Site MenuStatistical Report on Requests under the Access to Information Act – Annual Report on the Access to Information Act for the period ending March 31, 2021
This section provides an interpretation of select statistics on the processing of requests made to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer under the Act. All figures and data for the 2020–2021 fiscal year are provided in the attached statistical report (see Appendix II).
Number and origin of formal requests
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer received 77 formal requests for information under the Act during the period between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. This number decreased by 19 percent from the previous year when 95 formal requests were received.
Number of Requests Received
Text version of "Number of Requests Received"
This bar graph is titled "Number of Requests Received." It shows the number of requests received for the past 5 fiscal years.
- In 2016-2017, 92 requests
- In 2017-2018, 40 requests
- In 2018-2019, 31 requests
- In 2019-2020, 95 requests
- In 2020-2021, 77 requests
Including 25 requests that were carried over from the previous fiscal year, a total of 102 requests required action in 2020-2021. As the graph below demonstrates, 79 of those requests (77 percent) were closed during the reporting period. This is similar to the previous year when 76 percent of requests that required action were closed during the reporting period. Twenty-three requests were carried over into the next reporting period.
Number of Requests Closed and Carried Over
Text version of "Number of Requests Closed and Carried Over"
This bar graph is titled "Number of Requests Closed and Carried Over." It compares the number of requests closed to those carried over into the next fiscal year for the past 4 fiscal years.
- In 2017-2018, 50 closed and 11 carried over
- In 2018-2019, 31 closed and 11 carried over
- In 2019-2020, 81 closed and 25 carried over
- In 2020-2021, 79 closed and 23 carried over
These new requests were initiated by the media (26), private sector businesses (14), the general public (26), academia (1), organizations (0) and requesters who declined to identify themselves (10).
3.2. Disposition of completed requests
Seventy-nine requests were completed during the reporting period, 8 (10 percent) of which resulted in full disclosure of information, down from 20 (25 percent) in 2019-2020. Forty-one requests (52 percent) resulted in partial disclosure of information, down from 48 (59 percent) the previous year. Records did not exist for 17 requests (21 percent), up from 10 (12 percent) in 2019-2020. One request (1 percent) was transferred to another government institution, up from 0 the previous year. Ten requests (13 percent) were abandoned during the reporting period, up from 1 the previous year. We neither confirmed nor denied the existence of records for two requests (3 percent) in 2020-2021, up from 0 the previous year. No requests were fully exempted, fully excluded or declined to be acted upon with the approval of the Information Commissioner in 2020-2021.
Disposition of Completed Requests
Text version of "Disposition of Completed Requests"
This pie chart is titled "Disposition of Completed Requests." It demonstrates the extent to which records were disclosed in the past 3 fiscal years.
In 2018-2019:
- 6% - All Disclosed
- 65% - Disclosed in Part
- 26% - No Records Exist
- 3% - Request Abandoned
In 2019-2020:
- 25% - All Disclosed
- 59% - Disclosed in Part
- 1% - All Exempted
- 1% - All Excluded
- 12% - No Records Exist
- 1% - Request Abandoned
In 2020-2021:
- 10% - All Disclosed
- 52% - Disclosed in Part
- 21% - No Records Exist
- 13% - Request Abandoned
- 1% - Request Transferred
- 3% - Neither Confirmed nor Denied
3.3. Completion time of requests
In 2020-2021, 56 requests (71 percent) were completed within legislated timelines. A total of 40 requests (51 percent) were completed within 30 days, compared to 50 (62 percent) in 2019-2020. Eleven requests (14 percent) were closed within 31 to 60 days, thirteen requests (16 percent) were closed within 61 to 120 days, 6 requests (8 percent), within 121 to 180 days, 1 request (1 percent), within 181 to 365 days, and 8 requests (10 percent) were closed more than 365 days after they were received.
Completion Time of Requests
Text version of "Completion Time of Requests"
This bar graph is titled "Completion Time of Requests." It compares the number of days taken to complete requests for the last 3 fiscal years.
In 2018-2019:
- Closed within 30 days, 21 requests
- 31 to 60 days, 0 requests
- 61 to 120 days, 8 requests
- 121 to 180 days, 1 request
- 181 to 365 days, 1 request
- More than 365 days, 0 requests
In 2019-2020:
- Closed within 30 days, 50 requests
- 31 to 60 days, 14 requests
- 61 to 120 days, 14 requests
- 121 to 180 days, 1 request
- 181 to 365 days, 1 request
- More than 365 days, 1 request
In 2020-2021:
- Closed within 30 days, 40 requests
- 31 to 60 days, 11 requests
- 61 to 120 days, 13 requests
- 121 to 180 days, 6 requests
- 181 to 365 days, 1 request
- More than 365 days, 8 requests
Longer completion times can be explained by a variety of factors. They are most commonly attributed to outstanding requests from previous years, workload, requests that require consultations with internal or external parties, requests that are broad in scope and involve a high volume of records, sensitive records related to advice or recommendations developed by or for a government institution, security, or investigations, examinations or reviews under the Canada Elections Act. Unforeseen adjustments to work processes related to COVID-19 were implemented towards the end of 2019-2020, continued temporarily affecting the processing of some requests under the Act. Most employees, including ATIP staff, were required to work remotely with limited access, at times, to Elections Canada's network and paper files.
3.4. Informal releases of records
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer publishes monthly online summaries of all recently completed, formal access to information requests as required by the Treasury Board Secretariat. The published summaries allow individuals to informally request copies of records previously released under the Act. In the 2020-2021 reporting period, there was a decrease in the number of request packages released informally in comparison to the previous year. The ATIP Office released 54 packages informally in 2020-2021, down by 54 percent from the preceding year.
