Info Source: Sources of Federal Government and Employee Information

Last updated: September 2023

General information

Introduction to Info Source

Info Source: Sources of Federal Government and Employee Information provides information about the functions, programs, activities and related information holdings of government institutions subject to the Access to Information Act. It provides individuals and employees of the government (current and former) with relevant information to access personal information about themselves held by government institutions subject to the Privacy Act. and to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act.

The Introduction and an index of institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act are available centrally.

The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act assign overall responsibility to the President of Treasury Board (as the designated Minister) for the government-wide administration of the legislation.

Background

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is a federal government agency established under the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada Act, on October 24, 2001 to consolidate and strengthen oversight of consumer protection measures in the federally regulated financial sector, and to expand consumer education and financial literacy activities so that Canadians have the appropriate information and financial skills they need to make informed financial decisions and actively participate in and strengthen the financial sector. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance.

Responsibilities

As a federal regulatory agency, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is responsible for:

Read more about FCAC’s mandate, its program responsibilities and its major policies.

Institutional functions, programs and activities

Supervision and promotion

The Supervision and Promotion Program seeks to ensure FRFEs comply with federal financial consumer provisions, codes of conduct and public commitments. It also promotes responsible market conduct by communicating FCAC’s expectations, conducting research on trends and issues affecting financial consumers, contributing to policy discussions and promoting consumers’ rights and responsibilities.

Supervision and promotion class of records

Description: Records related to the Agency's relations with the FRFEs’ concerning compliance with the consumer provisions contained in their respective legislation and in the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada Act, as well as their adherence to codes of conducts and public commitments. This also includes records related to the enforcement of FRFEs, which may result in a notice of violation or a notice of decision. Records may include monitoring and compliance correspondence; research and analysis; complaints, investigations and examinations; reports and statistics; financial institutions' public accountability statements, annual reports, complaint procedures, public commitments,  codes of conduct, findings of violations, penalties and regulatory framework put in place by government. Records may also include information related to mystery shopping; branch closures; industry and consumer associations and with other countries.

Document types: Correspondence, monitoring and compliance correspondence, investigative reports, notice of violation, notice of decision, public commitments, examinations and complaints documents, on-site evaluations, financial institutions’ public accountability statements, risk assessment reports, statistics, codes of conduct, findings of violations, financial statements, annual reports, research and analysis materials, compliance agreements and action plans, reports, procedures, briefing notes, meeting agendas and minutes.

Record number: FCAC CIR 5000

Complaints (possible breaches)

Description: This bank contains complaints reported by individuals concerning possible contraventions of the consumer provisions related to Federally Regulated Financial Institutions (FRFI's); it includes the name, address, telephone numbers (home and/or work), fax number and e-mail address (as applicable); the nature of the complaint; information related to the investigation and processing of the complaint and replies to the complainant. This information is maintained in our automated Case Management System (WebCims) and may be maintained in paper files.

Class of individuals: Individuals submitting complaints to the FCAC.

Purpose: The information is used to determine possible contraventions to the consumer provisions contained in the applicable FRFI legislation.

Consistent uses: Information contained in this bank is used to investigate complaints and to determine whether a FRFI was in contravention of the consumer provisions contained in its applicable legislation and, where necessary, to provide evidence for a decision that is appealed to the Federal Court. The information is also used to track and monitor cases, produce statistical reports and trend analysis.

Retention and disposal standards: Simple case files (i.e. those that are withdrawn or those that are determined not to be contraventions of consumer provisions) are retained for five years then destroyed. Cases that are deemed to be possible contraventions are retained for 10 years then destroyed. The information in the case management system is retained for 10 years after the last action.

RDA number: 2005/2006

Related record number: FCAC CIR 5000

TBS registration: 005297

Bank number: FCAC PPU 010

Financial literacy program

The Financial Literacy Program seeks to strengthen the financial knowledge, skills and confidence of Canadians to enhance their ability to make financial decisions. FCAC will lead stakeholders, such as National Steering Committee members and financial literacy networks across Canada in developing and delivering concrete actions designed to integrate financial literacy into initiatives that guide Canadians’ financial decisions. Specific efforts will focus on encouraging Canadians to budget, build savings, pay down debt, and choose financial products and services wisely.

Financial literacy institution specific classes of records

The financial literacy program aims to help Canadians build their basic or foundational knowledge, skills and confidence in money management so they can make informed decisions about such things as spending, saving and investing.

Description: Records related to the design, development and delivery of financial literacy materials and programs (such as web content, interactive tools, publications and tip sheets) for in-classroom learning, self learning, web based learning, post secondary institutions, community groups and workplaces to help Canadians including high school-age youth; young adults; teachers and workshop facilitators, increase their financial and personal money management skills and knowledge.

Document types: Correspondence, briefing notes, meeting agendas and minutes, reports, standards (such as web page, clear language and print media) drawings, specifications, layouts, colour samples, digital images of mock-up layouts, work orders, invoices, purchase orders, contracts, and power point presentations.

