The complainant alleged that the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) had improperly withheld information under paragraphs 20(1)(b) (confidential third-party financial, commercial, scientific or technical information) and 20(1)(d) (negotiations by a third party) of the Access to Information Act. This was in response to an access request for records related to a grant made to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in March 2020. This complaint falls within paragraph 30(1)(a) of the Act.

No representations were provided by either the OECD or ACOA in support of the application of either exemption to the information at issue.

The Information Commissioner ordered ACOA to disclose the records in their entirety. ACOA gave notice to the Commissioner that it would implement the order.

The complaint is well founded.