Number of Informal Requests Received
Text version of "Number of Informal Requests Received"
This bar graph is titled "Number of Informal Requests Received." It displays the number of informal request received during the past 4 fiscal years.
- In 2017-18, 121 packages
- In 2018-19, 68 packages
- In 2019-2020, 118 packages
- In 2020-2021, 54 packages
3.5. Exemptions to the release of information
The attached statistical report (Appendix II) includes the number of requests for which the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer invoked specific types of exemptions and provides details on these exemptions. If an exemption is invoked several times in the same request, it is reported only once. The graph below includes the seven exemptions applied most frequently during the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
Most Common Exemptions Applied
Text version of "Most Common Exemptions Applied"
This bar graph is titled "Most Common Exemptions Applied." It showcases the number of requests involving the application of certain sections under the Access to Information Act for the past 4 fiscal years.
In 2017-2018:
- Subsection 16(2), 1 request
- Section 16.3, 15 requests
- Subsection 19(1), 26 requests
- Paragraph 20(1)(c), 6 requests
- Paragraph 21(1)(a), 8 requests
- Paragraph 21(1)(b), 7 requests
- Section 23, 2 requests
In 2018-2019:
- Subsection 16(2), 0 requests
- Section 16.3, 3 requests
- Subsection 19(1), 17 requests
- Paragraph 20(1)(c), 12 requests
- Paragraph 21(1)(a), 3 requests
- Paragraph 21(1)(b), 4 requests
- Section 23, 3 requests
In 2019-2020:
- Subsection 16(2), 3 requests
- Section 16.3, 7 requests
- Subsection 19(1), 41 requests
- Paragraph 20(1)(c), 17 requests
- Paragraph 21(1)(a), 8 requests
- Paragraph 21(1)(b), 13 requests
- Section 23, 3 requests
In 2020-2021:
- Subsection 16(2), 8 requests
- Section 16.3, 12 requests
- Subsection 19(1), 42 requests
- Paragraph 20(1)(c), 11 requests
- Paragraph 21(1)(a), 15 requests
- Paragraph 21(1)(b), 15 requests
- Section 23, 12 requests
As in previous years, the most common exemption applied was under subsection 19(1) of the Act. In 2020-2021, it was used to protect personal information for 42 requests. Paragraph 21(1)(a) permits heads of government institutions to withhold information that contains advice or recommendations developed by or for government officials, whereas 21(1)(b) allows for the exemption of accounts of consultations and deliberations among government staff. These subsections of the Act were used for 15 requests, respectively. Information was exempted for 12 requests under section 23 as being subject to solicitor-client privilege. Section 16.3 of the Act allows the Chief Electoral Officer to refuse the disclosure of information obtained or created during investigations, examinations or reviews conducted under the Canada Elections Act, and was used for 12 requests. Paragraph 20(1)(c) was applied for 11 requests in order to protect third-party information. Lastly, subsection 16(2) permits heads of government institutions to withhold information that could reasonably be expected to facilitate the commission of an offence. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer invoked subsection 16(2) for 8 requests.
3.6. Extensions of the time limit
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer took 28 extensions during the reporting period, 20 of which were taken under paragraph 9(1)(a) of the Act. Paragraph 9(1)(a) allows for an extension if a request is for a large volume of records and unreasonably interferes with the operations of the institution. Seven extensions were taken under paragraph 9(1)(b), which states that, if a request requires consultations that cannot be reasonably completed by the statutory deadline, an extension is permitted. One extension was taken under paragraph 9(1)(c) for the notification of third parties.
In 79 percent of the cases (22 in total) the extensions did not exceed 60 days, compared to 75 percent in 2019-2020. The time limit for three requests was extended by 61 to 120 days and one extension was taken for a period of 121 to 180 days, 181 to 365 days, and more than 365 days.
It is the practice of the ATIP Office to provide partial preliminary release of records before the extended due date whenever possible.
3.7. Consultations
The ATIP Office received 13 formal consultations from other government institutions in 2020-2021, 11 (85 percent) of which were responded to in fewer than 30 days. One consultation was completed within 31 to 60 days and one consultation was carried over to the next fiscal year. The number of formal consultations received decreased 58 percent from the previous year in which 31 formal consultations were received.
Consultations Received from Other Government Institutions
Text version of "Consultations Received from Other Government Institutions"
This bar graph is titled "Consultations Received from Other Government Institutions." It shows the number of consultations received from other federal government institutions in the past 4 fiscal years.
- In 2017-2018, 6 consultations
- In 2018-2019, 7 consultations
- In 2019-2020, 31 consultations
- In 2020-2021, 13 consultations
3.8. Fees and cost
The Service Fees Act requires a responsible authority to report annually to Parliament on the fees collected by the institution.
With respect to fees collected under the Access to Information Act, the information below is reported in accordance with the requirements of section 20 of the Service Fees Act.
- Enabling authority: Access to Information Act
- Fee amount: $5, the only fee charged for a request under the Act
- Total revenue: $365
- Fees waived: $20. In accordance with the Interim Directive on the Administration of the Access to Information Act, issued on May 5, 2016, and the changes to the Access to Information Act that came into force on June 21, 2019, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer waives all fees prescribed by the Act and Regulations, other than the $5 application fee set out in paragraph 7(1)(a) of the Regulations.
- Cost of operating the program: $179,165
Salaries accounted for $171,230 of the total cost of operating the program, whereas spending on goods and services amounted to $7,935.