Public Services and Procurement Canada
2024 to 2025 Annual Report on the Access to Information Act
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On this page
- Introduction
- Purpose of the act
- About Public Services and Procurement Canada
- Organizational structure
- Delegation of authority
- Performance for 2024 to 2025
- Training and awareness
- Policies, guidelines and procedures
- Initiatives and projects to improve access to information
- Summary of key issues and actions taken on complaints
- Federal Court of Canada cases
- Proactive publication under part 2 of the Access to Information Act
- Monitoring compliance
- Annex A: Delegation of authorities chart for the Access to Information Act and its regulations
Introduction
Public Services and Procurement Canada is pleased to present to parliament its annual report on the administration of the Access to Information Act (ATIA). This report describes the activities that support compliance with the act for the fiscal year commencing April 1, 2024, and ending March 31, 2025, and is not intended to fulfill reporting requirements for any non-operational subsidiaries of the institution.
Section 94 of the Access to Information Act requires that the head of every federal government institution submit an annual report to parliament on the administration of the Access to Information Act during the fiscal year.
Purpose of the act
The purpose of the Access to Information Act is to enhance the accountability and transparency of federal institutions in order to promote an open and democratic society and to enable public debate on the conduct of those institutions. In furtherance of that purpose, Part 1 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 government; and part 2 sets out requirements for the proactive publication of information.
About Public Services and Procurement Canada
Public Services and Procurement Canada, formerly Public Works and Government Services Canada, derives its mandate from the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act of 1996, which established the department as a common service provider. The department plays an important role in the daily operations of the Government of Canada as a key provider of services for federal departments and agencies. The department supports them in the achievement of their mandated objectives in 5 service categories:
- buying and selling
- pay, pension and benefits
- property and buildings
- security, corporate and information services
- Translation Bureau
PSPC provides services across Canada through its headquarters in the National Capital Region, 5 regions, as well as offices in Europe (Geilenkirchen, Germany) and the United States (Washington, DC).
Organizational structure
The Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Directorate is responsible for the delegated administration of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (PA) within PSPC. The ATIP senior director acts as the department’s ATIP coordinator. The directorate is overseen by the director general of the Corporate Secretariat and Accessibility Sector, who is also the department’s chief privacy officer.
In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, 32.943 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and 2.549 FTEs casual employees administered the Access to Information Act with the support of 3.794 consultants, for a total complement of 39.286 FTEs.
Access to Information and Privacy reporting structure at Public Services and Procurement Canada
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This organizational chart displays a hierarchy beginning with the Corporate Secretariat and Accessibility Sector at the top. Directly below are the 2 directorates responsible for the administration of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act: the Access to Information and Privacy Directorate and the Litigation Readiness and Transparency Directorate.
The Access to Information and Privacy Directorate is supported by the 4 following divisions:
- the Administration Division carries out administrative functions, supports fulfillment of corporate obligations, and maintains the request processing system
- the Operations Division processes requests received under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, and liaises with the offices of the Information and Privacy commissioners to resolve complaints
- the Privacy Management Division advises and supports the department in privacy risk management, ensuring compliance with privacy legislative and policy instruments
- the Governance and Outreach Division develops procedures and departmental reports, delivers training, promotes awareness, and provides user support for the request processing system
Below these divisions is another level for ATIP liaison officers, who coordinate the retrieval, review and submission of information held by their branch or region in response to ATIP requests.
The Litigation Readiness and Transparency Directorate’s Proactive Publication and Transparency Division administers part 2 of the Access to Information Act, coordinates and advances Transparency policies, guidelines, processes and practices.
During reporting period 2024 to 2025, the Proactive Publication and Transparency Division moved from the ATIP Directorate to the Litigation Readiness and Transparency Directorate, remaining under the Corporate Secretariat and Accessibility Sector and reporting to the chief privacy officer.
Service sharing agreement
In the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC had a service sharing agreement for the provision of corporate services to the Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) which included access to information services under section 96 of the Access to Information Act and section 73.1 of the Privacy Act.
These duties included completing Access to Information Act requests, Privacy Act requests, and related consultation requests. The ATIP Directorate was responsible for implementing measures to mitigate concerns regarding OPO’s independence and perception of conflict of interest, including segregating and limiting access to OPO files. OPO was responsible for reviewing and confirming the application of exemptions and exceptions on release packages and provided final approval prior to public release of any document.
