The complainant alleged that the Department of Finance Canada (Finance) failed to respond to a request for information within the time limits set out in the Access to Information Act.

The Information Commissioner found that the delay in responding to the requests mainly rests with Finance’s Office of Primary Interest, the Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, which has failed to provide records to Finance’s Access to Information and Privacy office in a timely fashion.

The Information Commissioner ordered the Minister of Finance to provide a final response to the request for information submitted on July 22, 2020 forthwith.

Finance gave notice that it would be implementing the order and respond to the request on a priority basis.

The complaint is well founded.