Frequently asked questions
- How do I access information at the CRA?
- Is there a fee for Access to Information Act and Privacy Act requests?
- How long will it take to process my request?
- What is considered personal information?
- Will my identity be protected?
- How do I contact the Access to Information and Privacy Directorate?
- Is everything in the Canada Revenue Agency's holdings accessible?
- What if I am unsatisfied with how my request is processed?
1. How do I access information at the CRA?
Please see How to access information at the CRA.
2. Is there a fee for Access to Information Act and Privacy Act requests?
Privacy Act
There are no fees for requests under the Privacy Act.
Access to Information Act
A $5.00* processing fee applies to each request you make under the Access to Information Act. The processing fee includes the first five hours of search and preparation time and 125 photocopied pages. After that, a fee of $10.00 per hour can be assessed. In addition, there could be charges for photocopies ($0.20 per page), or other charges such as for computer processing time, as outlined in the Access to Information Regulations. We will notify you if extra fees are necessary. In some cases, we might need a deposit before we can begin to process your request. For more information about fees, see the Access to Information Regulations.
*Make your money order or cheque payable to the "Receiver General for Canada."
3. How long will it take to process my request?
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has 30 calendar days to respond to a formal request under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act. The Acts allow for time extensions. For Privacy Act requests, the longest extension allowed is an extra 30 calendar days. For Access to Information Act requests, an institution is allowed to have more time, especially if it will take a long time to find the information, if there are many records to search through, or if we need to consult with another institution or third party. The length of extensions can vary, but the CRA tries to reflect the amount of time needed to complete the work.
If an extension is needed, the CRA will contact you within 30 calendar days of receiving your request. You will receive a notice that identifies the type of extension the CRA is claiming and the length of the extension.
Note: Other factors, such as missing fees or an unclear description of the information being requested, can affect the time needed to respond to a formal request. Please go to How to access information at the CRA to ensure your request is complete to avoid delays.
4. What is considered personal information?
The Privacy Act defines personal information as any information about an identifiable individual that is recorded in any form. Some examples include:
- race, ethnic origin, religion, age, marital status
- education, medical, criminal, or employment history
- financial information
- identifying number or symbol (social insurance number, business number, personal record identifier)
- address (but not always; business card information is not personal)
- personal opinions or views of another person about the individual
- implicitly or explicitly private or confidential correspondence
- views or opinions of person A about person B are person B's personal information
- name of an individual when it reveals information about that individual
5. Will my identity be protected?
The Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Directorate will only share your personal information on a need-to-know basis. For example, if you ask for your own personal information, the ATIP Directorate will need to share your identity with the program area; otherwise, it would be impossible for the ATIP Directorate to get the information you requested.
6. How do I contact the Access to Information and Privacy Directorate?
Please see Contact the Access to Information and Privacy Directorate.
7. Is everything in the Canada Revenue Agency's holdings accessible?
Please see Is everything in the Canada Revenue Agency's (CRA) holdings accessible?
8. What if I am unsatisfied with how my request is processed?
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is fully committed to the letter, spirit, and timelines of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. However, processing delays are possible, especially if there has been an uncontrollable event, such as if the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Directorate receives more new requests than usual.
If you are dissatisfied with how the CRA processed a formal request, call the General Enquiries line of the ATIP Directorate or the toll-free number, and refer to your file number, to see if a resolution can be reached. You can also contact us by email. Please see Contact the Access to Information and Privacy Directorate.
The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act give you the right to submit a formal, written complaint to the appropriate oversight authority. Contact information for the oversight authorities is listed below.
Oversight Office for the Access to Information Act
Office of the Information Commissioner
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Québec K1A 1H3
Telephone: 1-800-267-0441 (Toll free)
Fax: 819-994-1768
http://www.oic-ci.gc.ca/eng/
Oversight Office for the Privacy Act
Office of the Privacy Commissioner
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Québec K1A 1H3
Telephone: 613-995-8210 (Ottawa area)
1-800-282-1376 (toll-free)
Phone: 819-994-5444
Fax: 819-994-5424
TTY: 819-994-6591
http://www.priv.gc.ca/
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