Proactive publication
In accordance with part 2 of the Access to Information Act, federal institutions are required to proactively publish certain records of public interest. To meet these requirements, PSPC fostered internal collaboration across branches and regions to implement efficient and consistent publication processes.
The Policy, Planning and Communications Branch (PPCB) collaborates with the Finance, Human Resources, Procurement and Digital Services branches to ensure the timely publication of travel expenses, hospitality expenses, reports tabled in parliament, reclassification of positions, contracts over $10,000, grants and contributions over $25,000, and the minister’s office expense reports. PPCB’s Litigation Readiness and Transparency Directorate is also responsible for proactively publishing briefing materials prepared for newly-appointed ministers and deputy ministers and for parliamentary committee appearances, question period notes, and briefing note titles.
For a breakdown of the groups or positions responsible for meeting each applicable proactive publication requirement under part 2 of the Access to Information Act, see the section “Proactive Publication under part 2 of the ATIA”, below.
Delegation of authority
Pursuant to section 95(1) of the Access to Information Act, the minister responsible for Public Services and Procurement Canada has delegated the powers, duties and functions of the administration of the act down to ATIP manager level. Certain functions are also delegated to ATIP managers and senior officers to accelerate the processing of requests.
The most recent PSPC delegation of authorities instrument was signed on December 17, 2024, with a separate matrix for ATIP delegation. An excerpt of the delegation of authorities approved by the minister, pertaining to delegation under the Access to Information Act, is attached as Annex A: Delegation of authorities chart for the Access to Information Act and its regulations.
Performance for 2024 to 2025
In this section
Access to information requests
Access to information requests: Received and closed
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Chart summary: Access to information requests received and closed
- 2020 to 2021: 800 requests received, 602 requests closed
- 2021 to 2022: 563 requests received, 519 requests closed
- 2022 to 2023: 419 requests received, 447 requests closed
- 2023 to 2024: 537 requests received, 617 requests closed
- 2024 to 2025: 501 requests received, 591 requests closed
The department received a total of 501 requests pursuant to the Access to Information Act in the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, which represents a decrease of 6.70% from the previous year and an increase of 19.57% from 2022 to 2023. The majority of access to information requests received by the department were related to procurement and real property activities, and activities related to pay services.
Access to information requests: Sources
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Chart summary: Sources of access to information requests
- Media: 38 requests (7.58%)
- Academia: 3 requests (0.60%)
- Business: 137 requests (27.35%)
- Organization: 10 requests (2.00%)
- Public: 147 requests (29.34%)
- Declined to identify: 166 requests (33.13%)
During the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC received the majority (89.82%) of its requests under the Access to Information Act from 3 sources:
- individuals who declined to identify (33.13%)
- members of the public (29.34%)
- private sector businesses (27.35%)
The number of requests received from each source remained consistent with the numbers from the previous reporting period, with the exception of the number of requests received from academia, which decreased by approximately 60%.
Access to information requests: Pages reviewed
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| Fiscal year | Pages reviewed |
|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 272,000 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 118,000 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 102,000 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 232,000 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 221,000 |
In reporting period 2024 to 2025, PSPC reviewed 221,298 pages for requests received under the Access to Information Act.
Access to information requests: Disposition
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Chart summary: Disposition of access to information requests
- All disclosed: 77 requests (13.03%)
- Disclosed in part: 334 requests (56.51%)
- All exempted, all excluded, neither confirmed nor denied: 12 requests (2.03%)
- Abandoned: 69 requests (11.68%)
- Transferred, no records existed: 99 requests (16.75%)
Of the 591 requests closed during the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, a total of 56.51% were disclosed in part and 13.03% were fully disclosed. The balance of requests was abandoned (11.68%), transferred to another federal institution or requests for which no responsive records existed (16.75%). A small number of requests was all exempted, all excluded, or neither confirmed nor denied (2.03%).
Access to information requests: Completion times
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Chart summary: Completion times for access to information requests
- Within 30 days: 198 requests (33.50%)
- 31 to 60 days: 70 requests (11.84%)
- 61 to 120 days: 103 requests (17.43%)
- 121 days or more: 220 requests (37.23%)
PSPC’s overall compliance rate for the 2024 to 2025 reporting period was 66.16% for requests under the Access to Information Act. This compliance rate represents all files that were closed either within the initial 30 days or within an extension period obtained for reasons of volume or consultations.
