2018–2019 Annual Report on the Administration of the Access to Information Act

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• About the OIC
  • Access to information activities at the OIC
  • Information Commissioner Ad Hoc
• 2018–19 Statistics and trends
  • Workload
  • Timeliness
  • Disclosure
  • Exemptions claimed, 2018-19
  • Complaints
• Appendix A: Delegation Order, Access to Information Act
• Appendix B: Delegation Order, Information Commissioner Ad Hoc
• Appendix C: 2018-19 Statistical Report

About the OIC

The Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) was established in 1983 under the Access to Information Act to support the mandate of the Information Commissioner of Canada.

OIC staff carry out confidential investigations into complaints about federal institutions’ handling of access requests, giving both complainants and institutions the opportunity to present their positions.

The OIC strives to maximize compliance with the Act, using the full range of tools, activities and powers at the Commissioner’s disposal. These include negotiating with complainants and institutions without the need for formal investigations, making formal recommendations to resolve matters at the conclusion of investigations, and bringing cases to the Federal Court to ensure the Act is properly applied and interpreted.

The OIC supports the Information Commissioner in her advisory role to Parliament and parliamentary committees on all matters pertaining to access to information.

The OIC also raises awareness regarding the right of access in Canada through targeted initiatives such as Right to Know Week and ongoing dialogue with Canadians, Parliament and federal institutions.

The Commissioner is supported by three deputy commissioners and a staff complement of approximately 90 employees. The three deputy commissioners include:

• Deputy Commissioner, Investigations and Governance
• Deputy Commissioner, Legal Services and Public Affairs
• Deputy Commissioner, Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services

The Access to Information and Privacy Secretariat is part of Legal Services and Public Affairs branch.

Access to information activities at the OIC

The OIC has a small team of specialists who carry out the organization’s access to information and privacy (ATIP) activities. In 2018–19, the ATIP Secretariat was comprised of the ATIP Manager (full-time) supported by a full-time ATIP Officer and a part-time student.

Secretariat staff process requests, provide ongoing training on access and privacy matters to staff, and develop and implement policies and procedures. No new policies, guidelines, procedures or initiatives were implemented during the reporting period.

In 2018-19, the Secretariat held no formal training sessions for employees. There were informal training sessions on an ad hoc basis with new employees as the OIC was working on renewing its suite of training tools and activities. This program will be rolled out early in 2019-20.

Since March 2016, the Secretariat publishes A-Tips, a regular series of tips and reminders posted on the OIC intranet to remind employees about their access to information and privacy responsibilities. These posts are rotated on a biweekly basis to ensure awareness of obligations imposed by the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, as well as to provide best practices and other helpful information. The purpose of this initiative is to keep ATIP issues top of mind for all staff.

Weekly status reports are shared with senior management for information purposes. File status is monitored on an ongoing basis by all members of the ATIP team.

The ATIP Manager and the Deputy Commissioner of Legal Services and Public Affairs hold full delegated authority under the Act. A copy of the delegation order is included in Appendix A of this report.

Information Commissioner Ad Hoc

Requesters who are of the view that the OIC has improperly handled their access request are entitled to file a complaint. To prevent any conflict of interest and to ensure the integrity of the complaint process, the Information Commissioner Ad Hoc investigates complaints regarding access requests submitted to the OIC.

Anne Bertrand was appointed as Commissioner Ad Hoc on June 1, 2018. The Commissioner Ad Hochas the same powers and obligations as the Information Commissioner with respect to conducting investigations and making recommendations. Appendix B contains the delegation orders that were in effect for Ms. Bertrand in 2018-19.

2018–19 Statistics and Trends

Appendix C contains the OIC’s statistical report on the Access to Information Act for 2018–19. The following sets out some highlights from that report, along with notable trends related to workload, timeliness and disclosure over the years the OIC has been subject to the Act.

Workload

The OIC received 62 new requests in 2018-19. This represents a 22% increase from the 51 requests received in 2017-18. There was one request carried over from 2017-18, and three requests have been carried over to 2019-20.

As Figure 1 shows, the annual volume of requests has fluctuated over the past five years. There was a surge in 2015-16, followed by a drop in 2016-17. The year 2018-19 represents an increase of 22% from the previous year.

Figure 1: New requests, 2014–15 to 2018-19

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This bar graph shows the number of new requests the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) received each year between 2014–2015 and 2018-2019, as follows:

• In 2014–2015, the OIC received 89 requests.
• In 2015–2016, the OIC received 120 requests.
• In 2016–2017, the OIC received 85 requests.
• In 2017–2018, the OIC received 51 requests.
• In 2018–2019, the OIC received 62 requests.

