Archived: 2013-2014 report: Access to Information Act, Environment Canada
- Introduction
- 1. Organizational Structure
- 2. Delegation Order
- 3. Interpretation of the Statistical Report
- 4. Training Activities
- 5. Policies, Guidelines, Procedures and Initiative
- 6. Complaints, Investigations and Federal Court Cases
- 7. Appendix A: Statistical Report
- 8. Appendix B: Designation Order Instrument
Introduction
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The Access to Information Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1) came into force on July 1, 1983. The Act grants Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and persons residing in Canada the right to access information in records held by the federal government, except for types of information falling under the exemptions or exclusions. Section 72 of the Act requires every head of a federal government institution to submit a report to Parliament on the administration of the Act within their institution during the fiscal year.
This report is submitted in accordance with section 72 of the Act. It presents an overview of access to information activities carried out within Environment Canada during the reporting period April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014. Further, since the Canada Emission Reduction Incentives Agency was not operational during this reporting period, an Agency report will not be prepared for this period.
The Department of the Environment was established by the Government Reorganization Act (1970-71-72, c. 42) on June 10, 1971. A number of acts and regulations provide the Department with its mandate and allow it to carry out its programs. Under the Department of the Environment Act, the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of the Environment extend to and include matters relating to:
- the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment, including water, air and soil quality;
- renewable resources, including migratory birds and other non-domestic flora and fauna;
- water;
- meteorology;
- the enforcement of any rules or regulations made by the International Joint Commission relating to boundary waters; and
- the coordination of the policies and programs of the Government of Canada respecting the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment.
Organizational Structure
The Director General of the Corporate Secretariat is Environment Canada’s Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator, and has delegated authority on all matters concerning Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP). The ATIP Secretariat, which is a part of the Corporate Secretariat, is the central coordinating body for all requests received by Environment Canada under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
The ATIP Secretariat directs all activities within Environment Canada relating to the administration, application and promotion of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. It provides advice to senior management on the implementation of the statutes and prepares reports to Parliament, the Treasury Board Secretariat and senior management. The ATIP Secretariat represents the Department in complaints and investigations conducted by the Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and in any Federal Court applications arising from ATIP matters.
In 2013-2014, Environment Canada began designing and implementing a new Access to Information and Privacy organizational structure in order to improve capacity and meet future needs. This work will conclude in 2014-2015.
Capacity Development
Environment Canada remains committed to recruiting, training and maintaining a workforce that possesses specialized skills and that will continue to provide the best possible service to both internal and external clients.
Environment Canada is continuing to focus on developing capacity through its ATIP Professional Development Program. The program aims to train employees over a period of three to five years through a combination of competency-based training, professional development training and work assignments. Candidates enter the program at the PM-01 or PM-02 level and graduate as Senior ATIP Advisors at the PM-04 level. Current participants are progressing through the program with additional recruitment planned.
The Professional Development Program is enabling the ATIP Secretariat to better manage increasing workloads while facilitating succession planning through the transfer of corporate memory. The program also encourages staff to remain with the Department for a longer period of time.
In addition, Environment Canada’s ATIP Secretariat engaged in a number of staffing activities throughout the year in an effort to maintain the Department’s capacity in the face of increasing workloads.
Delegation Order
Decision-making responsibility for the application of the various provisions of the Access to Information Act has been formally established and is outlined in the departmental Delegation of Authority Instrument. The current Designation Order was approved by the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, on September 17, 2013. A copy of the designation order as well as the specific delegation notes pertaining to the Access to Information Act are in Appendix B of this report.
Interpretation of the Statistical Report
Environment Canada’s Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act is included in Appendix A of this report.