The percentage of requests closed within the initial 30 days was 33.50%. Given the nature of PSPC’s mandate as a service provider to other federal organizations, the department must often perform consultations in order to seek input from other institutions and complete all required actions on a file. Consequently, a large number of PSPC’s access to information files require extensions beyond the 30-day legislative period.
Access to information requests: Extensions
Section 9 of the Access to Information Act permits the statutory time limits to be extended if consultations are necessary, if the request is for a large volume of records, and if processing within the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the department.
PSPC invoked a total of 340 extensions during the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, a 48.47% increase from the previous period, resulting in a decrease of requests closed beyond legislated timelines. Extensions were required in 162 instances to complete consultations with third party, in 93 instances to complete consultations with other government institutions, and in 15 instances to complete consultations with legal services. In addition, extensions were required in 70 instances due to a large volume of requests and a large volume of pages to review, the processing of which would have otherwise interfered with operations.
Access to information requests: Exemptions
Of the 591 access to information requests that were closed in 2024 to 2025, the department invoked exemptions allowed under the Access to Information Act on 335 requests (56.68%) while all information was disclosed in 77 requests (13.03%). The remaining 171 requests (28.94%) were either abandoned, transferred, neither confirmed nor denied, or those for which no records existed.
The majority of exemptions invoked by PSPC fell under 4 sections of the Access to Information Act:
- subsection 19(1), which protects personal information, was used in 301 files (87.76%)
- paragraph 20(1)(b), which protects confidential financial, commercial, scientific or technical information belonging to a third party, was used in 217 files (63.27%)
- paragraph 20(1)(c), which protects information the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to result in material financial loss or gain to, or could reasonably be expected to prejudice the competitive position of a third party, was used in 166 files (48.40%)
- subsection 21(1)(a)(b)(c)(d), which protects information about the operations of Government, was used in 155 files (45.19%)
Of note, more than one exemption can be applied to a specific request.
Access to information requests: Exclusions
The Access to Information Act excludes or does not apply to certain types of information, specifically records that are already available to the public (section 68) and confidences of the King’s Privy Council for Canada (section 69).
In the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC applied 122 exclusions: 2 citing section 68, and 120 citing section 69.
Access to information requests: Active
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| Fiscal year | Access to information requests active within legislated timelines | Access to information requests active beyond legislated timelines |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 to 2017 | 0 | 10 |
| 2017 to 2018 | 0 | 7 |
| 2018 to 2019 | 0 | 12 |
| 2019 to 2020 | 0 | 12 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 0 | 32 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 0 | 26 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 1 | 23 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 24 | 39 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 129 | 38 |
At the end of the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC had a total of 353 active requests pursuant to the Access to Information Act that were outstanding from previous reporting periods or the current reporting period. Nearly half of these requests, 47.31%, were received in the current reporting period. Dedicated efforts were made to reduce the volume of active requests received in previous years and the ATIP Directorate closed 57% of requests outstanding from previous years.
Access to information requests: Factors influencing performance
The compliance rate of 66.16% is the result of the following factors:
- increased number of extensions taken
- complexity and volume of new requests
- consultations with other parties as PSPC is a service provider to other federal organizations
- resources required for multiple recruitment initiatives and for the mentoring of new employees as the ATIP Directorate experienced staff shortages for most of the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year
- departmental priorities added to the existing workload of mandatory activities that support compliance with the Access to Information Act
- technical issues due to the outdated request processing system causing challenges to the ATIP Directorate
- resources dedicated to the replacement of the request processing system
- resources required to support voluntary transparency initiatives aimed at facilitating public access to government information
Consultation requests
Consultation requests: Received, closed, and active
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Chart summary: Consultation requests received and closed
- 2020 to 2021: 187 requests received, 180 requests closed
- 2021 to 2022: 264 requests received, 244 requests closed
- 2022 to 2023: 283 requests received, 271 requests closed
- 2023 to 2024: 207 requests received, 242 requests closed
- 2024 to 2025: 225 requests received, 231 requests closed
PSPC received 225 and closed 231 consultations from other government institutions and organizations for records relating to the department’s activities, which totaled 35,588 pages reviewed. The majority of consultations received were related to procurement and real property activities.
At the end of the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, there were 29 active consultation requests: 28 from the current reporting period and one from a previous reporting period.
