Complaint: Canada Post withheld the majority of two guidelines on procurement under its unique exemption, section 18.1.

Investigation: The OIC questioned whether the guidelines, which Canada Post issued to employees evaluating responses to requests for proposals, constituted commercial information, as section 18.1 stipulates.

Outcome: Canada Post released the records in their entirety.

Information Commissioner’s position:

• The guidelines were not commercial information. However, even if they were, they related to Canada Post’s general administration, since they served to ensure sound management practice. Canada Post must release information related to its general administration under subsection 18.1(2).
• The dictionary definition of “administration” includes the “management of business.”