2023-24 Departmental Results Report
Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
2023–24
Departmental Results Report
The Honourable Arif Virani, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Caroline Maynard
Information Commissioner of Canada
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Justice, 2024
Cat. No. IP1-8E-PDF
ISSN 2561-2697
On this page:
- From the Commissioner
- Results – what we achieved
- Spending and human resources
- Corporate information
- Federal tax expenditures
- Definitions
From the Commissioner
Over the past year, as I have continued my efforts to spotlight some of the longstanding issues within the access to information system through my investigations, appearances before parliament and other activities.
Despite ongoing challenges, I seek to ensure that the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) operates as effectively as possible, a priority of mine since the start of my mandate. In fiscal year 2023–2024, the OIC continued to perform well, thanks to the implementation of new tools and processes, as well as the hard work of our investigators and the entire team that supports them. As a result, we closed nearly 25% more complaints than we registered. Another area of focus has been working on the backlog of complaints that I inherited, while investigating new complaints as they come in. Over the past twelve months, the OIC has continued to make significant progress on the most challenging complaints in the inventory, resulting in less than 25 files that pre-date the June 2019 amendments to the Act.
In 2023–2024, I also issued more orders against government institutions than ever before. Some institutions that do not implement my orders are not challenging them in court, as the law requires. In response, I have taken my own legal action in the courts - an expensive way to solve a problem that should not exist. This additional expenditure is all the more unfortunate in light of the fact that salary increases under new collective agreements negotiated by the Treasury Board Secretariat for employees hired since I was given the power to issue orders have not been fully funded. As a result, the OIC began the 2024–2025 fiscal year with an unanticipated structural deficit. At the time of writing, while discussions with the relevant parties are ongoing, this shortfall has yet to be fully resolved.
While the government has made it clear that no further changes to the Access to Information Act will be considered until the next review of access to information in 2025, the recently-announced Trust and Transparency Strategy includes an Access to Information (ATI) Modernization Action Plan, with targeted policy, administrative and operational activities to be undertaken over three years (from fiscal year 2023–24 to 2025–26) to strengthen the access to information regime. I will be monitoring these initiatives closely to see if they result in quantifiable, measurable improvements to the access to information system. That being said, with the hindsight of having investigating more than 30,000 complaints over the course of my mandate I have little confidence that the plan’s overall objective can be fully achieved without legislative changes. In fact, I am more convinced than ever that more changes to the Act are needed now so that Canadians can benefit from an access system that meets the needs of the 21st century.
Results – what we achieved
Core responsibilities and internal services
- Core responsibility: Government transparency
- Internal services
Core responsibility: Government transparency
In this section
- Description
- Progress on results
- Key risks
- Resources required to achieve results
- Related government-wide priorities
- Program inventory
Description
The Information Commissioner is the first level of independent review of government decisions related to requests for information from government institutions under the Access to Information Act. The Federal Court of Canada is the second level of independent review.
Progress on results
This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for government transparency. Details are presented by departmental result.
The number of complaints submitted to the OIC fluctuates from year to year. While various factors may influence this volume, including the resources allocated to institutions’ access to information and privacy (ATIP) units, the OIC has no control over how many complaints it will receive each year.
During 2023–2024, the OIC registered 3,361 and closed 4,183 complaints, significantly reducing its inventory. On March 31, 2024, there were 2,670 complaints left in the inventory, only 13% (354 complaints) of which were made prior to the 2022–2023 fiscal period. Whereas investigating older files can often present numerous challenges due to the passage of time, working on contemporary records with individuals within the institutions involved in processing the access request to begin with is the most efficient use of resources for both the OIC and the institutions subject to the Act.
The OIC’s existing inventory consists of complaints about access requests on a wide variety of subject, from federal employees wishing to access their personal human resource records, to seeking access to immigration or tax records. Tackling the OIC’s inventory of complaints not only requires efficient processes, but also sufficient capacity to take on this work while continuing to investigate new complaints as they arrive.