Between April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014, Environment Canada received 1459 requests under the Access to Information Act. There were 188 requests carried forward from the 2012–2013 reporting period, for a total of 1647 active requests in the 2013 2014 reporting period. In 2013 2014, a total of 1424 requests were completed, and 223 were carried forward to the next reporting period.
| Source | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Academia | 16 | 1% |
| Business | 875 | 60% |
| Media | 191 | 13% |
| Organization | 145 | 10% |
| Public | 232 | 16% |
| Total | 1,459 | 100% |
Long Description of Figure 1
Sources of Access to Information Requests – 2013-2014
- Academia – 1%
- Business – 60%
- Media – 13%
- Organization – 10%
- Public –16%
During the 2013 2014 reporting period, 193 requests were abandoned by applicants for various reasons, including the requirement to pay additional fees.
There were 791 requests for information for which there was no record. Environment Canada receives a number of requests each year for documents pertaining to the environmental compliance of properties. Most of these no-record requests consisted of environmental compliance requests where no records were located concerning the properties in question.
In 2013 2014, Environment Canada received 1459 requests under the Access to Information Act. This represents a 20% decrease over the previous reporting period. With a decrease in the number of requests received during the reporting period, there was a corresponding decrease in the number of requests completed. Although the number of requests processed during the reporting period decreased, the volume of responsive records associated with the processing of those requests has significantly increased.
The following graph displays the number of access to information requests that were received by the ATIP Secretariat from 2008–2009 to 2013 2014.
Long Description of Figure 2
Access Requests Received – 2008-2014
- 2008-2009 – 892 requests
- 2009-2010 – 890 requests
- 2010-2011 – 1,128 requests
- 2011-2012 – 1,421 requests
- 2012-2013 – 1,827 requests
- 2013-2014 – 1,459 requests
This next graph displays the number of access to information requests that were closed by the ATIP Secretariat from 2008–2009 to 2013 2014.
Long Description of Figure 3
Access Requests Closed – 2008-2014
- 2008-2009 – 914 requests
- 2009-2010 – 929 requests
- 2010-2011 – 1,171 requests
- 2011-2012 – 1,425 requests
- 2012-2013 – 1,810 requests
- 2013-2014 – 1,424 requests
In the 2013 2014 reporting period, 185,385 pages of records were retrieved in response to Access to Information requests. This represents an increase of 54% over the 2012–2013 reporting period.
The following graph displays the number of pages processed by the ATIP Secretariat in processing access to information requests under the Access to Information Act from 2008–2009 to 2013 2014.
Long Description of Figure 4
Pages Processed for Access Requests – 2008-2014
- 2008-2009 – 134,078 pages
- 2009-2010 – 169,241 pages
- 2010-2011 – 163,273 pages
- 2011-2012 – 164,777 pages
- 2012-2013 – 120,741 pages
- 2013-2014 – 185,385 pages
Exemptions and Exclusions
The Access to Information Act prescribes a number of exemptions and exclusions that allow or require the Department to refuse to disclose certain types of information. The two most common exemptions invoked by Environment Canada in 2013 2014 were for personal information (section 19) and government operations (section 21). In 2013 2014, exemptions and/or exclusions were cited in 21% of the completed requests.
Time Limitations
During the 2013 2014 reporting period, 1074 (75%) of the completed requests were processed within the initial 30-day period. This included 824 requests completed in the first 15 days, and 250 requests completed between 16 and 30 days.
The following graph displays the breakdown of completion times for requests completed during the 2013 2014 reporting period.
Long Description of Figure 5
Completion Time for Access Requests – 2013-2014
- 1-15 Days – 58%
- 16-30 Days – 18%
- 31-60 Days – 5%
- 61-120 Days – 7%
- 121-180 Days – 4%
- 181-365 Days – 6%
- 365+ Days – 2%
A total of 176 requests were completed beyond the legislated deadline. Of the 176 late requests, 74 requests were late as a result of the need to conduct external consultations.
In 2013-2014, Environment Canada undertook 39 consultations to confirm cabinet confidence exclusions.
Twenty-three (23) consultations were conducted with the Privy Council Office, Legislation and House Planning to confirm the exclusion of cabinet confidences.
As a result of changes to procedures for the confirmation of cabinet confidence exclusions, Environment Canada’s Legal Services Unit began providing advice on the exclusion of cabinet confidences in July 2013. 16 consultations were conducted with Environment Canada’s Legal Services during the reporting period.
Extension of Time Limits
Section 9 of the Access to Information Act allows government institutions to extend the deadline for responding to a request if the request requires the institution to search a large number of records, to consult with other government institutions, or to communicate with third parties.
In 2013 2014, 185 requests required extensions of 30 days or less, 192 required an extension of between 31 and 60 days, 94 required an extension of between 61 to 120 days, and 5 required an extension of 121 to 180 days. No extensions of more than 180 days were taken. In total, 476 requests required an extension past the original deadline of 30 days. The main reason for extensions was due to the volume of records involved in completing requests or the need to conduct a large search.
Complexity of Files
A number of files were considered complex for various reasons. Of the 1424 requests closed during the 2013 2014 reporting period, 313 were considered to be complex. There were 244 requests that were complex due to the need to conduct consultations, 54 requests were considered complex due to the assessment of fees, 7 requests required legal advice, and 8 requests were classified in the “other” category. The “other” category consists of files containing high-profile subject matter, records held in a region or another country, or records that are in a language other than French or English.
Consultations
As an integral part of departmental processing procedures, other government institutions are consulted if access requests contain issues of interest to them. Although formal consultations are undertaken in writing, additional discussions between ATIP offices are initiated as required in order to facilitate the completion of each case. Consultations are also regularly undertaken with third parties and other levels of government.
In 2013 2014, Environment Canada received 175 access to information consultations from other federal government institutions and 16 consultations from other organizations for a total of 191 consultations received. This constitutes a 29% decrease relative to the previous reporting period. There were 26 access consultations outstanding from the previous reporting period. During the 2013 2014 reporting period, 204 access consultations were completed which is a decrease of 20% compared with the previous reporting period. Thirteen (13) access consultations were carried forward to the 2014-2015 reporting period.
The following graph displays the number of access to information consultations that were received by the ATIP Secretariat from 2008–2009 to 2013 2014.
Long Description of Figure 6
Access Consultations Received – 2008-2014
- 2008-2009 – 186 requests
- 2009-2010 – 117 requests
- 2010-2011 – 159 requests
- 2011-2012 – 227 requests
- 2012-2013 – 270 requests
- 2013-2014 – 191 requests
This next graph displays the number of access to information consultations that were closed by the ATIP Secretariat from 2008–2009 to 2013 2014.
Long Description of Figure 7
Access Consultations Closed – 2008-2014
- 2008-2009 – 209 requests
- 2009-2010 – 134 requests
- 2010-2011 – 158 requests
- 2011-2012 – 219 requests
- 2012-2013 – 256 requests
- 2013-2014 – 204 requests
The number of pages processed in response to access to information consultations during the 2013 2014 reporting period decreased over the 2012–2013 reporting period: 10,584 pages were processed for consultations compared to 14,768 pages during the previous period. This is a decrease of 28%.
The following graph displays the number of pages processed by the ATIP Secretariat in response to access to information consultations received from 2008–2009 to 2013 2014.
Long Description of Figure 8
Pages Processed for Access Consultations – 2008-2014
- 2008-2009 – 6,959 pages
- 2009-2010 – 7,563 pages
- 2010-2011 – 6,367 pages
- 2011-2012 – 12,671 pages
- 2012-2013 – 14,768 pages
- 2013-2014 – 10,584 pages
During the 2013 2014 reporting period, 105 (51%) of the completed access consultations were processed within the initial 30-day period. This included 54 completed in the first 15 days, and 51 completed between 16 and 30 days.
Informal Requests
Throughout the year, the ATIP Secretariat provides advice to departmental staff with respect to informal requests, parliamentary questions and the review of draft audit and evaluation reports.
