e-7284 (Information and privacy)

The Access to Information Act (ATIA) is a cornerstone of government accountability and transparency. It is key to supporting an open, democratic society and sparking informed public debate.

Since 2019, the government is required to conduct a review of the ATIA every five years. Regular reviews are important because the way Canadians and government institutions handle information has changed considerably since the act came into force in 1983. Such reviews help keep the act up to date with these changes to better support timely access to relevant information and protect sensitive information where appropriate.

The current review of the ATIA launched on June 20, 2025. It is focused on addressing broad systemic challenges conveyed by stakeholders and Indigenous peoples over several years that are significantly impacting the performance and operations of the ATI system. This includes addressing underlying information management challenges contributing to delays in providing relevant information to requesters in a timely manner.

The current ATIA was designed for a pre-digital era. The digitization of work activities has since resulted in vast amounts of transitory records being maintained alongside records that are necessary for decision-making and accountability purposes.All these records are currently treated equally under the ATIA, which can result in operational challenges for government institutions responding to ATI requests and delays for requesters.

They are focused on documenting decisions and maintaining related records regardless of their form. Enabling improved information management practices through a strengthened legislative framework – including an updated definition of a record that reflects the realities of the digital age – is key to providing fair, equitable, and timely access to relevant information for Canadians and Indigenous peoples. This would help ensure that records, including emails and text messages created to support decision-making, are properly safeguarded and stored in official repositories so that they can be retrieved more easily.

From March 5 to June 15, 2026, the government invited Canadians and Indigenous peoples to share their views on improving the ATI system. In addition, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) officials engage regularly with the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, including in the context of the current review of the act. The Information Commissioner’s (the Commissioner) oversight of government institutions’ compliance with the act and advisory role to Parliament and its committees are important elements of our system of government. As always, the government welcomes the Commissioner’s views on improving the ATIA.

All feedback received during the public engagement period will be examined to inform the mandatory report to Parliament on the review, as well as the government’s approach to modernizing the ATI system. The government looks forward to tabling this report upon the conclusion of the review.