During 2023–2024, the OIC also published all of the Commissioner’s orders on administrative complaints (275) and all final reports (35) where an order was made on a refusal complaint. The OIC also published 10 final reports where no order was made, but the Commissioner deemed them to be of value in providing guidance to both institutions and complainants.
Table 1: Targets and results for government transparency
Table 1 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under government transparency.
Canadians receive timely resolution of complaints on how federal institutions process access to information requests
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median turnaround time for completion of investigations of administrative* complaints | At most 30 days | March 31, 2023 | 2021–22: 34 days 2022–23: 17 days 2023–24: 19 days |
| Percentage of investigations of administrative complaints completed within 60 days | At least 85% | March 31, 2024 | 2021–22: 56.8% 2022–23: 79.0% 2023–24: 70.9% |
| Percentage of administrative complaints assigned to investigators within 30 days of being registered | At least 85% | March 31, 2024 | 2021–22: 27.7% 2022–23: 33.0% 2023–24: 14.9% |
| Median turnaround time for completion of investigations of refusal** complaints | At most 120 days | March 31, 2023 | 2021–22: 158 days 2022–23: 197 days 2023–24: 161 days |
| Percentage of investigations of refusal complaints completed within 270 days | At least 85% | March 31, 2024 | 2021–22: 65.7% 2022–23: 57.7% 2023–24: 61.6% |
| Percentage of refusal complaints assigned to investigators within 180 days of being registered | At least 85% | March 31, 2024 | 2021–22: 38.2% 2022–23: 47.1% 2023–24: 37.6% |
| Percentage of complaints in the inventory at each year-end that were registered during the current year and previous year | At least 85% | March 31, 2024 | 2021–22: 73.5% 2022–23: 82.9% 2023–24: 69.7% |
*Administrative complaints involve delay and extension of time allegations. Complainants have not yet received a response to their access request.
**Refusal complaints relate to institutions applying exemptions under the Act or conducting a reasonable search for records. Complainants are not satisfied that they received all the information to which they are entitled.
Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for the OIC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Details on results
The following section describes the results for government transparency in 2023–24 compared with the planned results set out in OIC’s departmental plan for the year.
Departmental Result: Canadians receive timely resolution of complaints on how federal institutions process access to information requests.
Results achieved
Lack of predictability in number of complaints submitted
The number of complaints submitted to the OIC fluctuates from year to year. While various factors may influence this volume, including the resources allocated to institutions’ ATIP units, the OIC has no control over how many complaints it receives.
Following two record-breaking years, the OIC saw a decrease in the number of complaints registered in 2023–2024. Between 2019–2020 and 2022–2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accounted for more than 50% of the complaints registered by the OIC each year. In 2023–2024, the complaints against IRCC dropped significantly, representing only 18% of all complaints. In contrast, complaints against the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) increased significantly. In fact, CBSA now tops the list of institutions against which the OIC has registered complaints. A decline in the number of complaints made against an institution does not necessarily correlate with a decrease in the volume of access requests received by that same institution.
The lack of predictability requires the OIC to be agile and adapt to these changes quickly.
Admissibility of complaints
The Registry is the first stop for all new complaints. There, staff determine whether complaints are admissible. They then notify complainants and institutions that admissible complaints will be investigated and gather the information and documents investigators need to begin their work.
The criteria Registry staff use to determine whether complaints are admissible include whether they include all the necessary details, they were submitted by the 60-day deadline, the complainant had standing and whether they fall within the Commissioner’s mandate. In 2023–2024, Registry staff determined that 1,589 complaints were inadmissible for these and other reasons.
Significant reduction in the OIC’s inventory
During 2023–2024, the OIC registered 3,361 and closed 4,183 complaints significantly reducing its inventory. On March 31, 2024, there were 2,670 complaints in its inventory, only 13% (354 complaints) of which were made prior to the 2022-23 fiscal period. Working on contemporary records with individuals within the institutions involved in processing the access request to begin with is the most efficient use of resources for both the OIC and the institutions subject to the Act.
