Annual Report to Parliament 2024–2025 on the Access to Information Act

Introduction

Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) is pleased to present to Parliament its Annual Report on the Administration of the Access to Information Act (ATIA), in accordance with section 94 of the Access to Information Act and section 20 of the Service Fees Act. The report describes how WAGE fulfilled its responsibilities and obligations for the reporting period of April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

Purpose of the Access to Information 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 provides a right of access to information (ATI) 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
• Part 2 sets out requirements for the proactive publication of specific information known to be of interest to the public in order to provide greater transparency and accountability for the use of public funds

Mandate of Women and Gender Equality Canada

WAGE advances equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression through the inclusion of women and 2SLGBTQI+ people in every aspect of Canada’s social, economic, and political life.

For more information about WAGE, please visit our website.

Organizational Structure

The Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Office is responsible for the administration of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, and the Briefing and Correspondence Unit is responsible for the coordination and monitoring of the proactive publications legislated in Part 2 of the Access to Information Act. Both units are part of the Corporate Secretariat at WAGE, and both responsible Managers report directly to the Corporate Secretary.

Structure of the Access to Information and Privacy Office

The ATIP coordinator at WAGE is the Manager of the ATIP Office. The ATIP Manager acts on behalf of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth to ensure that the Department’s responsibilities under the Access to Information Act, the Privacy Act, and the Service Fees Act are met.

The ATIP Office is responsible for the administration of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, and they also serve as the centre of ATIP expertise within WAGE. Activities include:

• providing timely and complete responses to requests made under the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, as well as assisting clients in accordance with the Principles for Assisting Requesters
• processing consultation requests received from other institutions, providing recommendations on the disclosure of information of primary interest to WAGE
• representing the Department in resolving complaints filed with the Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner
• providing advice and guidance to senior management and all employees of the Department on ATIP-related matters, including privacy policy advisory services related to the safeguarding of personal information
• delivering training sessions to departmental employees on their obligations under the ATIP legislation and related policies, as well as on departmental procedures
• reviewing proactive publication material and providing recommendations regarding disclosure within the spirit of the Access to Information Act

At the end of the reporting period, the ATIP Office was comprised of four members: the ATIP Manager and three ATIP analysts at various levels. Additional resources for fiscal year 2024–25 included the services of a consultant to provide privacy expertise when needed.

WAGE was not a party to any service agreements under section 96 of the Access to Information Act during this reporting period.

Structure of Proactive Publication

WAGE’s structure for the proactive publications legislated in Part 2 of the Access to Information Act is as follows:

The Corporate Secretary is responsible for fulfilling requirements associated with:

• Briefing materials for a new or incoming minister or deputy minister (paragraphs 74(a) and 88(a))
• Titles and reference numbers of memoranda (paragraphs 74(b) and 88(b))
• Question Period notes (paragraph 74(c))
• Briefing materials for parliamentary committee appearances (paragraphs 74(d) and 88(c))
• Reports tabled in Parliament (section 84)

The Chief Financial Officer is responsible for fulfilling requirements associated with:

• Travel expenses (sections 75 and 82)
• Hospitality expenses (sections 76 and 83)
• Contracts over $10,000 (sections 77 and 86)

The Director General, Human Resources Branch is responsible for fulfilling requirements associated with:

• The reclassification of positions (section 85)

The Senior Director General, Programs and Corporate Services is responsible for fulfilling requirements associated with:

• Grants and contributions over $25,000 (section 87)

Delegation Order

The Delegation Order in effect at the end of the reporting period is provided in Appendix A. The Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth delegated responsibilities associated with the administration of the Access to Information Act to WAGE officials through this order. At WAGE, the ATIP Manager, the Corporate Secretary and the Deputy Minister have full delegated authority.

Performance 2024–25

This section highlights key information on the Department’s performance for fiscal year 2024–25. See Appendix B for the complete statistical report and Appendix C for the supplemental ATIP statistical report.

