Annual Report to Parliament — Access to Information Act

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Access to Information Act (the Act) gives Canadian citizens as well as people and corporations present in Canada the right to have access to federal government records that are not of a personal nature. The Act complements but does not replace other procedures for obtaining government information. It is not intended to limit in any way the access to government information that is normally available to the public upon request.

Section 72 of the Access to Information Act requires that the head of every government institution prepare, for submission to Parliament, an annual report on the administration of the Act within the institution during each financial year. For the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), the President has been designated as the head of the institution by order in council.

This annual report describes how FedDev Ontario, in its second year of operation, administered its responsibilities under the Access to Information Act.

About the Organization

The Economic Action Plan, introduced in Budget 2009, provided $1 billion over five years for a new southern Ontario development agency to support restructuring, community and business development, innovation and commercialization initiatives, and other measures to promote economic diversification in southern Ontario. FedDev Ontario was formally established on August 13, 2009.

The Agency is charged with delivering federal government economic development programs tailored to the specific priorities of workers, businesses and communities in southern Ontario. The mandate of FedDev Ontario is to help support excellence by making the southern Ontario economy and its communities more competitive, innovative and diversified.

FedDev Ontario is headquartered in Kitchener and has offices in Stratford, Peterborough, Toronto and Ottawa. According to the 2006 Census, this area has a population of over 11 million, representing approximately 93 percent of Ontario's total population and 36 percent of the total population of Canada.

FedDev Ontario is part of the Industry portfolio. Its President oversees the Agency operations and resources, and reports to the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario).

top of page

Structure of the Access to Information and Privacy Office

Responsibility for processing requests received under the Act rests with the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Coordinator who reports to the Corporate Secretary of the Agency. The ATIP Coordinator oversees the implementation of the Act within FedDev Ontario, and ensures compliance with the legislation. One junior officer is also part of the ATIP office. The organizational chart of the ATIP office is found in Annex A.

The ATIP Coordinator is responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of effective policies, guidelines and procedures necessary to manage the Agency's compliance with the Access to information Act and the Privacy Act. The administration of the legislation at FedDev Ontario is also facilitated at the branch and regional office levels. Each organizational branch has a Liaison Officer (reporting to a Vice-President, Director General, etc.) who coordinates activities on the administrative processes and procedures of the Acts. The ATIP office, which is located in Ottawa's Regional office, responds to all formal requests submitted under the applicable Act.

Delegation of Authority

The current ATIP Delegation Order was approved by the President in June 2010, and provides full delegated authority to the Corporate Secretary and the ATIP Coordinator. The designation of the Corporate Secretary position is for purposes of providing strategic support and advice to the executive management of the Agency concerning ATIP issues, if and when required. For all daily ATIP activities and operations, the ATIP Coordinator exercises full responsibility. A copy of the ATIP Delegation Order is attached in Annex B.

Statistics

FedDev Ontario has received seven requests from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011, and had one request carried forward from the previous period. A summarized statistical report on Access to Information Act requests is attached in Annex C.

Of these eight active requests, seven were completed during the 2010–2011 reporting period and one request was carried forward to the next reporting period.

The seven completed requests were disposed of as follows: two requesters were provided full access to the relevant records, two requesters were granted partial disclosure, one request was transferred to another department, one request was abandoned by the requester, and the Agency was unable to process one request as no relevant records were found to exist.

Of the seven completed requests, the Agency responded within the legislated 30 days or less in six requests. In one case, an extension was required under the Act to allow external consultation with third parties which resulted in the Agency responding to the request within the 61 to 120 day completion time range.

As noted in Annex C, exemptions under sections 19 and 22 of the Access to Information Act were invoked by FedDev Ontario. No exclusions were cited by the Agency.

In addition to the seven requests received and accounted for in the ATIP statistics (Annex C), the Agency received 11 consultation requests from five other government departments/agencies.

Overall, the Agency completed a total of 18 requests (seven access and 11 consultations).

Operational Costs to Administer the Act

Annex C reflects the cost for the ATIP office only. Non-salary related costs are estimated at $5,079, salary related costs are estimated at $111,401, and full-time employees utilized are 1.59. Including both the ATIP office and Agency officials for this period, the total salary costs associated with Access to Information Act activities are estimated at $117,333, and the associated human resources are fixed at 1.74 full‑time employees.

Education and Training

The ATIP Coordinator prepared and delivered six training/briefing sessions to 88 Agency staff at headquarters and three regional offices. The amount of Agency staff reached with these awareness sessions represents approximately 50 percent of the staffed positions at the time of training. Further training sessions will be provided in the next period as the Agency becomes fully staffed.

