Letter to the President of the Treasury Board (January 2026)

January 13, 2026

The Honorable Shafqat Ali, P.C., M.P.
President of the Treasury Board
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Dear Minister:

I write to you for an update on the progress of the 2025 review of the Access to Information Act. This review was launched last June and, while I understand that significant work has been completed by your department, I am concerned about the relatively slow pace of advancement.

The 2025 review promises to “build on the conclusion of the 2020 review”, stating that:

Public trust in government is essential for a healthy and functioning democracy. Building and maintaining public trust requires that the government operate in a transparent, accountable and participatory manner. This is supported by a modern and effective federal access to information regime.

As I indicated in my letter of July 4, 2025, I was very pleased to read this as these views are directly aligned with my own.

Since assuming the role of Information Commissioner in 2018, I have observed that Canada’s access‑to‑information system has steadily deteriorated. It no longer fulfills its basic purpose, a decline underscored by the Treasury Board Secretariat’s most recent statistics.

With the House of Commons returning on January 26, I expect ETHI will turn its attention to this issue. I am also aware that a draft policy paper has been circulating within your department; a redacted version, obtained through an independent ATI request, was recently shared with my office. It is my hope that you will finalize this and any other documents relevant to the review so that they be released publicly, allowing me and other stakeholders to review and comment on the government’s proposals.

The ATI review must not become a justification for further secrecy. It must expand access, modernize the framework, and reinforce independent oversight. The public’s right to know is fundamental to our democracy, and any review must strengthen that right.

Canadians deserve a swift, results‑driven review that directly addresses the Act’s failures. I would welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss this further, as I intend to play an active role in ensuring the review delivers meaningful reform. I trust you will take the necessary steps to advance this work.

Yours respectfully,

Caroline Maynard
Information Commissioner of Canada

cc.: Bill Matthews, Secretary of the Treasury Board

Dominic Rochon, Chief Information Officer of Canada