Key messages

May 16, 2022

Funding

In order to adequately respond to the increasing number of complaints (70% increase), the OIC will be pursuing additional permanent funding.
In order to close a record number of complaints last year, we have had to take exceptional measures that are not sustainable over the long term.
The longer-term trend is clear: more ATI requests and more complaints every year.
In spite of our best efforts, our inventory continues to grow.
Additional resources are needed if we are to continue to reduce the number of complaints in our inventory, while ensuring that new complaints are dealt with in a timely manner.

COVID-19 continues to be used as an excuse for poor performance in the area of access to information. This is not acceptable. Institutions must live up to their legislative obligations.
There is no need to wait for legislative change to take action, especially considering that the review of the Act the Government was required by law to launch in 2020 has not yet concluded.

Aside from bringing to light numerous issues specific to Library and Archives Canada, my most recent systemic investigation also drew attention to two of the broader challenges facing Canada’s access to information system:
- the manner in which consultations on access requests are conducted between institutions; and;
- the lack of a Government-wide framework for the declassification of records

Complaint activity in 2021-22
	Active complaints as of April 1, 2021	Complaints registered between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022	Total	Complaints registered before April 1, 2021	Complaints registered between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022	Total	Well founded	Not well founded	Resolved	Discontinued	Cease to investigate	Total
	Active complaints in 2021-22			Investigations completed in 2021-22			Outcome
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada	846	4199	5045	765	3616	4381	185	26	4101	69	0	4381
Canada Border Services Agency	184	789	973	77	241	318	57	17	232	12	0	318
Royal Canadian Mounted Police	258	458	716	164	198	362	105	45	181	31	0	362
Canada Revenue Agency	452	154	606	333	54	387	59	256	41	30	1	387
Privy Council Office	241	110	351	72	42	114	42	12	18	42	0	114
Library and Archives Canada	221	90	311	27	18	45	20	3	19	3	0	45
National Defence	173	69	242	97	34	131	68	25	16	22	0	131
Justice	152	61	213	101	14	115	32	14	6	63	0	115
Correctional Services Canada	98	93	191	64	30	94	40	9	32	13	0	94
Global Affairs Canada	114	72	186	55	19	74	46	6	18	4	0	74

The OIC recorded 70% more complaints in 2021-22 compared to the previous year.
- As of March 31, 2022 (FY 2021-22), the OIC had registered 6,947 complaints (83% administrative vs 17% refusal).
- In comparison, in fiscal year 2020-21, the OIC registered 4,068 complaints and in 2019-20, 6,172 complaints.
2022-23 could also be a record year in terms of complaints submitted to the OIC. As of May 10, 2022, we had:
- 1047 registered complaints. 943 (90%) were administrative and 104 (10%) were refusals.
- In comparison, by this date, we had registered 415 complaints in 2021 and 498 in 2020.
- Over 1047 complaints so far (compared to 415 this time last year), if we continue on this trend, we will see well over 7K this year (2022-23).
In 2021-22, we closed 6,785 complaints (67% more than in 2020-21):

This is well above the 4400 files we closed, based on our current funding.
It appears, in part, to be attributable to a growing interest in government decisions made during the pandemic, on such topics as vaccinations and government assistance programs to business and individuals.