While the informal resolution of complaints is by far the most efficient way to conclude a complaint investigation, the Commissioner uses the full extent of her powers, including issuing orders when complaints are well founded. During 2023–2024, the Commissioner issued 310 orders, including 275 stemming from investigations into complaints involving delay and extension of time allegations (administrative complaints) and 35 following investigations into, for example, whether institutions correctly applied exemptions or conducted a reasonable search for records (refusal complaints).
The Commissioner’s orders are legally binding. This means that institutions are obliged to implement them unless they apply to the Federal Court for a review. During 2023–2024, three institutions applied for such a review on 16 well-founded administrative complaints.
In these cases, the Commissioner had found that institutions had failed to meet their obligation to respond to the access request within the time limits set out in the Act. She therefore issued orders requiring the institutions to respond to the access requests.
During 2023–2024, the OIC published all the Commissioner’s orders on administrative complaints (275) and all final reports (35) when an order was made on refusal complaint. The OIC also published 10 final reports where no order was made, but the Commissioner deemed them to be of value in providing guidance to both institutions and complainants.
The OIC’s Decisions Database continues to expand each year and is a key resource for institutions and complainants. While this is a resource-intensive process, involving legal review, translation and web publishing, it is vital to ensuring decisions made by the Commissioner are transparent and enable all parties to better understand the interpretation and application of the Act. Increasingly, institutions and complainants refer to published decisions to support their arguments and negotiate whenever possible, an informal resolution to the issue at hand.
Advocating for an independent funding mechanism
Currently, the OIC’s inventory holds more complaints than can be assigned. An adequately funded OIC ensures enough investigators are available to permit the timely assigning and investigation of complaints. During the spring 2023-2024, the Commissioner appeared before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) as part of its study on the access system. During her appearance, she advocated for a funding model that provides the OIC with the resources needed to operate, and which reflects her status as an independent agent of Parliament.
Upholding the right to access to information
During meetings with various leaders and senior officials, the Commissioner discussed institutions’ access to information performance and reiterated the need for leaders to make transparency a priority.
The Commissioner also attended the 2023 International Conference of Information Commissioners, where she participated in a panel on the access-related lessons learned from the pandemic and the emerging opportunities for innovation. The conference’s final statement recognized that access to information plays a key role in safeguarding democracy, fostering inclusivity and promoting development.
In addition, the Commissioner participated in the 2023 annual meeting of federal, provincial and territorial information and privacy commissioners. The group discussed common issues and concerns, including persistent challenges government institutions face in delivering timely responses to access requests. The conference ended with the adoption of a joint resolution reiterating the urgent need for action to facilitate Canadians’ access to government records in order to restore trust in institutions.
Increased litigation
During 2023–2024, the OIC experienced a significant increase in court proceedings that required its involvement. The Commissioner has limited control over the volume of applications for review made under the Access to Information Act. These proceedings come in various forms and varying complexity, but at its core, the purpose of the Commissioner’s involvement is to defend the right of access.
In 2023–2024, the Commissioner was involved in 26 new court proceedings. Among those, the Commissioner had to apply for a writ of mandamus against a few heads of institutions on 4 occasions. A writ of mandamus is an extraordinary remedy asking a court to order a public authority to perform a legal duty. The need to resort to this remedy was in each case caused by the head of the institution failing to meet their statutory obligations to implement the Commissioner’s order and to apply for a review under subsection 41(2).
This compares to 2022–2023, where the Commissioner was involved in 7 new court proceedings. This represents an overall increase of 271% in litigation-related activities from 2022–2023.
Driving efficiency: a year of progress
During 2023–2024, the OIC completed 70.9% of administrative complaints within 60 days of being assigned and 62% of refusal complaints were completed within 270 days of being assigned. These results are due in part to the OIC’s effective implementation of its Professional Development Program for Investigators in order to attract and retain a diverse and qualified workforce. The OIC knows that attracting and retaining a diverse workforce, hinges on its ability to create an inclusive work environment. A diverse workforce improves opportunities to innovate and leverage talent immediately and into the future.
The Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance unit, with the support of the Legal Services team also contributed to the efficient delivery of the investigations program by expanding the development of various tools and delivering training opportunities for investigators and Registry staff. The Legal Service team provided continued support to the Commissioner by providing advice on a wide range of internal services and investigations issues, including investigations findings and reports, and institutions’ applications to seeking the Commissioner’s authorization to decline to act on access requests.
Improving the OIC’s operations has been a priority since the beginning of the Commissioner’s mandate. Fiscal year 2023–2024 saw continued progress in this area, thanks to the implementation of new tools and processes.
Improvements to the OIC’s Website
In July 2023, the OIC introduced a significant update to its online complaint form. While retaining all of the user-friendly elements of its predecessor, the new form provides additional features to help complainants accurately submit their complaints. It enables complainants to provide more information at the outset, which allows the OIC’s Registry to make more efficient decisions regarding complaint admissibility. To complement the updated online form, the OIC enhanced the accessibility of the PDF version. An efficient and effective way for complainants to communicate their allegations from the very beginning of the process ensures investigation resources are used to maximum efficiency.
To help complainants, institutions, and others better understand the complaint submission and investigation processes, the OIC published new and updated web pages related to complaints and investigations, including an expanded Frequently Asked Questions section. Explanations of key points complainants should consider and steps they should take before submitting a complaint were also added to the OIC’s website.
Seeking input from complainants
During 2023–2024, for the first time ever, the OIC sought input from complainants through an independent third party to better understand their needs. The final report and results of the consultation which included an online questionnaire and focus-group sessions, outlined issues that matter to complainants and made recommendations. The recommendations are being considered and the OIC plans to publish both the report and its response in the fall of 2024.
New and updated guidance
In 2023–2024, the OIC continued to develop guidance on the Commissioner’s interpretation of various sections of the Act. This is part of ongoing efforts to provide as much information in plain language as possible so institutions and complainants have a better understanding of how the OIC investigates complaints and applies the Access to Information Act. One notable example is the publication of Exemption from disclosure: advice, accounts, positions and plans. Focussing on section 21, which covers the inner decision-making processes of government, this guidance sheds light on the requirements of the exemption and the elements investigators examine when determining whether institutions applied it properly.
The OIC also improved its Notice of Intention to Investigate. The Commissioner issues this document to advise the institution and the complainant that she will investigate an admissible complaint. It includes a clear statement of the complainant’s allegations and informs both the complainant and institution which matters will be investigated. As such, it enables the complainant to promptly clarify allegations, as needed.
With the OIC’s updated Initial Request for Information and Documents, institutions now also receive clearer and more detailed instructions from the Registry about submitting what is needed to start investigations. This has resulted in institutions providing the relevant material more quickly, and in a more manageable format.
Key risks
The OIC currently lacks a funding model that reflects the Commissioner’s status as an independent agent of Parliament and is sufficiently flexible to respond to the cyclical nature of complaint volumes. Several years of complaint volumes above what the OIC is funded to investigate has resulted in a significant inventory of complaints which the organization has only recently begun to make headway against owing to more recent decreases in volume.
A lack of adequate funding to handle the volume of complaints received by the OIC in any given year will result in significant negative impacts to the access to information system at large. As required by law, the OIC provides the first level of independent review of decisions related to the application of the Access to Information Act and is at risk of being unable to resolve complaints in a timely manner. Without the proper level of legal support, the OIC may not be in a position to adequately respond to legal challenges to the Commissioner’s decisions, initiate or participate in litigation to advance the interpretation and implementation of the Access to Information Act, or to apply for a writs of mandamus before the Federal Court requiring institutions to implement the Commissioner’s orders.
