Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Re), 2022 OIC 18
The complainant filed four complaints alleging the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) failed to respond to access requests within the 30-day time limit. The OIC found that the RCMP did not provide adequate justification for the significant delays, despite acknowledging operational challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Information Commissioner ordered the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to issue a response to each request.
- Failure to respond within the 30-day time limit under section 7 of the ATIA
- Adequacy of justification for delays due to COVID-19 operational challenges
- Requirement for institutions to respond even when records are not yet retrieved
Complaints well founded — Order issued for responses
The RCMP failed to meet the statutory deadline for responding to four access requests. The explanations provided regarding COVID-19 related challenges and delays from Offices of Primary Interest were insufficient to justify the prolonged non-response.
AI-generated summary for reference only. Always verify against the official decision ↗
The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness was ordered to prepare a final response to each of the four requests forthwith.
- section 7 ATIA
- subsection 10(3) ATIA
- section 9 ATIA
- subsection 36.1(1) ATIA
This is a summary of a decision by the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.