Consultations requests: Disposition
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Chart summary: Disposition of consultations requests
- Disclose entirely: 90 requests (38.96%)
- Disclose in part: 50 requests (21.65%)
- Exempt entirely: 1 request (0.43%)
- Consult other institution: 58 requests (25.11%)
- Abandoned or courtesy: 32 requests (13.85%)
Of the 231 consultation requests closed during the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, the recommendations were to disclose the entirety of the information for 38.96% of the requests, to disclose in part for 21.65% of the requests, and to consult another organization for 25.11% of the requests. The balance of requests, 13.85%, was abandoned or courtesy consultations. Only one recommendation, 0.43%, was to exempt the information entirely.
Consultations requests: Completion times
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Chart summary: Completion times for consultations requests
- Within 30 days: 76 requests (32.90%)
- 31 to 60 days: 61 requests (26.41%)
- 61 to 120 days: 82 requests (35.50%)
- 121 days or more: 12 requests (5.19%)
The majority of consultation requests (88.31%) were closed within the deadlines allowed by the consulting organization.
Informal requests
Every month, PSPC publishes summaries of closed access to information requests pertaining to records that do not contain personal or third-party information on the Open Government Portal. Through this portal, Canadian citizens or permanent residents can submit informal requests for a copy of previously released information without having to pay the application fee.
Informal requests: Received and closed
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Chart summary: Informal requests received and closed
- 2020 to 2021: 140 requests received, 197 requests closed
- 2021 to 2022: 584 requests received, 582 requests closed
- 2022 to 2023: 513 requests received, 404 requests closed
- 2023 to 2024: 354 requests received, 351 requests closed
- 2024 to 2025: 1497 requests received, 895 requests closed
In reporting period 2024 to 2025, PSPC received 1497 informal requests, which is an increase of 322.88% from the 354 informal requests received during the previous reporting period. This significant increase is due to a heightened interest by the public in PSPC’s activities.
The majority of informal requests received were for previously released information relating to procurement and real property activities.
Informal requests: Active
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| Fiscal year | Active informal requests |
|---|---|
| 2017 to 2022 | 1 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 26 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 32 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 664 |
At the end of the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, there were 723 outstanding informal requests: 59 from previous reporting periods and 664 from the current reporting period.
Informal requests: Completion times
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Chart summary: Completion times for informal requests
- Within 30 days: 23 requests (2.57%)
- 31 to 60 days: 58 requests (6.48%)
- 61 to 120 days: 487 requests (54.41%)
- 121 days or more: 327 requests (36.54%)
The majority of informal requests (63.46%) were closed within 120 days. Of note, there is no legislative obligation to respond to informal requests within a specified timeline and these requests do not affect PSPC’s compliance rate. Despite this, PSPC dedicated time and effort to the processing of informal requests to ensure that requesters had access to the information within a reasonable timeframe.
Complaints
Complaints received and closed
During the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC was notified of 48 new complaints received by the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC), and submitted formal representations for 106 active complaints received in the current or previous reporting periods.
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Chart summary: Complaints received and closed
- Deemed refusal: 10 complaints received (20.83%)
- Extension: 22 complaints received (45.83%)
- Exemption: 4 complaints received (8.33%)
- Missing records: 12 complaints received (25.00%)
Of the 48 complaints received under provisions of the Access to Information Act during the reporting period:
- 10 complaints were made alleging that PSPC had failed to give access to a record requested within the time limits set out under section 7, which requires institutions to respond to access requests within 30 days unless they have transferred a request to another institution or validly extended the 30-day period for responding by meeting the requirements of section 9
- 22 complaints were made alleging that PSPC had not met the requirements of paragraphs 9(1)(a) allowing an extension of time due to volume of records, 9(1)(b) allowing an extension of time for consultations, or 9(1)(c) allowing for an extension of time for third-party consultations
- 4 complaints were made alleging that PSPC had refused to provide access to some or all of the records requested under specific provisions of Part 1 relating to exemptions and exclusions
- 12 complaints were made alleging that PSPC had not performed a reasonable search for the records, thus failing to meet a requirement of subsection 4(2.1) to make every reasonable effort to assist requesters
During the reporting period, the ATIP Directorate closed 57 complaint investigations for which it received a final report. Of these, 16 were deemed well-founded and 41 were deemed not well-founded.