While a transition to newer information technology infrastructure is already underway, some of the technology still used by the OIC to run its program is aging and outdated. Maintaining outdated infrastructure provides little or no value-added to support the program, and results in a loss of efficiency. The OIC’s mitigation strategy is to fund its technology infrastructure modernization projects by using carry-over funds from one year to the next, extending the project over several years.
Resources required to achieve results
Table 2: Snapshot of resources required for government transparency
Table 2 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents (FTEs) required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | 11,222,587 | 12,399,598 |
| Full-time equivalents | 96 | 87 |
The OIC was required to absorb unfunded retroactive payments and salary increases under new collective agreements negotiated by the Treasury Board Secretariat for many recently hired investigators which reduced the funding available for Actual FTEs. 98% of OIC positions were staff at March 31, 2024.
Complete financial and human resources information for the OIC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Related government-wide priorities
Gender-based analysis plus
The OIC helps Canadians obtain access to information about government activities and decisions, including gender based (GBA+) information. However, the confidentiality requirements of investigations conducted pursuant to the Access to Information Act hamper GBA+ data collection efforts. In 2023-2024, the OIC completed a complainant consultation about its program delivery including the accessibility and inclusivity of its investigation processes. There were no significant barriers identified by complainants.
United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals
In 2022–2023, the OIC initialized the development of its sustainable development strategy and will make every effort to review the possibility of integrating certain key elements of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that align with its operating context. The OIC has only one mandate and program and operates as an independent agency. As such, key target and key goals are not directly related to any specific government initiative.
More information on OIC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
Program inventory
OIC is supported by the following programs:
- Compliance with access to information obligations
Additional information related to the program inventory for government transparency is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Internal services
In this section
- Description
- Progress on results
- Resources required to achieve results
- Contracts awarded to Indigenous business
Description
Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. The service categories are:
- management and oversight services
- communications services
- human resources management services
- financial management services
- information management services
- information technology services
- real property management services
- materiel management services
- acquisition management services
Progress on results
This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.
In 2023–2024, the focus for internal services at the OIC was on continuing to seek efficiencies, streamlining processes, and enhancing collaboration between teams to maximize the amount of resources dedicated to the investigations program.
Through the collaboration of multiple teams within the OIC, several important projects were completed to provide additional guidance to institutions and complainants. These include a significant update to the online complaint form and updated content on the OIC website.
The OIC continued to invest strategically in updating critical IT systems to increase efficiencies and ensure that a high level of cybersecurity is maintained. The IM/IT teams worked jointly on a new electronic records system. The rollout of this new system started in 2023–2024 and will be adopted organization wide in 2024–2025. Work also continues on the preparation and planning to migrate IT infrastructure to a cloud environment, which will transform operations by reducing costs and enhancing efficiencies.
During fiscal year 2023–2024, the OIC completed its first Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy with goals focusing on advancing reconciliation with indigenous peoples, taking action on inequality, reducing waste, and helping fight climate change. The OIC also took the opportunity to review and modernize its financial and HR delegations to improve efficiencies.
Finally, the OIC is committed to remaining an employer of choice. To fulfil this goal, the OIC continues to invest in and support its resources by introducing new development programs and making progress on its accessibility action plan.
Resources required to achieve results
Table 3: Resources required to achieve results for internal services this year
Table 3 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents (FTEs) required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | 4,810,109 | 5,764,576 |
| Full-time equivalents | 32 | 33 |
The complete financial and human resources information for the OIC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Government of Canada departments are to meet a target of awarding at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses each year. This commitment is to be fully implemented by the end of 2024–25.
OIC’s result for 2023-24:
Table 4: Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businessesFootnote 1
As shown in the Table 4, OIC awarded 45 % of the total value of all contracts to Indigenous businesses for the fiscal year.
| Contracting performance indicators | 2023-24 Results |
|---|---|
| Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businessesFootnote2(A) | $1,131,844 |
| Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous and non‑Indigenous businessesFootnote3(B) | $2,508,182 |
| Value of exceptions approved by deputy head (C) | $0 |
| Proportion of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses [A / (B−C) × 100] | 45 % |
OIC is a Phase 3 organization requiring it to achieve the minimum 5% target of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses by the end of 2024-25. The OIC reached this goal in 2022–2023 and again in 2023–2024.