A one page guidance sheet on how to prepare ATIP recommendations was developed and posted on the Agency's intranet site in order to help officials when they are tasked with an ATIP request. The intranet site also specifies that ATIP training/briefing is always available upon request and provides the contact information. Informal guidance sessions were provided to address specific questions from employees and management within the Agency. The ATIP office has initiated the development of an internet ATIP page to be available through the FedDev Ontario website that should be implemented in the next reporting period.

top of page

Institutional Policies and Procedures

FedDev Ontario has developed internal procedures and guidelines to ensure appropriate monitoring and reporting on access requests. These were developed to ensure compliance with Treasury Board Secretariat's policies and guidelines.

Complaints and Investigations

There were no complaints received concerning the administration of the Access to Information Act, and no difficulties have been encountered in the administration of the Access to Information Act during the reporting period.

Annex A — Structure of Access to Information and Privacy Office

Graphic of Access to Information and Privacy Office's Organizational chart. Text version provided below.
  • Corporate Secretary, Marian Tomlinson, AS 07
    • Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator, Josée Riopel, PM 05
      • Access to Information and Privacy Officer, Vacant, PM 03
top of page

Annex B — Delegation Order

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act Delegation Order

The President of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, pursuant to section 73 to the Access to Information Act and 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 President as the head of a government institution, under the section of the Acts set out in the schedule opposite each position. This Delegation Order supersedes all previous Delegation orders.

Schedule

Position
Access to Information Act
and Regulations
Privacy Act
and Regulations
Corporate Secretary
Full authority
Full authority

and

Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator, Corporate Secretariat
Full authority
Full authority

Dated, at the City of Kitchener
This 22nd day of June, 2010

B.A. (Bruce) Archibald, Ph. D., President
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

top of page

Annex C — Statistical Report

Institution:
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Reporting period:
April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011
Source:
Media:
3
 
Academia:
0
 
Business:
1
 
Organization:
1
 
Public:
2

I. Requests under the Access to Information Act

Received during reporting period
7
Outstanding from previous period
1
Total
8
Completed during reporting period
7
Carried forward
1

II. Dispositon of requests completed

1.
All disclosed
2
2.
Disclosed in part
2
3.
Nothing disclosed (excluded)
0
4.
Nothing disclosed (exempt)
0
5.
Transferred
1
6.
Unable to process
1
7.
Abandoned by applicant
1
8.
Treated informally
0
 
Total
7

III. Exemptions invoked

S.
Art. 13(1)(a)
0
b)
0
c)
0
d)
0
S.
Art. 14
0
S.
15(1) International rel.
0
Defence
0
Subversive activities
0
S.
Art 16(1)(a)
0
b)
0
c)
0
d)
0
S.
Art. 16(2)
0
S.
Art. 16(3)
0
S.
Art. 17
0
S.
Art. 18(a)
0
S.
Art. 18(b)
0
c)
0
d)
0
S.
Art. 19(1)
1
S.
Art. 20(1)(a)
0
b)
0
c)
0
d)
0
S.
Art. 21(1)(a)
0
b)
0
c)
0
d)
0
S.
Art. 22
1
S.
Art. 23
0
S.
Art. 24
0
S.
Art. 26
0

IV. Exclusions cited

S.
Art. 68(a)
0
b)
0
c)
0
S.
Art. 69(1)(a)
0
b)
0
S.
Art. 69(1)(c)
0
d)
0
e)
0
f)
0
g)
0

V. Completion time

30 days or under
6
31 to 60 days
0
61 to 120 days
1
121 days or over
0

VI. Extensions

 
30 days or under
31 days or over
Searching
0
0
Consultation
0
1
Third party
0
0
Total
0
1

VII. Translations

Translations requested
0
Translations prepared
English to French
0
Translations prepared
French to English
0

VIII. Method of access

Copies given
4
Examination
0
Copies and examination
0

XI. Fees

Net fees collected
Application fees
$ 30.00
Reproduction
0
Searching
0
Preparation
0
Computer processing
0
Total
$ 30.00
Fees waived
No. of times
$
$25.00 or under
0
$ 0
Over $25.00
0
$ 0

X. Costs

Financial (all reasons)
Salary
$ 111,401.00
Administration (O and M)
$ 5,079.00
Total
$ 116,480.00
Person year utilization (all reasons)
Person year (decimal format)
1.59

Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011

This publication is available upon request in accessible formats.

Contact:

Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
155 Queen Street, 14th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H5
Telephone: 613-954-2880
Fax.: 613-952-9026
Email: Josee.Riopel@feddevontario.gc.ca

Permission to Reproduce

The information in this publication may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), provided that due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the information reproduced; that FedDev Ontario is identified as the source institution; and that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the information reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of, FedDev Ontario.

For permission to reproduce the information in this publication for commercial redistribution, please email: copyright.droitdauteur@pwgsc.gc.ca

PDF Cat. No.: Iu93–1/1–2011E–PDF
Print Cat. No.: Iu93–1/1–2011