Active complaints
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| Fiscal year | Active access to information complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 to 2020 | 1 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 0 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 1 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 1 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 6 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 21 |
At the end of the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC had a total of 30 active complaints with the OIC that were outstanding from previous reporting periods and the current reporting period. This is a decrease of 74.14% due to the dedicated efforts of the ATIP Directorate to manage complaint files and close pending complaints.
Training and awareness
Through the delivery of training and various activities, PSPC strengthened institution-wide awareness with the Access to Information Act and departmental obligations.
During the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, the ATIP Directorate’s training coordinator continued to offer virtual and hybrid training sessions. These delivery formats gave the ATIP Directorate the ability to reach more participants throughout the country. They also encouraged active engagement and collaboration, either virtually or in person, while promoting ATIP trainings and tools on a larger scale within the department.
PSPC delivered 110 virtual training sessions and 3 hybrid sessions of the “Access to Information and Privacy Fundamentals” course to 2237 employees, representing a significant increase in the number of participants from the 2023 to 2024 reporting period.
In addition to these training sessions, the ATIP Directorate offered 1 information session to 21 participants in the context the Departmental Oversight Branch’s Extended Management meeting.
Through these training sessions, the ATIP Directorate informed participants of their obligations under the Access to Information Act, including those relating to proactive publication, and the department’s efforts to make the government more open to everyone.
Policies, guidelines and procedures
During the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC maintained internal guidance documents, procedures and tools to ensure consistent practices in request processing. These documents covered multiple operational actions, such as request intake, data validation, and request processing system management. Current practices were reviewed to ensure standardized monitoring and to facilitate compliance with requirements. In addition, guidelines and procedures were developed to support employees during the transition to the new request processing system.
To improve the administration and ensure the cohesion of the ATIP program, the ATIP Directorate held weekly management meetings to discuss emerging and ongoing operational and policy issues.
Part 2 of the Access to Information Act requires federal institutions to proactively publish specific records they produce that would be of interest to the public. To fulfill proactive publication requirements, PSPC maintained collaboration with branches and regions while monitoring, coordinating and supporting the implementation of efficient and consistent proactive publication processes and practices.
PSPC’s proactive publication processes and procedures remained effective in meeting legislated requirements and timelines. Adjustments to processes were required due to the Proactive Publication and Transparency Division’s move to the Litigation Readiness and Transparency Directorate, and to enhance operational efficiency. No new policies, guidelines, or procedures were needed during the 2024 to 2025 reporting period.
Initiatives and projects to improve access to information
In this section
- Human resources and professional development
- Backlog strategy
- Technological improvements
- Transparency
Human resources and professional development
During the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, several recruitment initiatives and human resources administrative measures were undertaken. Hiring processes were completed to fill indeterminate ATIP positions, and there was increased effort to fill program support positions to increase productivity, reduce the administrative burden on the Operations Division, and meet departmental obligations.
In addition to furthering employee recruitment and fostering advancement, the Operations Division’s mandates were reviewed and modified to assist in the management of competing priorities. Employees roles were broadened and opportunities for enrichment were available through temporary assignments to higher levels, supporting career advancement and ensuring the continuity of operations.
In previous reporting periods, the ATIP Directorate used a developmental program to facilitate long-term recruitment and increase employee retention. In reporting period 2024 to 2025, the program was suspended due to required updates and no new employees were enrolled. Nonetheless, the ATIP Directorate continued to use the program to foster the professional development of individuals who were previously enrolled. PSPC promoted 2 participants from ATIP Trainee (PM-01) to Junior ATIP Officer (PM-02), 1 participant from Junior ATIP Officer (PM-02) to ATIP Officer (PM-03), and 1 participant from ATIP Officer (PM-03) to Senior ATIP Officer (PM-04), as they had acquired the necessary skills.
To provide further professional development, employees of the Operations Division were encouraged to complete the Access to Information and Protection of Personal Information Training Program - Federal Institutions offered by the Association of Access to Information and Privacy Professionals.
- 8 employees completed module A - Integration into the ATIP analyst position
- 1 employee completed module B - Advanced training in processing ATIP requests and complaints
Backlog strategy
During the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, the ATIP Directorate obtained temporary funding for additional resources to continue its activities to eliminate the backlog of access to information requests.
The strategy, implemented in the previous reporting period, is intended to unfold in phases with the goal of reducing request completion beyond legislated timelines by 75% in the coming years. The phases will be flexible and adjusted in accordance with operational needs.