A summary list of completed Access to Information requests is published on Environment Canada’s website on a monthly basis. Between April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014, Environment Canada received 61 informal Access to Information requests for previously released Access to Information packages. In addition, Environment Canada completed 5 informal requests carried forward from the 2012–2013 reporting period, for a total of 66 informal requests processed. Four (4) informal requests were carried forward to 2014-2015.
Fees
In the 2013 2014 reporting period, total fees of $9,075 were collected for the processing of 1422 requests. This consisted of search fees in the amount of $1,780 and application fees totalling $7,295. No other fees were charged for production, preparation or reproduction.
In accordance with Treasury Board Secretariat guidelines, Environment Canada waived fees that individually amounted to $25 or less, although no waiver is granted for the initial $5 application fee.
Costs
The costs involved in administering the Access to Information Act were $1,067,150 for salaries and overtime and $251,736 for goods and services ($186,408 for professional service contracts and $65,328 for other costs). This brings the total costs to $1,318,886.
Training Activities
The Department’s ATIP Secretariat continued its training and development activities in the 2013 2014 reporting period. Fifteen (15) information and training sessions were held, attended by approximately 361 Environment Canada employees. The sessions included an overview of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act as well as a description of internal procedures and associated deadlines for responding to requests. Information and training activities will continue throughout the 2014–2015 reporting period.
In addition, Information Management awareness presentations are available online to Environment Canada employees, which include an Access to Information and Privacy module. Approximately 647 employees downloaded the Information Management presentations in 2013 2014.
Policies, Guidelines, Procedures and Initiative
Policy Framework
Environment Canada’s access to information policy framework was approved in November 2012. The ATIP Secretariat is continuing to develop additional procedural guidance documents to assist departmental employees in responding to requests under the Access to Information Act.
In 2013-2014, Environment Canada developed an Internal Procedure for the Suspected Obstruction of the Right of Access. The internal guidance documents are accessible to all Environment Canada employees through the Department’s ECollab site.
As a result of the Treasury Board Secretariat recent updates to the ATIP Policy Suite, Environment Canada will initiate a review of its policy documents.
Publicly Accessible Information and Inquiry Points
Info Source is a series of publications containing information on the Government of Canada and on the government’s data collection activities. Info Source is intended to help the public access government information and to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act and Access to Information Act.
Each year, the ATIP Secretariat prepares updates on Environment Canada’s activities and information holdings for publication in Info Source which is published on the Department’s website. During 2013 2014, Environment Canada continued to revise its Info Source chapter based on the Department’s Program Activity Architecture.
Environment Canada’s comprehensive website provides information on the Department’s policies, its organizational structure and the means to contact Department officials. In accordance with the federal government’s policy of proactive disclosure, the Department’s website also allows access to internal evaluations and audits, as well as information on hospitality expenses, contracts and grants.
Environment Canada’s website also has an Access to Information and Privacy webpage that provides background information on both the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. It also contains a Frequently Asked Questions section and links to access to information request forms, personal information request forms and summaries of completed access to information requests.
In order to facilitate public access to information and to comply with the Act, the Environment Canada Library has been designated a public reading room. The Library is located on the 1st floor of the Place Vincent Massey Annex, 351 St. Joseph Boulevard, Gatineau, Quebec.
Online Request Service
During the 2013-2014 reporting period, Environment Canada joined the Treasury Board Secretariat Online Request Service Pilot Project. This initiative aims to make the process of requesting government records simpler and more convenient by enabling Canadians to submit their ATIP requests and application fees online. The department is scheduled to begin receiving online requests in April 2014.
Complaints, Investigations and Federal Court Cases
During the 2013 2014 reporting period, 30 complaints were filed with the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada against Environment Canada. Seven (7) of these complaints as well as 5 complaints from previous reporting periods were completed in 2013 2014. Twenty-three (23) complaints received in this reporting period and 19 complaints from previous years remain outstanding.
