2014-2015 Appendix A: Facts and figures

Complaints registered, 2010–2011 to 2014–2015

Complaints registered, 2010–2011 to 2014–2015

Note: As of April 1, 2013, the Commissioner counts all miscellaneous complaints as refusal complaints. Previously, they had been classified as administrative complaints.

Text Version

The figure is a vertical bar chart showing the number of complaints that the Commissioner registered for the years 20102011 to 20142015. There are three categories each year: refusal complaints, administrative complaints and complaints related to Cabinet Confidences exclusions.

In 20102011, the Commissioner received 996 refusal complaints, 810 administrative complaints and 22 Cabinet Confidences complaints.

In 2011–2012, the Commissioner received 1,036 refusal complaints, 391 administrative complaints and 38 Cabinet Confidences complaints.

In 2012–2013, the Commissioner received 1,040 refusal complaints, 519 administrative complaints and 37 Cabinet confidences complaints.

In 2013–2014, the Commissioner received 1,219 refusal complaints, 801 administrative complaints and 61 Cabinet confidences complaints.

In 2014–2015, the Commissioner received 1,102 refusal complaints, 604 administrative complaints and 43 Cabinet confidences complaints.

In 2014–2015 the Commissioner received 604 administrative complaints (about delays, time extensions and fees), 43 Cabinet confidence refusal complaints and 1,102 refusal complaints (about the application of exemptions).

The ratio of administrative complaints to refusal complaints registered was 35:65.

New complaints by institution, 2010–2011 to 2014–2015Footnote 1

  2010–2011 2011–2012 2012–2013 2013–2014 2014–2015

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

84

66

109

305

246

Canada Revenue Agency

502

324

336

283

221

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

69

68

125

185

178

National Defence

68

74

72

119

118

Transport Canada

77

30

72

83

87

Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada

31

56

83

120

83

Canada Border Services Agency

29

36

63

106

78

Health Canada

81

49

37

48

65

Privy Council Office

57

36

52

48

54

VIA Rail Canada Inc.

2

7

7

2

54

Department of Justice Canada

30

47

24

51

44

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

183

71

45

61

37

Natural Resources Canada

5

12

21

38

35

Correctional Service Canada

82

65

57

56

33

Employment and Social Development Canada

26

25

20

37

33

Canada Post Corporation

41

46

8

10

30

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

22

8

15

20

27

Environment Canada

15

17

26

29

26

Public Works and Government Services Canada

88

45

35

28

26

Public Safety Canada

21

6

5

14

25

The chart above shows the 20 institutions that received the most complaints in 2014–2015. Many institutions appear on this list from year to year. For example, 2014–2015’s top three (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Canada Revenue Agency and Royal Canadian Mounted Police) were the same as in 2013–2014, although all three institutions received fewer complaints. Two institutions made their first appearance on the list in five years: VIA Rail Canada Inc. (due to its receiving a large number of complaints from one individual) and Public Safety Canada.

Turnaround times for complaint investigations, 2010–2011 to 2014–2015

Complaints closed within nine months from date of assignment

Complaints closed within nine months from date of assignment

Text Version

This bar chart shows the proportion of complaints that the Commissioner has closed within nine months after the date on which they were assigned to an investigator in fiscal years 2010–2011 to 2014–2015.

In 2010–2011, 85.3% of complaints were resolved within nine months (1,759 complaints).

In 2011–2012, 76.9% of complaints were resolved within nine months (1,149 complaints).

In 2012–2013, 76.8% of complaints were resolved within nine months (1,245 complaints).

In 2013–2014, 78.0% of complaints were resolved within nine months (1,395 complaints).

In 2014–2015, 78.6% of complaints were resolved within nine months (1,262 complaints).

In 2014–2015, the Commissioner closed more than three-quarters (79 percent) of complaints within nine months of being assigned to an investigator. However, given a shortage of staff, there is a gap of about five months (142 days) before a file can be assigned.