In Phase 1, PSPC monitored and supported the processing of requests within legislated timelines. ATIP Trainees were hired and assigned to closing requests with a small volume of pages, freeing other employees for the completion of larger files, and enabling the ATIP Trainees to further develop their knowledge and skills. The initial goals of recruiting and onboarding Trainees and closing low-volume files were completed in the 2023 to 2024 reporting period.
Phases 2 and 3 were undertaken during the 2023 to 2024 reporting period, focusing on the completion of requests beyond legislated timelines of less than 5,000 pages and complex filesFootnote 1. Additional resources were dedicated to assess and process requests beyond legislated timelines of more than 5,000 pages. These phases continued to progress throughout the 2024 to 2025 reporting period bringing the project halfway to completion.
In Phase 4, PSPC will dedicate resources to the completion of requests beyond legislated timelines of more than 10,000 pages. In this final phase, PSPC will review the best practices established throughout the implementation of the strategy and develop the necessary tools and procedures for employees to maintain these best practices.
Technological improvements
Throughout the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC collaborated with stakeholders to advance the replacement of the outdated ATIP request processing system currently in use with ATIPXpress, a modernized system designed to streamline and enhance the processing of ATIP requests.
To manage the implementation of ATIPXpress, the ATIP Directorate established a dedicated team of subject matter experts. This team worked with internal and external partners, including the vendor, to ensure project milestones and contractual requirements were met and to proactively address challenges. Project milestones achieved during the reporting period include:
- onboarding to Shared Services Canada’s GC Application Platform as a Service (GCaPasS)
- completion of security documentation
- identification of employee profiles and associated tasks
- configuration of Development, User Acceptance Testing, and Production Environments on GCaPaaS
- completion of User Acceptance Testing
- completion of Vulnerability Assessment
A strategy for a phased launch of the system is in development. The strategy aims to progressively integrate the processing of different types of requests, including access, privacy, consultation, and informal, to ensure a smooth transition and facilitate user onboarding. This strategy will allow for the review and validation of internal processes in order to tailor them for the additional functionalities permitted by the new system. The strategy will also include planned training sessions for employees offered through a combination of vendor-led and internal sessions. These sessions will provide hands-on experience with the system’s features and functionalities to fully leverage its potential.
In the next year, the ATIP Directorate will evaluate the use of artificial intelligence functionalities to minimize the processing time of requests, and continue the configuration and installation of ATIPXpress. A soft launch is expected in fall 2025.
Transparency
PSPC’s approach towards transparency and openness prioritizes departmental efforts to go beyond proactive publication and make information of public interest readily available to Canadians. The Litigation Readiness and Transparency Directorate and the ATIP Directorate continued the advancement of department-wide responses to Motions for the Production of Papers emanating from parliament and the quarterly usage reports (QUR) initiative. QURs compile and maintain records on the provision of services to the federal government under contracts resulting from standing offers or supply arrangements. They are provided to the department by suppliers on a quarterly basis and published on the Open Government Portal as well as the PSPC Transparency webpage.
In addition, PSPC publishes documents and datasets on the Open Government Portal as part of the Transparency by Design initiative to openly share the work on the transformation project for an integrated Human Resources and Pay solution for the Government of Canada. Information, published quarterly, includes stakeholders engagements reports, Program Management Committee decision-making material, technical documents on the use of Artificial Intelligence, and toolkits, guides and presentations. This initiative is led by Human Capital Management’s (HCM) Pay Administration Branch; the ATIP Directorate reviews the documents selected for publication by HCM to ensure that the personal information and privacy of individuals or third parties is safeguarded and avoid privacy or commercial breaches. The review also ensures the protection of information subject to solicitor-client privilege and professional secrecy of advocates and notaries, or to litigation privilege.
The department routinely publishes a significant volume of information on the official source for Government of Canada procurement, CanadaBuys, which increases the availability of frequently requested information, as well as the summaries of completed access to information requests on the Open Government Portal on a monthly basis.
Summary of key issues and actions taken on complaints
Most complaints PSPC received during the 2024 to 2025 reporting period were for extensions of time limits. Depending on the nature of the complaint, PSPC contacted the OIC investigator to clarify the reasons behind the complaint, contacted the relevant office of primary interest (OPI) within PSPC to request new searches, disclosed additional records when applicable, and reviewed applied exemptions and exclusions to confirm their applicability.