Over the years, statistics have indicated that the OIC receives the majority of requests from the public. With the exception of the first two years the organization was subject to the Act, individual members of the public have always been the most frequent requesters, accounting for 55% or more of new requests each year. In both 2007–08 and 2008–09, businesses were the source of most requests.

In 2018-19, the greatest portion of the new requests in 2018-19 were from members of the public (63%). Members of the media or businesses submitted nearly all the remaining requests.

Figure 2: Number of pages processed, 2014–15 to 2018-19

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This fever chart shows the number of pages the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) processed for the requests it completed each year from 2014–2015 to 2018–2019, as follows:

• In 2014–2015, the OIC processed 36,457 pages.
• In 2015–2016, the OIC processed 43,327 pages.
• In 2016–2017, the OIC processed 17,460 pages.
• In 2017–2018, the OIC processed 12,295 pages.
• In 2018–2019, the OIC processed 25,249 pages.

In 2018-19, the OIC processed 25,249 pages. This represents a 105% increase from 2017‑18 and the highest number of pages processed by the OIC since 2015-16.

In terms of complexity, six requests – or 10% – of completed requests in 2018-19 required ATIP staff to process more than 1,000 pages per request. This is a 4% increase from the results of 2017-18.

In addition to formal access requests, the OIC receives informal requests each year. These are often requests for records that had been previously released. The OIC responded to 6 such requests in 2018-19, processing a total of 5,069 pages. This is in addition to the 25,249 pages treated in response to formal requests.

The final component of the OIC’s access request-related workload is consultations—that is, when other institutions seek the OIC’s input on requests they have received that touch on the OIC’s business or involve its records. Institutions generally ask for recommendations on whether any information should be exempted from release. The OIC’s general practice is to not provide recommendations on the application of exemptions in response to consultation requests. This is because the Commissioner could later be required to investigate complaints about the institution’s use of those provisions of the Act to withhold information. Not making recommendations allows the Commissioner to maintain impartiality and avoid conflicts of interest.

The OIC nonetheless received 14 requests for consultations in 2018-19. This represents a slight decrease from the 16 such requests in 2017–18.

Timeliness

A hallmark of exemplary service to requesters is timeliness. Indeed, responding to access requests as promptly as possible underpins the entire access system.

Figure 3: Completion time for access requests, 2018-19

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This pie chart sets out the time it took the Office of the Information Commissioner to complete 62 requests in 2018-2019. The Office of the Information Commissioner completed 40 percent of these requests in 15 days or less; 50 percent in 16 to 30 days; 5 percent in 31 to 60 days; and 5 percent in 61 to 120 days.

The Access to Information Act sets 30 days as the timeframe within which institutions should respond to requests. When institutions determine that they will be unable to complete a request in 30 days, they may take a time extension. In keeping with the principle of timeliness, the OIC strives to make these extensions as short as possible.

Of the 60 requests the OIC closed in 2018-19, 90% were completed in less than 30 days (Figure 3), 40% in 15 days or less and 50% in 16 to 30 days.

In 2018-19, the OIC took seven time extensions to respond to requests. Three of these were for less than 30 days, and four were for 31 to 60 days. Six of the seven extensions taken were for consultations with other organisations.

The OIC completed all 60 requests in 2018-19 before their deadline (either 30 days or the extended date), such that the OIC had no “deemed refusals.”^{Footnote 1}

Figure 4: Average completion time for requests, 2014–15 to 2018-19

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This fever chart shows the average time the Office of the Information Commissioner took to complete requests each year from 2014–2015 to 2018–2019, as follows:

• 19 days (2014–2015);
• 16.56 days (2015–2016);
• 13.9 days (2016–2017);
• 18.1 days (2017–2018);
• and 22.6 days (2018–2019).

Another measure of timeliness is the average time it takes to complete a request.

The OIC’s average completion time for requests for 2018-19 was 22.6 days. This is well below the 30-day time limit set out in the Act.

As Figure 4 shows, in the last five years, the OIC has consistently achieved an average completion time of less than 30 days.

Disclosure

The purpose of the Access to Information Act is to protect the right to access records under the control of government institutions, while ensuring that the use of any exemptions and exclusions is limited and specific. In line with this purpose, the OIC seeks to release as much information as possible to requesters and withhold only what the law requires.

Disposition of completed requests, 2018–19

*The percentages total slightly more than 100 due to rounding.

In 2018-19, the OIC disclosed all the records in response to 17 requests (28% of the 60 files completed, a 6% increase from 2017-18). These included requests for annual statistics, lists of briefing notes and routine procurement records.