The following table provides a breakdown of the reasons for and results of the complaints that were completed in 2013 2014.
| Reason for Complaint | Number of Decisions | Well founded, resolved without recommendations | Well founded, with recommendations – resolved | Well founded, with recommendations – not resolved | Not well founded | Discontinued | Settled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delay | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Exemptions/ Exclusions |
4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Extensions | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fees | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Refusal – s.69 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Refusal – General | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Explanation of the Results of Investigations
- Well founded – The Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) found evidence of the complainant’s rights being denied under the Access to Information Act. It was necessary for the OIC to report the finding of the investigation and provide recommendations where appropriate.
- Well founded, resolved without recommendations– The institution took remedial action to the satisfaction of the OIC during the course of the investigation. The OIC did not need to provide a recommendation to the head of the institution.
- Well founded, with recommendations – resolved – If the head of the institution accepted the OIC recommendations and remedial action was taken by the institution to the satisfaction of the OIC, the matter is considered resolved and no further action by the OIC is necessary.
- Well founded, with recommendations – not resolved – If the head of the institution did not accept the recommendations of the OIC, or if the remedial action was not to the satisfaction of the OIC, the complainant will be informed that the matter is not resolved and the complainant, or the OIC with the complainant’s consent, can pursue the matter in court, where the matter relates to a refusal.
- Not well founded – As a result of the investigation, the OIC found that the institution applied the Access to Information Act correctly.
- Discontinued – The complaint was withdrawn or abandoned by the complainant before allegations were fully investigated.
- Settled – In the case of a minor error, the complaint was settled to the satisfaction of the OIC without the need for the OIC to make a finding
Applications/Appeals to the Federal Court or Federal Court of Appeal
T-828-12 Sheldon Blank v. Minister of the Environment – The application filed pursuant to section 41 of the Access to Information Act in March 2012 was still before the Federal Court of Canada at the end of the reporting period.
T-1423-12 Patrick Whitty v. Minister of Environment– An application was filed pursuant to section 41 of the Access to Information Act in July 2012. On June 4, 2013, the Federal Court determined that the application did not meet the statutory pre-conditions for bringing an application to Court. On February 3, 2014, the Federal Court of Appeal agreed with the Federal Court’s decision.
Appendix A: Statistical Report
Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act
Name of institution: Environment Canada
Reporting period: 01/04/2013 to 31/03/2014
Part 1: Requests under the Access to Information Act
| Received during reporting period | 1,459 |
| Outstanding from previous reporting period | 188 |
| Total | 1,647 |
| Closed during reporting period | 1,424 |
| Carried over to next reporting period | 223 |
| Source | Number of Requests |
|---|---|
| Media | 191 |
| Academia | 16 |
| Business (Private Sector) | 875 |
| Organization | 145 |
| Public | 232 |
| Total | 1,459 |
Part 2: Requests closed during the reporting period
| Disposition of requests | 1 to 15 days | 16 to 30 days | 31 to 60 days | 61 to 120 days | 121 to 180 days | 181 to 365 days | More than 365 days |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 13 | 30 | 31 | 38 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 129 |
| Disclosed in part | 5 | 38 | 37 | 62 | 47 | 72 | 28 | 289 |
| All exempted | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| All excluded | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| No records exist | 624 | 160 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 791 |