To ensure effective collaboration, remain proactive, and resolve issues as quickly as possible, PSPC’s ATIP Coordinator attended bi-monthly meetings with representatives of the OIC to address outstanding complaints, and discuss the OIC’s expectations and key issues in order to avoid similar complaints in the future.
Additionally, in reporting period 2024 to 2025, PSPC refined its tiered response process. The objective of this process is to increase the efficiency of responses to orders issued pursuant to section 37 of the Access to Information Act emanating from the Information Commissioner’s initial reports. The tired response process is streamlined, and based on risk level and an analysis of the severity and possible impacts of the order to adjust the response to the appropriate level. This tiered process facilitates compliance with imposed timelines and demonstrates to the OIC that appropriate levels of importance are conferred to its orders. It also ensures compliance with the orders notably through the use of tools and resources to support all involved stakeholders in the fulfillment of legal requirements. A cyclical status report on the implementation of the orders was presented to senior management.
Federal Court of Canada cases
There were 3 new applications filed with the Federal Court of Canada against PSPC pursuant to section 44 of the Access to Information Act during the 2024 to 2025 reporting period. These applications are associated with 6 active cases received during previous reporting periods and require significant analysis to maintain a consistent approach, which has an impact on the availability of resources. Court cases have an impact on the application of the Access to Information Act within the ATIP Directorate and create precedents for the ATIP community.
In November 2022, PSPC filed a notice of application to review an order from the Information Commissioner to release records to a requester. The case was heard during the 2023 to 2024 reporting period, and, in June 2024, the Federal Court ruled in favour of the OIC, concluding that the records were under the control of PSPC and that PSPC had to comply with the order to release the records to the requester.
Proactive publication under part 2 of the Access to Information Act
| Legislative Requirement | Section of ATIA | Publication Timeline | Does requirement apply to your institution? (Y/N) | Internal group(s) or position(s) responsible for fulfilling requirement | % of proactive publication requirements published within legislated timelines* | Link to web page where published** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Expenses | 82 | Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement | Y | Finance Branch | 100 | Government Travel Expenses |
| Hospitality Expenses | 83 | Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement | Y | Finance Branch | 100 | Hospitality Expenses |
| Reports tabled in Parliament | 84 | Within 30 days after tabling | Various branches (Digital Services Branch, Finance Branch, Policy, Planning and Communications Branch) | 100 | Reports tabled in Parliament |
| Legislative Requirement | Section of ATIA | Publication Timeline | Does requirement apply to your institution? (Y/N) | Internal group(s) or position(s) responsible for fulfilling requirement | % of proactive publication requirements published within legislated timelines* | Link to web page where published** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contracts over $10,000 | 86 | Q1-3: Within 30 days after the quarter Q4: Within 60 days after the quarter | Y | Procurement Branch | 75 | Government Contracts over $10,000 |
| Grants & Contributions over $25,000 | 87 | Within 30 days after the quarter | Y | Finance Branch | Not applicable | Grants and Contributions |
| Packages of briefing materials prepared for new or incoming deputy heads or equivalent | 88(a) | Within 120 days after appointment | Y | Policy, Planning and Communications Branch | 100 | Briefing Materials |
| 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 | Y | Policy, Planning and Communications Branch | 100 | Briefing Note Titles and Numbers |
| 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 | Y | Policy, Planning and Communications Branch | 100 | Briefing Materials |
| Legislative Requirement | Section of ATIA | Publication Timeline | Does requirement apply to your institution? (Y/N) | Internal group(s) or position(s) responsible for fulfilling requirement | % of proactive publication requirements published within legislated timelines* | Link to web page where published** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reclassification of positions | 85 | Within 30 days after the quarter | Y | Human Resources Branch | Not applicable | Position Reclassification |
| Legislative Requirement | Section of ATIA | Publication Timeline | Does requirement apply to your institution? (Y/N) | Internal group(s) or position(s) responsible for fulfilling requirement | % of proactive publication requirements published within legislated timelines* | Link to web page where published** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packages of briefing materials prepared by a government institution for new or incoming ministers | 74(a) | Within 120 days after appointment | Y | Policy, Planning and Communications Branch | 100 | Briefing Materials |
| 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 | Y | Policy, Planning and Communications Branch | 100 | Briefing Note Titles and Numbers |
| 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 | Y | Policy, Planning and Communications Branch | 100 | Question Period Notes |
| 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 | Y | Policy, Planning and Communications Branch | 100 | Briefing Materials |
| Travel Expenses | 75 | Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement | Y | Finance Branch | 100 | Government Travel Expenses |
| Hospitality Expenses | 76 | Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement | Y | Finance Branch | 100 | Hospitality Expenses |
| Contracts over $10,000 | 77 | Q1-3: Within 30 days after the quarter Q4: Within 60 days after the quarter | Y | Procurement Branch | Not applicable | Government Contracts over $10,000 |
Ministers’ Offices Expenses Note: This consolidated report is currently published by Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) on behalf of all institutions. |
78 | Within 120 days after the fiscal year | Y | Receiver General and Pension Branch | 100 | Annual Expenditures on Travel, Hospitality and Conferences |
Monitoring compliance
During the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, the ATIP Directorate produced weekly summary reports of new access to information requests received and requests soon to be disclosed. Weekly “snapshot” reports containing statistics on the number of requests received and processed were also provided to senior management, in addition to briefing materials. These reports were intended to further support monitoring of incoming and outgoing requests and increase compliance within the department.