The OIC released part of the information requested for 26 of 60 files (43%). In many of these cases, the requests were related to investigations. The OIC cannot release any investigation records before an investigation is complete and the complaint closed, and only some afterwards, as set out in section 16.1 of the Act. Figure 5 provides a five year trend.

Figure 5: Disclosure of records, 2014–15 to 2018-19

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This bar chart shows the percentage of requests the Office of the Information Commissioner completed between 2014–2015 and 2018–2019 for which all records were disclosed and for which records were disclosed in part, as follows:

• 2014–2015: 16 percent all disclosed; 57 percent disclosed in part.
• 2015–2016: 22 percent all disclosed; 54 percent disclosed in part.
• 2016–2017: 29 percent all disclosed; 46 percent disclosed in part.
• 2017–2018: 22 percent all disclosed; 39 percent disclosed in part.
• 2018–2019: 28 percent all disclosed; 43 percent disclosed in part.

In 2018-19, the OIC received 10 new requests where no records were found. This represents 17% of the total request volume, which is consistent with the proportion seen in 2017-18.

Exemptions Claimed, 2018-19

The OIC claimed 10 different exemptions and 1 exclusion to sever information when responding to requests in 2018-19 throughout the 29 files where information was redacted.

Paragraph 16.1(1)(c) of the Act, which specifically exempts records associated with the OIC’s investigations, was invoked in 15 of the 29 files where information was withheld. This is a mandatory exemption.

Unlike previous years however, paragraph 16.1(1)(c) was the OIC’s second-most used exemption during this reporting period. Subsection 19(1) which requires the severance of personal information was the most commonly claimed exemption, having been invoked in 19 of 29 files. This is also a mandatory exemption.

The Act also excludes certain information, such as Cabinet confidences (section 69). This exclusion was invoked in one request in 2018-19.

Complaints

In 2018-19, the Information Commissioner Ad Hoc did not receive any complaints about the OIC’s handling of access requests.

The annual report of the Information Commissioner Ad Hoc will be published along with the Commissioner’s annual report.

Appendix A: Delegation Order, Access to Information Act

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Arrêté de délégation en vertu de la Loi sur l’accès à l’informationet de la Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels

Delegation orders for the purpose of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

En vertu de l’article 73 de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information et de la Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels, la Commissaire à l’information du Canada délègue aux titulaires des postes mentionnés à l’annexe ci-après, ainsi qu’aux personnes occupant à titre intérimaire lesdits postes, les attributions dont elle est investie en qualité de responsable d’une institution fédérale, c’est-à-dire le Commissariat à l’information du Canada.  Le présent arrêté de délégation annule et remplace tout arrêté antérieur fait en vertu de l’article 73.

Cet arrêté de délégation prend effet le 14 novembre 2016.

Daté, à la ville de Gatineau, ce 14 jour de novembre 2016

Original signé par

The Information Commissioner of Canada, pursuant to Section 73 of the Access to Information Act and of the Privacy 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 and functions of the Information Commissioner of Canada as the head of a government institution that is, the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada. This Delegation Order supersedes all previous Delegation Orders pursuant to section 73.

This delegation order is effective on November 14, 2016

Dated, at the City of Gatineau, this 14 day of November 2016

Original signed by

______________________________________________

Suzanne Legault

Commissaire à l’information du Canada

Information Commissioner of Canada

Text version

Annexe / Schedule
Position / Poste	Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnelset règlement / Privacy Actand Regulations	Loi sur l’accès à l’informationet règlement / Access to Information Actand Regulations
Avocat général / General Counsel	Autorité Absolue / Full Authority	Autorité Absolue / Full Authority
Gestionnaire, Accès à l’information et protection des renseignements personnels / Manager, Access to Information and Privacy	Autorité Absolue / Full Authority	Autorité Absolue / Full Authority
Agent de l’AIPRP / ATIP Officer	Articles de la Loi / Sections of the Act : 15, 17(2)(b) Articles du Règlement / Sections of the Regulations : 9, 11(2), 11(4), 13(1), 14	Articles de la loi / Sections of the Act : 4(2.1), 8(1), 9, 11(2), 11(3), 11(4), 11(5), 11(6), 12(2), 12(3), 27(1), 27(4), 29(1). Articles du Règlement / Sections of the Regulations : 6(1), 7(2), 7(3), 8, 8.1

Text version

Arrêté de délégation en vertu de la Loi sur l’accès à l’informationet de la Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels

Delegation orders for the purpose of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

En vertu de l’article 73 de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information et de la Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels, la Commissaire à l’information du Canada délègue aux titulaires des postes mentionnés à l’annexe ci-après, ainsi qu’aux personnes occupant à titre intérimaire lesdits postes, les attributions dont elle est investie en qualité de responsable d’une institution fédérale, c’est-à-dire le Commissariat à l’information du Canada.  Le présent arrêté de délégation annule et remplace tout arrêté antérieur fait en vertu de l’article 73.