The measures that OIC has taken and will continue to take to achieve the 5% minimum target include:
- disseminating communiqués to inform OIC budget managers of this commitment;
- ensuring that necessary training is provided to budget managers and contracting specialists; and
- multi year contact considerations
As a small organization, the OIC relies on the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) for procurement services, and will continue to work jointly with CHRC to achieve the contract target. The OIC plans to achieve its 5% target by procuring IM/IT services from Indigenous firms, as this particular segment represents the highest operational expenditure for the organization.
Spending and human resources
In this section
- Spending
- Funding
- Financial statement highlights
- Human resources
Spending
This section presents an overview of OIC's actual and planned expenditures from 2021–22 to 2026–27.
Budgetary performance summary
Table 5 Actual three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Table 5 presents how much money OIC spent over the past three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2023–24 Main Estimates | 2023–24 total authorities available for use | Actual spending over three years (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government transparency | 11,223,587 | 12,768,414 |
|
| Subtotal | 11,233,587 | 12,768,414 | 12,399,598 |
| Internal services | 4,810,109 | 5,936,039 |
|
| Total | 16,033,696 | 18,704,453 |
|
Analysis of the past three years of spending
Total authorities available for use and actual spending in 2023–2024 is higher than previous years due to the new implementation of new collective agreements which resulted in retroactive payments and higher rates of pay for most employees.
More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.
Table 6 Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Table 6 presents how much money OIC’s plans to spend over the next three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2024–25 planned spending | 2025–26 planned spending | 2026–27 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government transparency | 12,018,752 | 12,067,635 | 12,074,490 |
| Subtotal | 12,018,752 | 12,067,635 | 12,074,490 |
| Internal services | 5,150,894 | 5,171,843 | 5,174,782 |
| Total | 17,169,646 | 17,239,478 | 17,249,272 |
Analysis of the next three years of spending
The OIC plans to spend $17 million in 2024–2025 and ongoing. The vast majority of the OIC’s spending is for salaries and associated employee costs.
More detailed financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.
Funding
This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.
Graph 1: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a six-year period
Graph 1 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2021-22 to 2026-27.
Text version
| Fiscal year | Total | Voted | Statutory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | 17,898,054 | 16,150,614 | 1,747,440 |
| 2022–23 | 16,523,075 | 14,673,725 | 1,849,350 |
| 2023–24 | 18,164,174 | 16,126,326 | 2,037,848 |
| 2024–25 | 17,169,646 | 15,344,268 | 1,825,378 |
| 2025-26 | 17,239,478 | 15,405,632 | 1,833,846 |
| 2026-27 | 17,249,272 | 15,414,238 | 1,835,034 |
Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period
The OIC spent $18.2 million in 2023–2024 to carry out its program and meet its strategic outcome. The Commissioner is committed to ensuring that the OIC uses its financial resources in the most strategic and responsible manner to continually improve service delivery and ensure that investigations and other activities aimed at enhancing government openness and transparency have the most impact. The vast majority of the OIC’s spending (87 percent) was for salaries and associated employee costs.
Spending in 2022–2023 was higher due to $0.15 million of funds being re-profiled from 2021-22 to 2022–2023. There was also a carry forward of $0.71 million from 2021–2022 to 2022–2023. In 2023–2024, OIC received $1.7 million due to the implementation of new collective agreements and there was a carry forward of $0.68 million from 2022–2023 to 2023–2024.
The OIC’s lapse eligible for carry forward to 2024-2025 was $0.54 million or 2.9% of it’s total authorities, well below the maximum carry forward of 5% of total authorities.
For further information on OIC’s departmental voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada.
Financial statement highlights
OIC’s complete financial statements (audited) for the year ended March 31, 2024, are available online.
