Information and Privacy Commissioner Michael Harvey has released an Audit Report: “Access to Information Timelines: Review of Delays”, under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015.

The purpose of this audit report is to examine and document the former Department of Fisheries and Land Resources’ handling of access to information requests during the 2017-2018 fiscal year. During that year, the Department processed 90 access to information requests but failed to respond within the 20 business day time frame for 32, or 36%, of those requests. The report identifies several sources of delay and makes several recommendations to improve the timeliness of the Department’s responses to access to information requests.

The OIPC encourages every public body to review the recommendations in the report and to review its own internal processes for handling access to information requests and to contact the OIPC if our assistance is needed.

To view the Report in its entirety, go to the Audit and Compliance Program page, at www.oipc.nl.ca/publicbody/audit.

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“While this report has been delayed due to the pandemic and competing priorities, its results are meaningful today for all public bodies. Access delayed can be access denied. The audit reveals a number of key elements in ensuring that the right of access to information grounded in the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 is delivered upon by public bodies in a timely way. While this audit focuses on 2017-2018, more recent data demonstrates that since that time and in part due to the conduct of the audit itself, the Department has continuously improved its performance. We thank the Department for their cooperation during this audit.”
Michael Harvey
Information and Privacy Commissioner

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Media contact
Sean Murray
Director of Research and Quality Assurance
709-729-6309