Cet arrêté de délégation prend effet le 22 mai 2018.

Daté, à la ville de Gatineau, ce 22 jour de mai 2018

Original signé par

The Information Commissioner of Canada, pursuant to Section 73 of the Access to Information Act and of the Privacy 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 and functions of the Information Commissioner of Canada as the head of a government institution that is, the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada. This Delegation Order supersedes all previous Delegation Orders pursuant to section 73.

This delegation order is effective on May 22, 2018

Dated, at the City of Gatineau, this 22 day of May 2018

Original signed by

______________________________________________

Caroline Maynard

Commissaire à l’information du Canada

Information Commissioner of Canada

Text version

Annexe / Schedule
Position / Poste	Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnelset règlement / Privacy Actand Regulations	Loi sur l’accès à l’informationet règlement.Access to Information Actand Regulations
Deputy Commissioner, Legal Services and Public Affairs/ Sous commissaire, Services juridiques et Affaires publiques	Autorité Absolue / Full Authority	Autorité Absolue / Full Authority
Gestionnaire, Accès à l’information et protection des renseignements personnels / Manager, Access to Information and Privacy	Autorité Absolue / Full Authority	Autorité Absolue / Full Authority
Agent de l’AIPRP / ATIP Officer	Articles de la Loi / Sections of the Act : aucune délégation  no delegation Articles du Règlement / Sections of the Regulations : 11(2), 11(4)	Articles de la loi / Sections of the Act : 4(2.1), 8(1), 11(6), 27(1), 27(4). Articles du Règlement / Sections of the Regulations : 6(1)

Appendix B: Delegation Order, Information Commissioner Ad Hoc

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Information Commissioner’s Delegation of authority to the Commissioner ad hoc pursuant to section 59 of the Access to Information Act

Délégation du Commissaire à l’information des pouvoirs et fonctions au Commissaire ad hoc en vertu des dispositions de l’article 59 de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information

Pursuant to subsection 59(1) of the Access to Information Act (the “Act”), the Information Commissioner of Canada duly appointed pursuant to section 54 of the Access to Information Act, does hereby authorize David Loukidelis, as Commissioner ad hoc, to exercise or perform all of the powers, duties and functions of the Information Commissioner set out in the Access to Information Act, including sections 30 to 37 and section 42 inclusive of the Access to Information Act,  for the purpose of receiving and independently investigate any complaint described in section 30 of the Access to Information Act arising in response to access requests made in accordance with the Act to the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada.	En vertu des dispositions de l’article 59(1) de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information, le Commissaire à l’information du Canada, nommé selon l’article 54 de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information, délègue à David Loukidelis à titre de Commissaire ad hoc, tous les pouvoirs et fonctions qui lui sont conférés par la Loi sur l’accès à  l’information, incluant les articles 30 à 37 et l’article 42 de la Loi afin de recevoir et de faire enquête de façon indépendante au sujet de toute plainte énumérée à l’article 30 de la Loi provenant des réponses aux demandes de communication faites au Commissariat à l’information du Canada en vertu de la Loi.
This delegation is effective November 3, 2015 until such time as it is revoked, amended or renewed.	Cette délégation prendra effet le 3 novembre 2015 jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit révoquée, modifiée ou renouvelée.
Dated at Gatineau, this 29 day of October 2015.	Signée à Gatineau, le 29 octobre 2015.
Original signed by	Original signé par

______________________________

Suzanne Legault

Information Commissioner of Canada

Commissaire à l’information du Canada

Text version

Délégation du Commissaire à l’information des pouvoirs et fonctions au Commissaire ad hoc en vertu des dispositions de l’article 59 de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information

Information Commissioner’s Delegation of authority to the Commissioner ad hoc pursuant to section 59 of the Access to Information Act

