December 2022 update

LAC has proactively strengthened its ATIP function and improved its capacity to respond to requests by expanding its management team and recruiting new staff across the institution to support the response to ATIP requests. This will continue in 2023, including intensive training of new staff, which in the coming years will enable LAC to reduce the backlog of requests and the number of ATIP-related complaints. LAC will be reporting on its progress against commitments in this Action Plan, through a combination of qualitative and quantitative measures. Quantitative measures will begin after the fiscal year 2022-23 to demonstrate progress.

Part 1 - Getting back on track

Reducing the backlog of requests

Indicators will show progress in reducing the backlog of ATIP requests for which Access to Information Act timelines have not been met.

Reducing the backlog of complaints

Indicators will show progress in reducing the backlog of complaints, due to the creation of a new complaints team, recruiting additional staff and implementing new procedures.

Part 2 - Internal review and improvements

Clarifying consultation requests

According to the report from the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, LAC consulted with other parties for 429 of the 1,639 requests processed between April 2020 and August 2021 (26 percent of the total requests processed).

Over the past three years (2019–20 to 2021–22), LAC processed 4,338 access to information requests, including 1,001 related to archival records of the Government of Canada. Of these 1,001 requests, 121 required consultation (12.1%).

LAC has already begun to decrease its total consultation requests. For 2021–22, 6.8% of access requests on archival records required consultation.

Improving work processes

LAC’s goal is to transform its overall approach to ATIP and optimize procedures so that requests are processed in a more sustainable and efficient manner. A team responsible for systematically reviewing ATIP policy and procedure instruments has been in place since June 2022.

ATIP service capacity

As its internal processes become more efficient, LAC will report to the public twice a year on its progress in fulfilling the commitments set out in this action plan. In addition, LAC will post regular updates on its website. Clients will also be able to obtain information about the time it takes to process their requests through the implementation of a new ATIP request system by 2024.

Standardizing our processes with other comparable processes

LAC will implement a two-year plan to review its policies, procedures and workflows to make them more efficient and to align them with other national and provincial practices.

Number of consultations with other Government of Canada departments

LAC is currently rethinking its consultation strategy with other federal institutions, with the aim of framing and further defining it to reduce the number of pages and/or complexity of requests that require consultation.

In September 2022, LAC established an archival research team responsible for the initial assessment of an ATIP request, to better tailor LAC’s approach to consultations.

Improving secure infrastructure

LAC has enhanced its secure infrastructure to more efficiently process requests that require access to secret, top secret or sensitive records.

New technology

LAC is committed to testing and implementing new technology to streamline the processing of ATIP requests, including new capabilities in the case management system and different approaches in place within the Government of Canada. ATIP will leverage lessons learned from other LAC sectors that have tested artificial intelligence (AI) and optical character recognition (OCR) functionality on archival records.

Records management process

LAC will improve the ATIP records management process by making optimal use of all ATIP-related data from various sources, including the development of new databases of previously released files. A new reporting team is already in place and responsible for optimizing monitoring, strategic intelligence, analysis and reporting.

ATIP service resiliency

LAC will develop and implement a new procedure to ensure the continuity of ATIP services during exceptional circumstances that affect the normal course of business. It will take into account factors such as urgent health considerations and legal obligations.

Supporting new ATIP business lines

LAC is developing new teams to support new ATIP business lines created to improve ATIP service and capacity.

Investment plan

LAC will develop an ATIP investment plan by 2024, to ensure that it is able to meet its legal obligations under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, while providing efficient and high-quality services to Canadians.

Part 3 - Engage with external partners on broader issues affecting ATIP

Collaborative process

LAC actively participates in ATIP-community meetings, working groups, events and activities, to share best practices and learn from others.

Internal expertise

LAC will develop its internal expertise, implement new triage procedures and a decision tree, update its delegation instrument, and redefine consultation steps to reduce the number of pages that undergo consultation with other Government of Canada institutions.

Declassification

LAC will provide information on how it intends to contribute to the Interdepartmental Declassification Working Group and is working with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat to create a government-wide declassification strategy. In September 2022, the ATIP team established a dedicated team to address the necessary follow-ups concerning declassification.

Collaborating with international organizations

LAC will describe how the institution is drawing on best practices internationally to improve its ATIP processes and policies.

High-quality service delivery

LAC will implement tools to better understand client satisfaction and client needs.

Consultations with key client groups

LAC is developing a consultation plan to gather feedback on some proposed changes to its new ATIP approach. LAC will communicate changes about ATIP services as they are implemented.

Improving digital service delivery

LAC will improve its digital service delivery by increasing the number of records sent electronically to its clients. Given the nature of the collection is almost entirely analogue, this requires significant new procedures across the organization.

In accordance with OIC recommendation 10, we will report progress on this action plan on a semi-annual basis.