Table 7 Condensed Statement of Operations (audited) for the year ended March 31, 2024 (dollars)
Table 7 summarizes the expenses and revenues for 2023–24 which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.
| Financial information | 2023–24 actual results | 2023–24 planned results | Difference (actual results minus planned) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 20,839,184 | 18,417,381 | 2,421,803 |
| Total revenues | 1,020 | - | 1,020 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 20,838,164 | 18,417,381 | 2,420,783 |
The 2023–2024 planned results information is provided in OIC’s Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2023–2024.
Table 8 summarizes actual expenses and revenues which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.
| Financial information | 2023–24 actual results | 2022–23 actual results | Difference (2023-24 minus 2022-23) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 20,839,184 | 18,845,524 | 1,993,660 |
| Total revenues | 1,020 | 149 | 871 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 20,838,164 | 18,845,375 | 1,992,789 |
Table 9 Condensed Statement of Financial Position (audited) as of March 31, 2024 (dollars)
Table 9 provides a brief snapshot of the department’s liabilities (what it owes) and assets (what the department owns), which helps to indicate its ability to carry out programs and services.
| Financial information | Actual fiscal year (2023–24) | Previous fiscal year (2022–23) | Difference (2023–24 minus 2022–23) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total net liabilities | 2,695,694 | 2,136,957 | 558,737 |
| Total net financial assets | 2,148,007 | 1,657,209 | 490,798 |
| Departmental net debt | 547,687 | 479,748 | 67,939 |
| Total non-financial assets | 2,189,755 | 2,222,697 | (32,942) |
| Departmental net financial position | 1,642,068 | 1,742,949 | (100,881) |
Human Resources
This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2021–22 to 2026–27.
Table 10: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
Table 10 shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for OIC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2021–22 actual FTEs | 2022–23 actual FTEs | 2023–24 actual FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government transparency | 91 | 91 | 87 |
| Subtotal | 91 | 91 | 87 |
| Internal services | 38 | 34 | 33 |
| Total | 129 | 125 | 120 |
The decrease in actual FTEs in 2023–2024 was due to several departures in the year which resulted in positions being vacant until a staffing action was completed. As of March 31, 2024, 98% of positions were staffed.
Table 11: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
Table 11 shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for each of OIC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next three years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2024–25 planned FTEs | 2025–26 planned FTEs | 2026–27 planned FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government transparency | 95 | 95 | 95 |
| Subtotal | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| Internal services | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Total | 124 | 124 | 124 |
Analysis of human resources for the next three years
The OIC had originally planned for 129 FTEs for the next three years. Due to the unanticipated structural deficit, resulting from the cost of covering unfunded salary increases under new collective agreements, the planned FTEs have been reduced to 124 FTEs.
Corporate information
Organizational contact information
Mailing address:
France Labine
Deputy Commissioner, Corporate Services, Strategic Planning
and Transformation Services
Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau QC K1A 1H3
Telephone:613-462-4441
Email: france.labine@ci-oic.gc.ca
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Federal tax expenditures
The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.
Definitions
appropriation (crédit)
Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, departments or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.
departmental priority (priorité)
A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.
departmental result (résultat ministériel)
A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.
departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
A framework that connects the department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.
Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
fulltime equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full personyear charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the fulltime equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
An analytical tool used to assess support the development of responsive and inclusive how different groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2022–24 Departmental Results Report, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the November 23, 2021, Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fighter harder for safer communities; standing up for diversity and inclusion; moving faster on the path to reconciliation; and fighting for a secure, just and equitable world.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative where two or more federal departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
non‑budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement)
What a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an department, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.
A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
program (programme)
Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.
result (résultat)
A consequence attributed, in part, to an department, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single department, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the department’s influence.
Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)
For the purpose of the Directive on the Management of Procurement Appendix E: Mandatory Procedures for Contracts Awarded to Indigenous Businesses and the Government of Canada’s commitment that a mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses, a department that meets the definition and requirements as defined by the Indigenous Business Directory.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.