The complainant alleged that Canadian Heritage (PCH) had not conducted reasonable searches for records in response to multiple access request under the Access to Information Act. The requests were all made in 2023 for records related to specific registered lobbying communications that took place in 2020 and 2021. The allegations fall under paragraph 30(1)(a) of the Act.

The Information Commissioner found that, although the Offices of Primary Interest (OPI) tasked with searching for records fulfilled their obligations under the Act, PCH has not demonstrated that it has tasked all of the OPIs most likely to hold records relevant to each of these access requests.

The Information Commissioner ordered PCH to: task the relevant OPIs, conduct a new search for records, give access to any additional responsive records and provide a new response to the complainant for each access request.

PCH gave notice to the Commissioner that it would implement all thirteen of the orders.

The complaints are well founded.