Overview of Formal Requests Received and Completed

WAGE received 27 formal requests under the Access to Information Act in 2024–25. This was in addition to the 3 requests carried forward from the previous reporting period, for a total of 30 active requests.

Of these 30 requests, 24 were completed during the reporting period. The remaining six requests were carried over to the 2025-26 fiscal year. Two of the six were carried over from the 2023-24 fiscal year, while the other four requests were received during the reporting period. At the end of the reporting period, four were still within the legislated timeline, and two were beyond the legislated timeline.

Of the 24 requests closed, 21 requests were completed within the legislated timelines under the Act. WAGE’s compliance rate decreased compared to the previous fiscal year, from 95.5% in fiscal year 2023-24 to 87.5% for this reporting period. 

The decrease in number of requests completed and associated pages processed compared to previous fiscal years reflects the increased in volume of responsive records, which require more time to review and process. As a result of increased interest in the work the department does to support 2SLGBTQI+ communities, sensitivity in request processing persists. Files continue to require additional careful consideration including how release of certain information could impact operations of stakeholders and the safety of individuals.

Of the 24 requests closed this reporting period, 42% were released in part (10), 30% were released in full (7), 4% of the requests returned no existing records (1), none received a “neither confirm nor deny” response (0), and 4% were abandoned (1).

Extensions and Processing Time

Under specific circumstances, the Act contains provisions for departments to extend the legislated deadline if a request cannot be completed within the 30-day time limit.

In 2024-25, WAGE invoked extensions for 7 of the 24 completed requests. In all seven requests, extensions were invoked for the purposes of consultation that could not reasonably be completed within the original time limit. In three instances, extensions were also required because there was a large volume of records and complying with the original time limit would have unreasonably interfered with operations, and in two instances, to follow the notification process with a third party. More than one type of extension may apply to the same request.

During the reporting period, the Department was able to close a total of 58% of requests in 30 days or less (14), 17% between 31 and 60 days (4), 12.5% between 61 and 120 days (3), and 12.5% between 121 and 365 days (3). No request took more than 365 days to complete, and no requests were sent for translation during the reporting period.

Consultations From Other Institutions

During the reporting period, WAGE received 21 consultations from other institutions, with none carried forward from the previous year. All but one (20) were completed during the reporting period, providing recommendations on 900 pages. One consultation was carried forward within timelines.

Of the 21 consultation requests, 9 were answered within 15 days, 8 were answered within 16 to 30 days, and two were answered within 31 to 60 days. No consultations from other institutions took greater than 61 days.

Unless it is voluminous, WAGE’s service standard to respond to consultations received from other institutions is three weeks.

Informal Requests

The Department proactively publishes summaries of completed access to information requests on the Open Government Portal. Members of the public can submit informal requests for a copy of previously released information without having to pay the application fee. During 2024-25, WAGE received 148 such informal requests, and responded to 141 of them, carrying forward 7 more within legislated timelines.

Summary of Key Issues and Actions Taken on Complaints

Every individual who makes a request under the Access to Information Act has the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada regarding any matter relating to the processing of their request. 

WAGE had two outstanding complaints; both received during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Five new complaints were received during the 2024-2025 reporting year. Two complaints alleged that WAGE took an unreasonable extension of time and three alleged that WAGE refused access to information requested.

One complaint was closed during this reporting period.

Reporting on Access to Information Fees for the Purposes of the Service Fees Act

The Service Fees Act requires a responsible authority to report annually to Parliament on the fees collected by the institution.

With respect to fees collected under the Access to Information Act, the information below is reported in accordance with the requirements of section 20 of the Service Fees Act:

• Enabling authority: Access to Information Act
• Fee payable: A $5.00 application fee is the only fee charged for an ATI request
• Total revenue: $60 was collected
• Fees waived or refunded: $35 was waived, and no fee was refunded
• Cost of operating the program: $207,740

Policies, Guidelines, Procedures, and Initiatives to Improve Access to Information

During fiscal year 2024-25, WAGE continued work on the evergreen work plan to optimize internal guidance documents, procedures, and tools to ensure compliance and efficiency. Consultations with the departmental ATIP liaison working group were conducted to assist in these efforts, as well as to foster greater understanding of each team’s unique perspective and to enhance collaboration.