In addition to these reports, the ATIP Directorate had a number of measures in place to monitor the time taken to process requests, to appropriately limit inter-institutional consultations, and to review frequently requested types of information. Operational teams used trackers for ongoing requests and to discuss priorities during weekly meetings. Managers reviewed and monitored the status of access to information requests using the request processing system, and conducted weekly operations meetings to review active tasks and establish priorities.
Resources were added to the intake team which took on additional responsibilities at the beginning of request processing, conducting research in the request processing system, contacting OPIs, and promptly clarifying requests when required. These tasks ensured that the request was as complete as possible prior to tasking, thus limiting retrieval delays. The intake team evaluated the content of retrieved records ensuring that extensions could be taken within the statutory limit. Resources were also added to the scanning team to reduce delays between document retrieval and the transfer to the operations team.
Given the nature of PSPC’s mandate as a service provider to other federal organizations, the department is often required to perform consultations with other institutions. To appropriately limit inter-institutional consultation, PSPC carefully analyzed the content of the documents it intended to disclose and only consulted on documents that held information which could cause harm to stakeholders. ATIP officers collaborated with other institutions to obtain status updates and ensure prompt responses to consultation requests. Through these actions, compliance with requirements was monitored by ATIP officers and overseen by managers.
The data validation process ensured that data entered in the request processing system was accurate and that TBS reporting requirements were documented.
Proactive publication
PSPC has established processes and practices to adhere to proactive publication legislated timelines. In the 2024 to 2025 reporting period, PSPC managed the proactive publication process ensuring continuous departmental engagement with contributors. The Litigation Readiness and Transparency Directorate monitored the timeliness, accuracy and completeness of proactively published information across the department through the use of tracking tools, regular meetings, internal correspondence, and information management practices. Compliance with proactive publication requirements was systematically tracked, and senior management received weekly or bi-weekly briefings and publication notices on the status of proactive publication processes and upcoming releases.
Annex A: Delegation of authorities chart for the Access to Information Act and its regulations
| Position titles | Access to Information Act | Access to information regulations |
|---|---|---|
| Minister | Full | Full |
| Deputy minister | Full | Full |
| Associate deputy minister | Full | Full |
| Position titles | Access to Information Act | Access to information regulations |
|---|---|---|
| Senior departmental manager | Full | Full |
| Director general | Full | Full |
| Senior director | Full | Full |
| Director | Full | Full |
| Manager | Restrictedtable 10 note 1 | Full |
| Supervisor | Restrictedtable 10 note 2 | Restrictedtable 10 note 3 |
| Officer | Restrictedtable 10 note 4 | Not applicable |
Table 10 Notes
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Delegation of authority: Access to Information Act and Privacy Act
I, the Minister of the Department of Public Works and Government Services, pursuant to section 95 of the Access to Information Act and section 73 of the Privacy Act, hereby authorize every officer of the department appointed to a position identified in "Schedule 5 —Matrix 16 - Delegation of Authorities - Access to Information, Privacy and True Copies" including any officer appointed to such position on an acting basis, to exercise the power, duties and functions of the Minister responsible for Public Services and Procurement Canada, under the provisions of the Acts and related regulations set out in the schedule opposite each position. This designation supersedes all previous delegations of authority.
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister Public Services and Procurement
Signed December 17, 2024