5821-03623 — Public Services and Procurement Canada
The complainant alleged that Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) improperly refused to process an access request for all emails of a named employee. PSPC argued that the request lacked sufficient detail because it did not specify a subject matter or timeframe. The Information Commissioner found that PSPC failed to demonstrate that an experienced institutional employee could not identify the relevant records with reasonable effort, even without a specified subject or timeframe. The Commissioner concluded that PSPC's refusal to process the request was unreasonable and that the institution was deemed to have refused access due to not responding by the legislated due date. Given the estimated 50,000 pages of responsive records, the Commissioner ordered PSPC to provide a complete response by July 9, 2029, and recommended training for employees on information management. PSPC agreed to implement both the order and the recommendation, leading to a well-founded complaint.
- 1Whether the access request met the requirements of section 6 of the ATIA
- 2Whether the request provided enough detail for experienced institutional employees to identify relevant records with a reasonable effort
- 3Whether PSPC's refusal to process the request was reasonable
- 4Whether PSPC was deemed to have refused access under subsection 10(3) of the ATIA
- Sufficiency of detail: Request deemed sufficiently detailed
- Refusal to process: Refusal found unreasonable
- Deemed refusal: Deemed refusal upheld
- Disclosure order: Records ordered disclosed by specific date
- Training recommendation: Training recommended and accepted
- Complaint outcome: Complaint found well-founded
Complaint well founded — disclosure ordered
The institution failed to demonstrate that the access request, for all emails of a named employee, did not provide enough detail for experienced institutional employees to identify relevant records with a reasonable effort, as required by section 6 of the ATIA. Therefore, the refusal to process the request was unreasonable, and the institution was deemed to have refused access.
The Commissioner ordered Public Services and Procurement Canada to provide a complete response to the access request as soon as possible, but no later than July 9, 2029, and recommended that the Minister ensure employees receive training and support on information management responsibilities and procedures.
- s.4(2.1) ATIA
- s.6 ATIA
- s.7 ATIA
- s.10(3) ATIA
- s.30(1)(a) ATIA
This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
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