WAGE acquired new request processing software (ATIPXpress) and initiated its implementation during the previous reporting period. Having modern technology will enable the ATIP Office to manage information more effectively, process requests more efficiently, and better equip itself to address current and future challenges. Installation and configuration were completed during this reporting period.  WAGE will also engage in User Acceptance Training, moving toward having the new software fully operational in the next reporting period.

WAGE is committed to ATIP practices that advance Indigenous reconciliation. To facilitate access to culturally appropriate personal information services for Indigenous requesters, the ATIP Office has undertaken focused learning in alignment with Access to Information and Privacy Implementation Notice 2023-01: Advancing Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples by Providing Culturally Appropriate Services.

Proactive Publication Under Part 2 of the Access to Information Act

For the purposes of Part 2 of the ATIA, Women and Gender Equality Canada is a government institution listed in Schedule I of the Financial Administration Act. WAGE published 100% of proactive publication requirements during the reporting period within the legislated timelines.

Training and Awareness

Access to Information Requests

Within the first three months of employment, all new WAGE employees must take the Access to Information and Privacy Fundamentals course offered by the Canada School of Public Service. Topics include:

• reviewing current legislation and related policies
• processing access to information requests effectively
• protecting personal information
• understanding the requirements concerning the collection, use, communication, retention, and disposal of personal information

During the fiscal year, discussions were held at senior management tables on roles and responsibilities under the Act. This increased awareness cascaded to employees.

While formal training sessions were not delivered by the ATIP Office, informal training on the application of legislation was provided to departmental employees who retrieve and review relevant records requested under the Act, while update work continues on updated training modules.

Proactive Publication

Training and awareness are achieved through conversations with the sectors responsible for proactive publication requirements.

Monitoring Compliance

Access to Information Requests and Inter-institutional Consultations

The ATIP team meets daily to ensure that all requests are on track and that deadlines will be met. This also provides an opportunity to discuss issues that have arisen and for analysts to receive guidance on the processing of their requests.

A report of active access to information requests is prepared on a weekly basis for review and oversight by the Corporate Secretary, and for WAGE’s senior management. This report is also used by the ATIP Office to identify frequently requested types of information that would prompt the Department to assess the feasibility of making that information available by other means.

Consistent with the requirement to provide timely access to requested records, WAGE limits inter-institutional consultation to only when required for the proper exercise of discretion or when there is an intention to disclose.   

Accuracy and Completeness of Proactively Published Information Under Part 2 of the Act

The Corporate Secretariat, Corporate Services Branch, Human Resources Branch, and Programs Branch have developed suitable processes for extracting data from different departmental systems, including financial and corporate correspondence management systems. Data generated from individual systems are converted into reports and manually verified and validated by each responsible sector to ensure accuracy. The ATIP Office reviews the material and provides recommendations regarding disclosure prior to its proactive publication.

Once validations have been completed by the branches, approvals are sought from senior management. Every level of the production and approval process is tracked to ensure compliance with the posting deadlines.

Contracts, Information-Sharing Agreements, and Information-Sharing Arrangements

WAGE uses standard clauses to ensure that the right of public access to information is reflected in contracts, information-sharing agreements, and information-sharing arrangements.

Appendix A: Delegation Order

The responsibilities associated with the administration of the Access to Information Act are delegated to departmental officials through a delegation order signed by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth.

Department for Women and Gender Equality

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act Delegation Order

The Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, pursuant to section 95 of the Access to Information Act and section 73 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 and functions of the Minister as the head of a government institution. This Delegation Order supersedes all previous Delegation Orders.

Dated this 28 day of March 2022