Access to Information Modernization Action Plan Tracker

Back to search
Action:
Provide guidance to institutions on provisions for declining to act on requests that are vexatious, made in bad faith, or are otherwise an abuse of the right of access.
Organization:
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Category:
(C01) Improving Services to Canadians
Subcategory:
(C01.3) Actions to provide modern digital tools and improve request processing
Status:
Completed
Action Number:
C01.3.1
Target Date:
Fiscal Year 2024-25
Benefits:

Access to information (ATI) professionals understand decline-to-act provisions and apply them consistently.

Canadians’ ATI requests are subjected to decline-to-act provisions only when appropriate and following an exercise of the institution’s duty to assist.

Results:

In February 2025, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat posted an updated version of Chapter 9 – Processing Requests of the Access to Information Manual to the ATIP Professionals GCcollab group. The chapter provides guidance to government institutions on responding to requests for information within the framework provided by the Access to Information Act. It outlines the steps of the request process, including those related to considering whether to seek the approval of the Information Commissioner to decline to act on a request. The chapter will be published to canada.ca as soon as practicable in fiscal year 2025-26.