Administrative complaints closed within 90 days from date of assignment

Administrative complaints closed within 90 days from date of assignment

Text Version

This vertical bar chart shows the proportion of administrative complaints that the Commissioner closed within 90 days after the date on which they were assigned to an investigator during the years 2010–11 to 2014–2015.

In 2010–2011, 73.2% of administrative complaints were resolved within 90 days (638 complaints).

In 2011–2012, 49.0% of administrative complaints were resolved within 90 days (266 complaints).

In 2012–2013, 70.4% of administrative complaints were resolved within 90 days (336 complaints).

In 2013–2014, 68.4% of administrative complaints were resolved within 90 days (473 complaints).

In 2014–2015, 63.4% of administrative complaints were resolved within 90 days (396 complaints).

The Commissioner’s performance objective is to close 85 percent of administrative complaints within 90 days of their being assigned to an investigator. This rate is not always achievable, in part because of the difficulty in obtaining commitment dates and work plans from some institutions. In light of the Federal Court of Appeal’s March 2015 decision in Information Commissioner of Canada v. Minister of National Defence, 2015 FCA 56, the Commissioner will be taking a more stringent approach to the use of extensions. The Commissioner will issue an advisory notice in 2015–2016 on how she will implement the Court of Appeal’s decision when conducting investigations.

Priority and early resolution complaints closed within six months from date of assignment

Priority and early resolution complaints closed within six months from date of assignment

Text Version

This vertical bar chart shows the proportion of priority and early resolutions complaints that were closed within six months from their date of assignment during the years 2010–2011 to 2014–2015.

In 2010–2011, 74.6% of administrative complaints were resolved within six months (308 complaints).

In 2011–2012, 63.3% of administrative complaints were resolved within six months (202 complaints).

In 2012–2013, 64.3% of administrative complaints were resolved within six months (301 complaints).

In 2013–2014, 64.6% of administrative complaints were resolved within six months (261 complaints).

In 2014–2015, 58.0% of administrative complaints were resolved within six months (238 complaints).

The Commissioner’s performance objective is to close 75 percent of her priority and early resolution cases (refusal investigations) within six months from the date they are assigned to an investigator. In 2014–2015, she closed 58 percent of these files in this time frame. This difference from the previous year was due, in part, to a number of more complex investigations (as described in Chapter 1) that required the dedicated attention of a number of investigators.

Complaints closed in 2014–2015

  Overall Well-founded Not well-founded Settled Discontinued

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

285

156

39

60

30

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

148

54

32

12

50

Canada Border Services Agency

110

34

10

52

14

National Defence

110

32

20

35

23

Canada Revenue Agency

104

65

8

6

25

Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada

71

20

1

24

26

Transport Canada

61

30

16

0

15

Correctional Service Canada

53

16

11

2

24

Privy Council Office

52

17

2

9

24

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

41

14

15

9

3

VIA Rail Canada Inc.

40

1

36

3

0

Health Canada

38

20

7

4

7

Employment and Social Development Canada

37

21

2

3

11

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

33

19

1

5

8

Department of Justice Canada

33

4

4

13

12

Industry Canada

32

7

1

2

22

Natural Resources Canada

30

19

3

1

7

Environment Canada

30

10

3

9

8

Public Works and Government Services Canada

26

10

8

2

6

Public Safety Canada

20

6

7

1

6

Others (61 institutions)

251

88

44

24

95

TotalFootnote 2

1,605

643

270

276

416

This chart lists the 20 institutions about which the Commissioner completed the most complaints in 2014–2015.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Institutions are listed by the number of complaints the Commissioner received about them in 2014–2015. The figures for each year include any complaints initiated by the Commissioner under subsection 30(3) of the Access to Information Act (11 in 2014–2015).

This chart contains real numbers only and does not reflect the proportion of complaints as compared to the number of requests.

Return to footnote referrer

Footnote 2

The total number of complaints closed includes any that had been initiated by the Commissioner under subsection 30(3) of the Access to Information Act (15 in 2014–2015).

Return to first footnote referrer

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