Record number: FCAC FIN LIT 7000

Consumer education

The consumer education program seeks to help Canadians better understand specific financial products and services such as mortgages and credit cards. It also helps familiarize them with the rights and responsibilities of consumers in their dealings with financial institutions, and with the obligations of payment card network operators.

Consumer education institution specific classes of records

Description: Records related to the design and development of consumer education materials and programs (such as web content, interactive tools, publications and tip sheets) to help Canadians better manage their financial affairs (such as banking; budgeting and money management; credit cards; other payment options; mortgages; credit and loans; savings and investments; insurance; and fraud).

Document types: Correspondence, briefing notes, meeting agendas and minutes, consumer publications, drawings, specifications, layouts, colour samples, digital images of mock-up layouts, work orders, invoices, purchase orders, contracts, reports, and power point presentations.

Record number: FCAC CON ED 7060

​​Research

Research services monitor and evaluate trends and emerging issues that may have an impact on consumers of financial products and services; and provide information and advice to the Government.

​​Research institution specific classes of records

Description: Records related to the monitoring and evaluation of trends and emerging issues that may have an impact on consumers of financial products and services. Records may include research, surveys, studies and reports.

Document types: Correspondence, briefing notes, meeting agendas and minutes, handwritten and electronic research notes, press clippings, photocopies from publications (books and journals), project proposals, research, surveys, studies, reports and presentations.

Record number: FCAC RES 8000

Intern​al Services

Internal services constitute groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are management and oversight services, communications services, legal services, human resources management services, financial management services, information management services, information technology services, real property services, materiel services, acquisition services, and travel and other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Acquisition Services

Acquisition services involve activities undertaken to acquire a good or service to fulfill a properly completed request (including a complete and accurate definition of requirements and certification that funds are available) until entering into or amending a contract.

Communications Services

Communications services involve activities undertaken to ensure that Government of Canada communications are effectively managed, well coordinated and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public. The communications management function ensures that the public—internal or external—receives government information, and that the views and concerns of the public are taken into account in the planning, management and evaluation of policies, programs, services and initiatives.

Financial Management Services

Financial management services involve activities undertaken to ensure the prudent use of public resources, including planning, budgeting, accounting, reporting, control and oversight, analysis, decision support and advice, and financial systems.

Human resources managem​​ent services

Human resources management services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction, allocating resources among services and processes, as well as activities relating to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies and plans.

Information Management Services

Information management services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective information management to support program and service delivery; foster informed decision making; facilitate accountability, transparency and collaboration; and preserve and ensure access to information and records for the benefit of present and future generations.

Information Technology Services

Information technology services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective use of information technology to support government priorities and program delivery, to increase productivity, and to enhance services to the public.

Legal Serv​ices

Legal services involve activities undertaken to enable government departments and agencies to pursue policy, program and service delivery priorities and objectives within a legally sound framework.

Management and Oversight Services

Management and oversight services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction and allocating resources among services and processes, as well as those activities related to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies or plans.

Materiel Services

Materiel services involve activities undertaken to ensure that materiel can be managed by departments in a sustainable and financially responsible manner that supports the cost-effective and efficient delivery of government programs.

Real Property Services

Real property services involve activities undertaken to ensure that real property is managed in a sustainable and financially responsible manner, throughout its life cycle, to support the cost-effective and efficient delivery of government programs.

Travel and Other Administrative Services

Travel and other administrative services include Government of Canada travel services, as well as those other internal services that do not smoothly fit with any of the internal services categories.

Legend

Classes of personal information

Some personal information may be gathered by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada while conducting investigations and examinations. Such information is stored as part of the investigation or examination file where the records are not retrieved by the name of the individual or other personal identifier. The retention periods for these classes of personal information are controlled by the retention period of the subject files in which they are stored.

Manuals

Additional information

The Government of Canada encourages the release of information through requests outside of the ATIP process. You may wish to consult the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s completed Access to Information (ATI) summaries. To make an informal request, please contact:

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada 
Enterprise Building
427 Laurier Avenue West, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9

Telephone - For calls from the Ottawa area or from outside Canada: 613-996-5454
Toll-free Telephone within Canada: 1-866-461-FCAC (3222)
TTY (toll-free) 1-866-914-6097
TTY outside Canada 613-947-7771

Internet: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

Please see the Introduction to this publication for information on formal access procedures under the provisions of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. The following outlines how to make a formal ATIP request. Mail your letter or Access to Information Request Form (Access to Information Act) or Personal Information Request Form (Privacy Act), along with any necessary documents (such as consent or the $5.00 application fee for a request under the Access to Information Act) to the following address:

Access to Information and Privacy Coordinators
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
Enterprise Building
427 Laurier Avenue West, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9

Each request made to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada under the Access to Information Act must be accompanied by an application fee of $5.00, cheque or money order made payable to the Receiver General for Canada.

Reading room

In accordance with the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act , an area on the premises will be made available should the application wish to review materials on site. The address is:

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
Enterprise Building
427 Laurier Avenue West, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario

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