| Request transferred | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Request abandoned | 177 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 193 |
| Treated informally | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 824 | 250 | 72 | 104 | 64 | 79 | 31 | 1,424 |
| Section | Number of requests |
|---|---|
| 13(1)(a) | 4 |
| 13(1)(b) | 5 |
| 13(1)(c) | 14 |
| 13(1)(d) | 1 |
| 13(1)(e) | 0 |
| 14(a) | 36 |
| 14(b) | 8 |
| 15(1) - I.A.Footnote * | 27 |
| 15(1) - Def.Footnote * | 0 |
| 15(1) - S.A.Footnote * | 0 |
| 16(1)(a)(i) | 0 |
| 16(1)(a)(ii) | 0 |
| 16(1)(a)(iii) | 0 |
| 16(1)(b) | 4 |
| 16(1)(c) | 13 |
| 16(1)(d) | 0 |
| 16(2)(a) | 0 |
| 16(2)(b) | 0 |
| 16(2)(c) | 20 |
| 16(3) | 0 |
| 16.1(1)(a) | 0 |
| 16.1(1)(b) | 1 |
| 16.1(1)(c) | 0 |
| 16.1(1)(d) | 0 |
| 16.2(1) | 0 |
| 16.3 | 0 |
| 16.4(1)(a) | 0 |
| 16.4(1)(b) | 0 |
| 16.5 | 0 |
| 17 | 4 |
| 18(a) | 1 |
| 18(b) | 1 |
| 18(c) | 2 |
| 18(d) | 1 |
| 18.1(1)(a) | 0 |
| 18.1(1)(b) | 0 |
| 18.1(1)(c) | 0 |
| 18.1(1)(d) | 0 |
| 19(1) | 216 |
| 20(1)(a) | 0 |
| 20(1)(b) | 58 |
| 20(1)(b.1) | 0 |
| 20(1)(c) | 23 |
| 20(1)(d) | 8 |
| 20.1 | 0 |
| 20.2 | 0 |
| 20.4 | 0 |
| 21(1)(a) | 139 |
| 21(1)(b) | 139 |
| 21(1)(c) | 24 |
| 21(1)(d) | 7 |
| 22 | 4 |
| 22.1(1) | 0 |
| 23 | 39 |
| 24(1) | 1 |
| 26 | 1 |
| Section | Number of requests |
|---|---|
| 68(a) | 6 |
| 68(b) | 0 |
| 68(c) | 0 |
| 68.1 | 0 |
| 68.2(a) | 0 |
| 68.2(b) | 0 |
| 69(1)(a) | 5 |
| 69(1)(b) | 0 |
| 69(1)(c) | 2 |
| 69(1)(d) | 1 |
| 69(1)(e) | 18 |
| 69(1)(f) | 3 |
| 69(1)(g) re (a) | 26 |
| 69(1)(g) re (b) | 0 |
| 69(1)(g) re (c) | 27 |
| 69(1)(g) re (d) | 11 |
| 69(1)(g) re (e) | 17 |
| 69(1)(g) re (f) | 18 |
| 69.1(1) | 0 |
| Disposition | Paper | Electronic | Other formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 97 | 32 | 0 |
| Disclosed in part | 232 | 57 | 0 |
| Total | 329 | 89 | 0 |
2.5 Complexity
| Disposition of requests | Number of pages processed | Number of pages disclosed | Number of requests |
|---|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 58,165 | 56,172 | 129 |
| Disclosed in part | 117,876 | 44,699 | 289 |
| All exempted | 694 | 0 | 14 |
| All excluded | 45 | 0 | 3 |
| Request abandoned | 8,605 | 8,173 | 193 |
2.5.2 Relevant pages processed and disclosed by size of requests
| Disposition | Number of requests | Pages disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 106 | 1,866 |
| Disclosed in part | 150 | 3,532 |
| All exempted | 12 | 0 |
| All excluded | 3 | 0 |
| Abandoned | 190 | 2 |
| Total | 461 | 5,400 |
| Disposition | Number of requests | Pages disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 12 | 2,258 |
| Disclosed in part | 97 | 15,397 |
| All exempted | 2 | 0 |
| All excluded | 0 | 0 |
| Abandoned | 2 | 248 |
| Total | 113 | 17,903 |
| Disposition | Number of requests | Pages disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 5 | 2,444 |
| Disclosed in part | 29 | 14,938 |
| All exempted | 0 | 0 |
| All excluded | 0 | 0 |
| Abandoned | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 34 | 17,382 |
| Disposition | Number of requests | Pages disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 5 | 10,957 |
| Disclosed in part | 12 | 10,803 |
| All exempted | 0 | 0 |
| All excluded | 0 | 0 |
| Abandoned | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 17 | 21,760 |
| Disposition | Number of requests | Pages disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 1 | 38,647 |
| Disclosed in part | 1 | 29 |
| All exempted | 0 | 0 |
| All excluded | 0 | 0 |
| Abandoned | 1 | 7,923 |
| Total | 3 | 46,599 |
| Disposition | Consultation required | Assessment of fees | Legal advice sought | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 54 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 56 |
| Disclosed in part | 183 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 216 |
| All exempted | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| All excluded | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Abandoned | 2 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| Total | 244 | 54 | 7 | 8 | 313 |
2.6 Deemed refusals
| Number of requests closed past the statutory deadline | Workload | External consultation | Internal consultation | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 176 | 60 | 74 | 37 | 5 |
