Administration of the Access to Information Act in 2022-2023

Workload

The OIC saw unprecedented increases in all areas in 2022‑23 (from the previous fiscal year).
82 new access requests were received, an increase of 37%.
85 189 pages were processed, an increase of 121%.
14 consultation requests were received, an increase of 55%.
42 informal requests were received, an increase of 320%.

A hallmark of exemplary service to requesters is timeliness. Indeed, responding to access requests as promptly as possible underpins the entire access system.
Of the 82 requests the OIC closed in 2022‑23, 95% were completed in less than 30 days; with 40% being completed in 15 days or less, and 55% being completed in 16 to 30 days.
In 2022‑23, the OIC took four time extensions to respond to requests. Of these extensions, one was for less than 30 days, one for between 31 to 60 days, and two for between 61 and 120 days. One extension was for consultation with other government institutions and the remaining three were due to a large volume of responsive records.
The OIC completed all 82 requests in 2022‑23 by their deadline (or the extended date), such that the OIC had no “deemed refusals.”
The average time it takes to complete a request was 21,5 days.

The majority of access requests received by the OIC come from members of the public.
In 2022‑23, the majority of the requests received were for information regarding specific investigations or for general investigations guidance documents.

A new database was created and preparations were made to transition to the most up-to-date version of ATIPXpress, the case management system used at the OIC.
The adoption of this new version, launched April 1, 2023, will result in greater efficiency in processing requests and fewer technical difficulties.

When it became apparent that the OIC’S former Investigators Guide to Interpreting the Act was being requested with increasing frequency, the decision was made to proactively publish the document on the OIC’s website to facilitate access.

In 2022‑23, the Information Commissioner Ad Hoc investigated seven complaints about the OIC’s handling of access requests.
Of the seven complaints investigated, none were deemed Well-Founded.
With the goal of resolving complaints promptly, the OIC responded quickly to the Ad Hoc Commissioner’s requests and in one case, chose to waive solicitor-client privilege to make additional information available to the requester.
Three complaints were received during 2022‑23 that were carried over to fiscal year 2023‑24.
The annual report of the Information Commissioner Ad Hoc was published as an appendix of the Commissioner’s annual report.