Access to Information Act 2022-2023

CANADIAN HIGH ARCTIC RESEARCH STATION 2022-2023 ANNUAL REPORT ON THE ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT APRIL 1, 2022 - MARCH 31, 2023

A1: INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the Access to Information Act is to extend the present laws of Canada to provide a right of access to information in records under the control of a government institution in accordance with the principles that appropriate government information should be made available to the public, that necessary exceptions to the right of access should be limited and specific and that decisions on the disclosure of government information should be reviewed independently of government.

In accordance with section 94 of the Access to Information Act and section 20 of the Service Fees Act, this annual report is prepared and tabled in Parliament.

Established on June 1, 2015, the Canadian High Arctic Research Station has the following purpose:

• advance knowledge of the Canadian Arctic in order to improve economic opportunities, environmental stewardship and the quality of life of its residents and all other Canadians;
• promote the development and dissemination of knowledge of the other circumpolar regions, including the Antarctic;
• strengthen Canada’s leadership on Arctic issues; and
• establish a hub for scientific research in the Canadian Arctic

A2: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Canadian High Arctic Research Station is a departmental corporation, reporting to the Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. As a small agency, it has no full- time ATIP staff. All requests are dealt with by a staff member who fulfills Access to Information, and Privacy Coordinator duties on an ad hoc basis, with assistance from other staff as required. Proactive Publication requirements are fulfilled by each unit responsible functionally for the information with the consolidation and publications of this information being done by the internal Planning and Reporting team within the Canadian High Arctic Research Station.

The Canadian High Arctic Research Station was not party to any agreements under section 96 of the Access to Information Act during the reporting period, 2022-23.

A3: DELEGATION ORDER

The President and Chief Executive Officer (Deputy Head) of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station has not delegated any of their powers and responsibilities under the Act.

A4: PERFORMANCE 2022-2023

The Canadian High Arctic Research Station received no formal requests for information under the Access to Information Act during the 2022-23 reporting period. There are no active complaints or requests outstanding from the previous reporting periods. COVID-19-related measures did not impact on the institution’s ability to fulfill its Access to Information Act responsibilities.

A5: TRAINING AND AWARENESS

No training activities were provided during the reporting period, 2022-23.

A6: POLICIES, GUIDELINE AND PROCEDURES

No new policies, guidelines or procedures were implemented during the reporting period, 2022-23.

A7: PROATIVE PUBLICATION UNDER PART 2 OF THE ATIA

The Canadian High Arctic Research Station is a government entity listed in Schedule II of the Financial Administration Act and as such is responsible for the following publication requirements:

All Proactive Publication materials are posted on the https://open.canada.ca/en website.

A8: INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION

During the 2022-23 reporting period, the Canadian High Arctic Research Station clarified roles and responsibilities to streamline its reporting requirements.

A9: SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES AND ACTIONS TAKEN ON COMPLAINTS

There have been no complaints or investigations pursuant to the Access to Information Act during the reporting period, 2022-23

A10: REPORTING ON ACCESS TO INFORMATION FEES FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE FEES ACT

The Service Fees Act requires a responsible authority to report annually to Parliament on the fees collected by the institution.

With respect to fees collected under the Access to Information Act, the information below is reported in accordance with the requirements of section 20 of the Service Fees Act.

• Enabling authority: Access to Information Act
• Fee payable: $5.00 application fee
• Total revenue: $0
• