Responding to access to information or privacy requests

This section describes the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in responding to access to information or privacy requests.

Process definition

The Access to Information Act provides Canadian citizens and permanent residents, as well as all corporations present in Canada, with the right of access to records under the control of a government institution subject to the act.

The Privacy Act provides Canadian citizens and permanent residents with the right of access to and correction of personal information about themselves that is under control of a government institution.

All access to information program requests are managed by access to information and privacy coordinators. These coordinators reside in the access to information program office, but are responsible for an individual organization.

The access to information program coordinators reach out to the relevant office of primary interest within their organization.

The office of primary interest is responsible for reviewing the request and providing any requested information to the access to information program coordinators.

Employee responsibilities

If an employee wishes to make a request under either the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act, they must do so in writing. Consult the Make an access to information or personal information request Web page for more information.

Manager responsibilities

If required, the manager is responsible for helping retrieve information under an access to information program request.

If the manager does not have the requested information or believes a different department may have it, the manager is responsible for advising the office of primary interest accordingly. The office of primary interest will in turn advise the access to information program office.

Human resources responsibilities

Human resources personnel are responsible for helping retrieve information under an access to information program request (if required).

If they do not have the requested information or believes a different department may have it, human resources are responsible for advising the office of primary interest accordingly. The office of primary interest will in turn advise the access to information program office.

Finance responsibilities

If required, Finance is responsible for helping retrieve information under an access to information program request.

If finance does not have the requested information or believes a different department may have it, finance is responsible for advising the office of primary interest accordingly. The office of primary interest will in turn advise the access to information program office.

Pay Centre responsibilities

If required, the Pay Centre is responsible for helping retrieve information under an access to information program request.

If the Pay Centre does not have the requested information or believes a different department may have it, the Pay Centre is responsible for advising the office of primary interest accordingly. The office of primary interest will in turn advise the access to information program office.