3
All exempted	0	0	0	0
All excluded	0	0	0	0
Request abandoned	0	0	0	0
No records exist	1	0	1	0
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner	0	0	0	0
Total	6	0	13	3

5.2 Length of extensions

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	4	0	1	0
31 to 60 days	0	0	2	0
61 to 120 days	0	0	4	3
121 to 180 days	1	0	4	0
181 to 365 days	0	0	1	0
365 days or more	1	0	1	0
Total	6	0	13	3

Section 6: Fees

Fee Type	Fee Collected		Fee Waived		Fee Refunded
	Number of requests	Amount	Number of requests	Amount	Number of requests	Amount
Application	56	$335.00	16	$80.00	0	$0.00
Other fees	0	$0.00	0	$0.00	0	$0.00
Total	56	$335.00	16	$80.00	0	$0.00

Section 7: Consultations Received From Other Institutions and Organizations

7.1 Consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions and other organizations

Consultations	Other Government of Canada institutions	Number of pages to review	Other organizations	Number of pages to review
Received during the reporting period	13	317	0	0
Outstanding from the previous reporting period	3	8	0	0
Total	16	325	0	0
Closed during the reporting period	16	325	0	0
Carried over within negotiated timelines	0	0	0	0
Carried over beyond negotiated timelines	0	0	0	0

7.2 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	9	1	0	0	0	0	0	10
Disclose in part	3	1	2	0	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	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	12	2	2	0	0	0	0	16

7.3 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other organizations outside the Government of Canada

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	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Disclose in part	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
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	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Section 8: Completion time of consultations on Cabinet confidences

8.1 Requests with Legal Services

Number of days	Fewer than 100 pages processed		100-500 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

8.2 Requests with Privy Council Office

Number of days	Fewer than 100 pages processed		100-500 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 9: Investigations and Reports of finding

9.1 Investigations

Section 32 Notice of intention to investigate	Subsection 30(5) Ceased to investigate	Section 35 Formal representations
4	3	4

9.2 Investigations and Reports of finding

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
0	0	0	1	0	0

Section 10: Court Action

10.1 Court actions on complaints

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

11.1 Allocated Costs

Expenditures		Amount
Salaries		$147,055
Overtime		$0
Goods and services		$0
Professional services contracts	$0
Other	$0
Total		$147,055

11.2 Human Resources

Resources	Person years dedicated to Access to Information activities
Full-time employees	1.350
Part-time and casual employees	0.000
Regional staff	0.000
Consultants and agency personnel	0.000
Students	0.000
Total	1.350
Note: Enter values to three decimal places.