| Number of days past deadline | Number of requests past deadline where no extension was taken | Number of requests past deadline where an extension was taken | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 days | 3 | 13 | 16 |
| 16 to 30 days | 1 | 17 | 18 |
| 31 to 60 days | 0 | 28 | 28 |
| 61 to 120 days | 0 | 41 | 41 |
| 121 to 180 days | 1 | 28 | 29 |
| 181 to 365 days | 2 | 24 | 26 |
| More than 365 days | 0 | 18 | 18 |
| Total | 7 | 169 | 176 |
| Translation Requests | Accepted | Refused | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| English to French | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| French to English | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Part 3: Extensions
| Disposition of requests where an extension was taken | 9(1)(a) Interference with operations |
9(1)(b) Consultation (Section 69) |
9(1)(b) Consultation (Other) |
9(1)(c) Third party notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All disclosed | 62 | 0 | 29 | 11 |
| Disclosed in part | 147 | 16 | 109 | 75 |
| All exempted | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| All excluded | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| No records exist | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Request abandoned | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Total | 218 | 17 | 150 | 91 |
| Length of extensions | 9(1)(a) Interference with operations |
9(1)(b) Consultation (Section 69) |
9(1)(b) Consultation (Other) |
9(1)(c) Third party notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days or less | 126 | 0 | 58 | 1 |
| 31 to 60 days | 69 | 0 | 42 | 81 |
| 61 to 120 days | 20 | 16 | 50 | 8 |
| 121 to 180 days | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 181 to 365 days | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 365 days or more | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 218 | 17 | 150 | 91 |
Part 4: Fees
| Fee Type | Number of requests | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application | 1405 | $7,295 |
| Search | 17 | $1,780 |
| Production | 0 | $0 |
| Programming | 0 | $0 |
| Preparation | 0 | $0 |
| Alternative format | 0 | $0 |
| Reproduction | 0 | $0 |
| Total | 1422 | $9,075 |
| Fee Type | Number of requests | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application | 16 | $80 |
| Search | 15 | $1,440 |
| Production | 0 | $0 |
| Programming | 0 | $0 |
| Preparation | 0 | $0 |
| Alternative format | 0 | $0 |
| Reproduction | 8 | $252 |
| Total | 39 | $1,772 |
Part 5: Consultations received from other institutions and organizations
| Consultations | Other government institutions | Number of pages to review | Other organizations | Number of pages to review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Received during reporting period | 175 | 5,947 | 16 | 304 |
| Outstanding from the previous reporting period | 26 | 4,611 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 201 | 10,558 | 16 | 304 |
| Closed during the reporting period | 190 | 10,286 | 14 | 298 |
| Pending at the end of the reporting period | 11 | 272 | 2 | 6 |
| Recommendation | 1 to 15 days | 16 to 30 days | 31 to 60 days | 61 to 120 days | 121 to 180 days |
181 to 365 days |
More than 365 days |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disclose entirely | 40 | 29 | 39 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 119 |
| Disclose in part | 9 | 15 | 28 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 63 |
| Exempt entirely | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Exclude entirely | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Consult other institution | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 51 | 46 | 68 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 190 |
| Recommendation | 1 to 15 days | 16 to 30 days | 31 to 60 days | 61 to 120 days | 121 to 180 days |
181 to 365 days |
More than 365 days |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disclose entirely | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Disclose in part | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Exempt entirely | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exclude entirely | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Consult other institution | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Part 6
| Number of days | Number of responses received | Number of responses received past deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 8 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 13 | 3 |
