The Access to Information Act gives every Canadian citizen, permanent resident, individual or corporation present in Canada the right to request access to records that are under the control of federal government institutions.

The Privacy Act provides every Canadian citizen, permanent resident or individual present in Canada with a right of access to their personal information that is held by federal government institutions. It also protects against unauthorized disclosure of that personal information. In addition, it strictly controls how the federal government will collect, use, store, disclose and dispose of any personal information.

There are basically two types of requests:

1. Access to Information Request for requesting information not of a personal nature.
2. Personal Information Request for requesting information of a personal nature.

Narrowing your request will produce faster results. Be sure to fully describe the information you are seeking and provide any relevant details that will help us to locate the information.

In addition, if you are requesting personal information that is not your own, you must include a consent to release the information. Consent must be provided in writing indicating the specific information the person wants to be released, the name of the person giving the consent and to whom consent is being given. The consent must be dated and signed by the person giving the consent.

An Informal request can be submitted in the form of a signed letter stating clearly what information is being requested. There are no fees and no legislated deadlines associated with informal requests. There is also no recourse for a requester in the event they wish to lodge a complaint. Certain informal requests may be handled at the point of origin.

Send your informal request to:

The National Battlefields Commission
835 Wilfrid-Laurier Avenue
Quebec QC  G1R 2L3
Canada

A formal request is a request made in writing to the government institution that controls the record, which indicates you are requesting access under one of the Acts (either the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act).

Access to Information Act (ATIA): The Act gives individuals a right of access to documents held by government institutions. However, the ATIA sets out limited and specific exceptions to access to government documents.

Privacy Act (PA): The Act gives a right of access, correction and privacy to personal information held by a government institution. Information can only be disclosed with the consent of the person to whom it relates or in accordance with the exception terms of the PA.

Submitting a request online to The National Battlefields Commission
The Access to Information and Privacy Online Request Service offers a convenient way to make:

• an access to information request
• a personal information request

This service:

• enables individuals to make an online request for information that is held by a Government of Canada institution
• eliminates the need to print, scan, and email or mail a form to an institution

f you are unable to use the ATIP Online Request Service, you may request information using the Access to Information Request Form or the Personal Information Request Form, or send a letter clearly explaining what records you are seeking, to:

Anne Chouinard
Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
835 Wilfrid-Laurier Avenue
Québec, Quebec G1R 2L3

There is a $5.00 application fee for each formal request filed under the Access to Information Act. There are no fees for accessing your own personal information under the Privacy Act.

The Commission has 30 calendar days in which to respond to a formal request. (No time limit applies to informal requests). The Acts allow for legal extensions beyond the 30 calendar day response time. You will be notified in writing of any extensions.

The National Battlefields Commission posts a list of requests processed under the Access to Information Act every month on the Open Government Portal.