2024-2025 Annual Report on the administration of the Access to Information Act
Published by: National Film Board of Canada
© National Film Board of Canada, 2025
ISSN 2816-2617
Cat.No. NF1-8E-PDF
1. INTRODUCTION
The Access to Information Act (the “Act”) gives Canadian citizens, permanent residents and any person or corporation present in Canada the right to access information in federal government records that is not of a personal nature. The Act extends the present laws of Canada to provide a right of access to information in records under the control of a government institution in accordance with the principles that government information should be available to the public, that necessary exceptions to the right of access should be limited and specific, and that decisions on the disclosure of government information should be reviewed independently of the government.
Section 94 of the Act requires the head of every government institution to prepare a report on the administration of this Act within the institution during the period beginning on April 1 of the preceding year and ending on March 31 of the current year.
This report, prepared and tabled in Parliament pursuant to section 94 of the Act, describes how the National Film Board of Canada (the “NFB”) administered the Act in fiscal year 2024–2025.
The NFB’s mandate is to create relevant and innovative audiovisual content that interprets Canada and its diversity to Canadians and people around the world. The NFB works with filmmakers and artists from every region of Canada to produce exceptional documentaries and animated films rooted in Canadian experiences and realities. The NFB has long been a champion of technological and film innovation, both nationally and internationally. The NFB seeks to reflect the perspectives and experiences of communities that are underrepresented in the media and to develop innovative new storytelling forms and approaches.
2. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
In accordance with section 95 of the Act, the Government Film Commissioner appoints the following individuals to administer the Access to Information Act:
- the Senior Access to Information Coordinator;
- the Senior Legal Counsel.
The NFB has no official entity tasked with processing access to information requests. The requests are forwarded to the Senior Access to Information Coordinator, who is part of the Business Affairs and Legal Services department.
The Senior Access to Information Coordinator is also responsible for coordination pursuant to the Privacy Act. There are no other ATIP (Access to Information and Privacy) officers at the NFB.
The NFB was not party to any service agreement under section 96 of the Act during the period covered by this report.
The NFB ensures proactive publication through the dedicated efforts of two different teams. The Finance and Administration team identifies and compiles relevant contract and expense information for publication. Additionally, they are responsible for reporting the expenses prescribed by the Financial Administration Act.
The Head of Strategic Planning and Government Relations ensures that strategic plans are finalized and published in accordance with established timelines.
For a breakdown of the group(s) and/or position(s) responsible for meeting each applicable proactive publication requirement under Part 2 of the Act, see the section “Proactive Publication under Part 2 of the ATIA”, below.
Regular verification processes are conducted to assess the compliance of the methods and information with relevant legislation and directives.
3. DELEGATION ORDER
A copy of the Delegation Order is attached as Appendix A.
4. 2024–2025 PERFORMANCE
The 2024–2025 Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act and the Supplemental ATIP Statistical Report for 2024–2025 were submitted to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.
Percentage of requests responded to within legislated timelines
From April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, the NFB responded to nine requests, and all of them were fully processed within the deadlines prescribed by the Act (100%).
Completion times and extensions
The nine requests that were fully processed by the NFB in 2024–2025 were completed within the following timeframes:
- 6 requests processed within not more than 30 days (66.7%);
- 2 requests processed within 31 to 60 days (22.2%); and
- 1 request processed within 61 to 120 days (11.1%).
The original time limit for responding to the requests would have unreasonably disrupted the operations of the NFB. Given the complexity of information requested, meeting the initial deadline would have hindered our ability to ensure a thorough and accurate response. The extensions were also necessary to conduct internal consultations. These consultations involve various departments who possess the relevant knowledge required to review and process the requested information appropriately.
Number of active requests that are outstanding from previous reporting periods
There are no active requests outstanding from previous reporting periods.
Number of active complaints that are outstanding from previous reporting periods
There are no complaints that are outstanding from previous reporting periods.
Consultations
In 2024–2025, the NFB processed one consultation request, originating from another federal institution. The consultation request was completed within 30 days.
Release of records
In 2024–2025, the NFB released the records as follows:
- 2 requests for which the NFB fully disclosed the requested records (22.2%);
- 3 requests for which the NFB released the requested records in part (33.3%).
- 3 requests for which no records existed (33.3%).
- 1 request for which the requester abandoned the process (11.1%).
5. TRAINING AND AWARENESS
During this reporting period, the Senior ATIP Coordinator maintained regular communication with Finance and Administration Services to assess proactive publication practices. Additionally, the Senior ATIP Coordinator diligently monitored the completion by newly hired employees of the mandatory training course “Access to Information and Privacy Fundamentals” (COR502), from the Canada School of Public Service.
6. POLICIES, GUIDELINES, PROCEDURES AND INITIATIVES
The NFB uses the following approaches to meet its proactive publication requirements: a document-management system (to organize and categorize documents for proactive publication, such as contracts); a publication schedule; a section of our institutional website dedicated to documents for the public to find and access; and lastly, regular monitoring by the head of financial operations to ensure adherence to legislated timelines and quality standards.
In this reporting period, no new organizational policies or procedures relating to the administration of the Act were implemented at the NFB.
7. INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION
Collaborating closely with the head of the archives department, the Senior ATIP Coordinator identified areas for improvement in information provision and explored innovative approaches to enhance the public’s access to archival documents.
During the reporting period, the Senior ATIP Coordinator responded to 34 informal requests for information. Additionally, a meeting was held with an independent investigative journalism organization to discuss access to information practices and explore opportunities for collaboration and improved responsiveness.
The Senior ATIP Coordinator uses the ATIP Online platform for the purpose of receiving and addressing inquiries.
In conclusion, it is also noteworthy that NFB employees have undergone training in Indigenous reconciliation, which has instilled in them a heightened sensitivity towards facilitating services for Indigenous requesters.
8. SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES AND ACTIONS TAKEN ON COMPLAINTS
No complaints were filed against the NFB during the 2024–2025 year.
9. PROACTIVE PUBLICATION UNDER PART 2 OF THE ACT
The NFB is a government entity as listed in Schedule I of the Act and Schedule I.1
Column 1 of the Financial Administration Act for the purposes of Part 2 of the Act.
Proactive Publication Requirements Table
| Legislative Requirement | Section of ATIA | Publication Timeline | Does requirement apply to your institution? (Y/N) | Internal group(s) or positions(s) responsible for fulfilling requirement | % of proactive publication requirements published within legislated timelines | Link to web page where published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply to all Government Institutions as defined in section 3 of the Access to Information Act | ||||||
| Travel Expenses | 82 | Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement | Y | Finance & Administration | 83% | Government Travel Expenses (canada.ca) |
| Hospitality Expenses | 83 | Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement | Y | Finance & Administration | 83% | Search Government Hospitality Expenses | Open Government - Government of Canada |
| Reports tabled in Parliament | 84 | Within 30 days after tabling | N | |||
| Apply to government entities or Departments, agencies, and other bodies subject to the Act and listed in Schedules I, I.1, or II of the Financial Administration Act | ||||||
| Contracts over $10,000 | 86 | Q1-3: Within 30 days after the quarter Q4: Within 60 days after the quarter |
Y | Finance & Administration | 75% | Search Government Contracts over $10,000 (canada.ca) |
| Grants & Contributions over $25,000 | 87 | Within 30 days after the quarter | N | |||
| Packages of briefing materials prepared for new or incoming deputy heads or equivalent | 88(a) | Within 120 days after appointment | N | |||
| Titles and reference numbers of memoranda prepared for a deputy head or equivalent, that is received by their office | 88(b) | Within 30 days after the end of the month received | N | |||
| Packages of briefing materials prepared for a deputy head or equivalent’s appearance before a committee of Parliament | 88(c) | Within 120 days after appearance | N | |||
| Applies to government institutions that are departments named in Schedule I to the Financial Administration Act or portions of the core public administration named in Schedule IV to that Act (i.e. government institutions for which Treasury Board is the employer) | ||||||
| Reclassification of positions | 85 | Within 30 days after the quarter | N | |||
| Apply to Ministers’ Offices (therefore apply to any institution that performs proactive publication on behalf of a Minister’s Office) | ||||||
| Packages of briefing materials prepared by a government institution for new or incoming ministers | 74(a) | Within 120 days after appointment | N | |||
| Titles and reference numbers of memoranda prepared by a government institution for the minister, that is received by their office | 74(b) | Within 30 days after the end of the month received | N | |||
| Package of question period notes prepared by a government institution for the minister and in use on the last sitting day of the House of Commons in June and December | 74(c) | Within 30 days after last sitting day of the House of Common in June and December | N | |||
| Packages of briefing materials prepared by a government institution for a minister’s appearance before a committee of Parliament | 74(d) | Within 120 days after appearance | N | |||
| Travel Expenses | 75 | Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement | N | |||
| Hospitality Expenses | 76 | Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement | N | |||
| Contrats de plus de 10 000 $ | 77 | Q1-3: Within 30 days after the quarter Q4: Within 60 days after the quarter |
N | |||
| Ministers' Offices Expenses Note: This consolidated report is currently published by TBS on behalf of all institutions. |
78 | Within 120 days after the fiscal year | N | |||
10. MONITORING COMPLIANCE
The Senior ATIP Coordinator monitors the processing time of access to information requests, analyzing each file to determine the reasonableness of the allocated time, considering the nature of the request and the NFB’s ongoing operations.
The Senior ATIP Coordinator demonstrates attentiveness towards outstanding requests from previous reporting periods. In instances where the legislated timelines were surpassed due to lack of response from another institution, appropriate measures are implemented to conclude the waiting period and progress with the requests in accordance with established procedures.
The Senior ATIP Coordinator identified a demand for access to historical documents. In response, a dedicated working group was established in collaboration with the head of the archives department. This initiative aims to enhance public accessibility to archival materials, thereby mitigating the volume of access to information requests.
To ensure compliance and streamline procedures, the head of operations for Finance and Administration Services oversees the proactive publication of contracts and expenses and maintains regular communication with the Senior ATIP Coordinator. This ongoing collaboration ensures that protocols align with regulatory requirements and undergo periodic reviews for optimization.
APPENDIX A
DELEGATION ORDER
ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT
