Decisions

The Information Commissioner publishes the final reports on her investigations on this website when she deems them to be of value in providing guidance to both institutions and complainants.

The Office of the Information Commissioner has established the Decisions Database to enable users to search final reports and other decisions, which outline the reasons and principles behind the Commissioner’s decisions and filter them using a number of criteria.

This database is updated regularly and continues to grow as more final reports, decisions and orders are added. The dates indicated refer to the date on which the decision was rendered.

Institutions are legally obliged to abide by an order from the Commissioner unless they apply to the Federal Court for a review of the matter that is the subject of the order. The Access to Information Act does not provide any other alternative to complying with the order. 

To learn more about the Information Commissioner’s orders, please visit our Frequently asked questions.

Other Corporate publications are available on the website.

Filters
Decision Type

904 decisions found

Nov 29
2024

Transport Canada, 5824-00782

Institution
Transport Canada
Section of the Act
7
Decision Type
Delay in responding to a request
Order
Institution file #
A-2024-00006 / KB
Did the institution give notice it would implement the order?
Yes
Summary
Orders: • issue interim releases for documents not requiring consultation and for which the review has been completed; • provide a complete response to the access request no later than February 6, 2025. Recommendations: • develop processes and procedures to ensure that Transport Canada’s OPIs will abide by their responsibilities and provide responses to the ATIP office in a timely manner; and • develop performance indicators to hold its officials accountable for delays in providing responsive records to Transport Canada’s ATIP Office.
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Nov 29
2024

Canada Revenue Agency, 5823-04793

Institution
Canada Revenue Agency
Section of the Act
7
Decision Type
Delay in responding to a request
Order
Institution file #
A-2022-153823
Did the institution give notice it would implement the order?
Yes
Summary
Order: provide a complete response to the access request no later than April 7, 2025.
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Nov 28
2024

Library and Archives Canada (Re), 2024 OIC 76

Institution
Library and Archives Canada
Section of the Act
13(1)
15(1)
16(1)(c)
23
Decision Type
Final report
Summary

The complainant alleged that Library and Archives Canada (LAC) had improperly withheld information under subsection 13(1) (confidential information from government bodies), subsection 15(1) (international affairs, defence), paragraph 16(1)(c) (law enforcement or conduct of investigations) and section 23 (legal advice and litigation privilege) of the Access to Information Act in response to an access request for the unredacted copy of the “Nazi war criminals in Canada: The historical and policy setting from the 1940s to the present – prepared for the commission of inquiry on war criminals by Alti Rodal: September 1986” (the Rodal report). The allegation falls within paragraph 30(1)(a) of the Act. LAC could not show that it met all the requirements of these exemptions. During the investigation, LAC provided a supplementary response to the request, disclosing most of the previously withheld information. In this disclosure, LAC entirely ceased its reliance on paragraph 16(1)(c) and section 23. LAC considered all relevant factors when it decided not to disclose the remainder of the withheld information.

The complaint is well founded.

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Nov 28
2024

National Defence, 5824-00397

Institution
National Defence
Section of the Act
7
Decision Type
Delay in responding to a request
Order
Institution file #
A-2023-02073
Summary
Order: provide a complete response to the access request no later than December 30, 2024.
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Nov 28
2024

Canada Revenue Agency, 5823-03724

Institution
Canada Revenue Agency
Section of the Act
7
Decision Type
Delay in responding to a request
Order
Institution file #
A-2023-172032
Did the institution give notice it would implement the order?
Yes
Summary
Order: provide a complete response to the access request no later than the 36th business day following receipt of my report.
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Nov 27
2024

Indigenous Services Canada, 5823-04741

Institution
Indigenous Services Canada
Section of the Act
7
Decision Type
Delay in responding to a request
Order
Institution file #
A-2023-00225
Did the institution give notice it would implement the order?
Yes
Summary
Order: provide a complete response to the access request by no later than the 36th business day following receipt of the final report.
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Nov 27
2024

Health Canada (Re), 2024 OIC 75

Institution
Health Canada
Section of the Act
20(1)(b)
21
Decision Type
Final report
Summary

The complainant alleged that Health Canada had improperly withheld information under paragraph 20(1)(b) (confidential third-party financial, commercial, scientific or technical information), 20(1)(c) (financial impact on a third party) and 21(1)(b) (accounts of consultations or deliberations) of the Access to Information Act in response to an access request for records related to Tetra Tech, including peer reviewer comments. This allegation falls under paragraph 30(1)(a) of the Act. Health Canada could not show that it met all the requirements of these exemptions - in particular, that the information was not publicly available, that it was objectively confidential, or that all of the information was provided by the third party, or that there was a real risk of competitive harm to the third party by the release of the information.  Health Canada did reasonably exercise its discretion to decide not to disclose information withheld under paragraph 21(1)(b). The Information Commissioner ordered that Health Canada disclose information withheld under paragraph 20(1)(b).

Health Canada gave notice to the Commissioner that it would implement the order.

The complaint is well founded.

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Nov 25
2024

Department of Finance Canada, 5824-01490

Section of the Act
7
Decision Type
Delay in responding to a request
Order
Institution file #
A-2024-00215
Did the institution give notice it would implement the order?
Yes
Summary
Order: provide a complete response to the access request no later than 60 business days following receipt of my final report.
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Nov 22
2024

Global Affairs Canada, 5824-00267

Institution
Global Affairs Canada
Section of the Act
7
Decision Type
Delay in responding to a request
Order
Institution file #
A-2023-02398
Did the institution give notice it would implement the order?
Yes
Summary
Order: provide a complete response to the access request no later than 36 business days following the date of the final report.
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Nov 21
2024

National Defence, 5824-00689

Institution
National Defence
Section of the Act
7
Decision Type
Delay in responding to a request
Order
Institution file #
A-2024-00066
Summary
Order: provide a complete response to the access request no later than 36 business days following the date of this report.
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