En vertu des dispositions de l’article 59(1) de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information, le Commissaire à l’information du Canada, nommé selon l’article 54 de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information, délègue à Anne E. Bertrand à titre de Commissaire ad hoc, tous les pouvoirs et fonctions qui lui sont conférés par la Loi sur l’accès à  l’information, incluant les articles 30 à 37 et l’article 42 de la Loi afin de recevoir et de faire enquête de façon indépendante au sujet de toute plainte énumérée à l’article 30 de la Loi provenant des réponses aux demandes de communication faites au Commissariat à l’information du Canada en vertu de la Loi.	Pursuant to subsection 59(1) of the Access to Information Act (the “Act”), the Information Commissioner of Canada duly appointed pursuant to section 54 of the Access to Information Act, does hereby authorize David Loukidelis, as Commissioner ad hoc, to exercise or perform all of the powers, duties and functions of the Information Commissioner set out in the Access to Information Act, including sections 30 to 37 and section 42 inclusive of the Access to Information Act,  for the purpose of receiving and independently investigate any complaint described in section 30 of the Access to Information Act arising in response to access requests made in accordance with the Act to the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada.
Cette délégation prendra effet le 1er juin 2018 jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit révoquée, modifiée ou renouvelée.	This delegation is effective June 1, 2018 until such time as it is revoked, amended or renewed.
Signée à Gatineau, le 16 jour du mois de mai 2018	Dated at Gatineau, 16 day of May, 2018
Original signé par	Original signed by

______________________________

Caroline Maynard

Commissaire à l’information du Canada

Information Commissioner of Canada

Text version

Délégation du Commissaire à l’information des pouvoirs et fonctions au Commissaire ad hoc en vertu des dispositions de l’article 59 de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information

Information Commissioner’s Delegation of authority to the Commissioner ad hoc pursuant to section 59 of the Access to Information Act

En vertu des dispositions de l’article 59(1) de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information, le Commissaire à l’information du Canada, nommé selon l’article 54 de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information, délègue à Anne E. Bertrand à titre de Commissaire ad hoc, tous les pouvoirs et fonctions qui lui sont conférés par la Loi sur l’accès à  l’information, incluant les articles 30 à 37 et l’article 42 de la Loi afin de recevoir et de faire enquête de façon indépendante au sujet de toute plainte énumérée à l’article 30 de la Loi provenant des réponses aux demandes de communication faites au Commissariat à l’information du Canada en vertu de la Loi.	Pursuant to subsection 59(1) of the Access to Information Act (the “Act”), the Information Commissioner of Canada duly appointed pursuant to section 54 of the Access to Information Act, does hereby authorize David Loukidelis, as Commissioner ad hoc, to exercise or perform all of the powers, duties and functions of the Information Commissioner set out in the Access to Information Act, including sections 30 to 37 and section 42 inclusive of the Access to Information Act,  for the purpose of receiving and independently investigate any complaint described in section 30 of the Access to Information Act arising in response to access requests made in accordance with the Act to the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada.
Cette délégation prendra effet le 6 septembre 2018 jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit révoquée, modifiée ou renouvelée.	This delegation is effective September 6, 2018 until such time as it is revoked, amended or renewed.
Signée à Gatineau, le 6 jour du mois de septembre 2018	Dated at Gatineau, 6 day of September, 2018
Original signé par	Original signed by

______________________________

Caroline Maynard

Commissaire à l’information du Canada

Information Commissioner of Canada

Appendix C: 2018-19 Statistical Report

Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act

Name of institution: Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

Reporting period: 2018-04-01 to 2019-03-31

Part 1: Requests Under the Access to Information Act

1.1  Number of Requests

1.2  Sources of Requests

1.3  Informal Requests

Note: All Requests previously recorded as “treated informally” will now be accounted for in this section only.

Part 2: Requests Closed During the Reporting Period

2.1  Disposition and Completion Time

2.2  Exemptions

* I.A.:  International Affairs       Def.:  Defence of Canada       S.A.:  Subversive Activities

2.3  Exclusions

2.4  Format of Information Released

2.5  Complexity

2.5.1  Relevant pages processed and disclosed

2.5.2  Relevant pages processed and disclosed by size of requests

2.5.3  Other Complexities

2.6  Deemed Refusals

2.6.1  Reasons for not meeting statutory deadline

2.6.2  Number of days past deadline

2.7  Requests for Translation

Part 3: Extensions

3.1  Reasons for Extensions and Disposition of Requests

3.2 Length of Extensions

Part 4: Fees

Part 5: Consultations Received From Other Institutions and Organizations

5.1  Consultations Received From Other Government of Canada Institutions and Organizations

5.2  Recommendations and Completion Time for Consultations Received From Other Government of Canada Institutions

5.3  Recommendations and Completion Time for Consultations Received From Other Organizations

Part 6: Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences

6.1  Requests with Legal Services

6.2 Requests with Privy Council Office

Part 7: Complaints and Investigations

Part 8: Court Action

Part 9: Resources Related to the Access to Information Act

9.1 Costs

9.2 Human Resources

Note: Enter values to two decimal places.