| 31 to 60 | 10 | 5 |
| 61 to 120 | 4 | 3 |
| 121 to 180 | 3 | 3 |
| 181 to 365 | 1 | 1 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 39 | 15 |
Part 7: Resources related to the Access to Information Act
| Expenditures | Amount | |
| Salaries | $1,058,597 | |
| Overtime | $8,553 | |
| Goods and Services | $251,736 | |
| • Professional services contracts | $186,408 | |
| • Other | $65,328 | |
| Total | $1,318,886 | |
| Resources | Dedicated full-time to ATI activities | Dedicated part-time to ATI activities | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time employees | 13.00 | 4.00 | 17.00 |
| Part-time and casual employees | 2.00 | 0.00 | 2.00 |
| Regional staff | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Consultants and agency personnel | 2.00 | 1.00 | 3.00 |
| Students | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total | 17.00 | 5.00 | 22.00 |
| Institution | Number of informal releases of previously released ATI packages |
|---|---|
| Environment Canada | 61 |
| Institution | Number of Completed PIAs |
|---|---|
| Environment Canada | Nil |
Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences under the ATIA - Requests with Legal Services
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 4 | 32 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 32 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 3 | 286 |
| 16 to 30 | 2 | 183 |
| 31 to 60 | 1 | 84 |
| 61 to 120 | 1 | 84 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 7 | 637 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 3 | 1,353 |
| 16 to 30 | 4 | 1,652 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 7 | 3,005 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences under the ATIA - Requests with Privy Council Office
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 2 | 64 |
| 16 to 30 | 1 | 16 |
| 31 to 60 | 3 | 35 |
| 61 to 120 | 4 | 35 |
| 121 to 180 | 9 | 144 |
| 181 to 365 | 6 | 103 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 25 | 397 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 1 | 65 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 1 | 46 |
| 121 to 180 | 2 | 152 |
| 181 to 365 | 4 | 536 |
| More than 365 | 2 | 222 |
| Total | 10 | 1,021 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 1 | 505 |
| 61 to 120 | 1 | 281 |
| 121 to 180 | 1 | 489 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 1,275 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 2 | 1,586 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 2 | 1,539 |
| Total | 4 | 3,125 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences under the PA – Requests with Legal Services
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences under the PA - Requests with Privy Council Office
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Days | Number of Requests | Pages Disclosed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 60 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 to 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 121 to 180 | 0 | 0 |
| 181 to 365 | 0 | 0 |
| More than 365 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
Appendix B: Designation Order Instrument
Access to Information Act and Privacy Act Delegation Order
The Minister of the Environment, pursuant to section 73 of the Access to Information Act and section 73 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, duties and functions of the Minister of the Environment as the head of Environment Canada, under the provisions of the Act and related regulations set out in the schedule opposite each position. This designation replaces all previous delegation orders.
| Position | Access to Information Act and Regulations | Privacy Act and Regulations |
| Deputy Minister of the Environment | Full authority | Full authority |
| Associate Deputy Minister of the Environment | Full authority | Full authority |
| Director General, Corporate Secretariat | Full authority | Full authority |
| Director, Access to Information and Privacy | Full authority | Full authority |
| Manager, Access to Information and Privacy | Full authority | Full authority |
Dated, at the City of Gatineau, Quebec, this 17th day of September 2013
(signed)
Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of the Environment
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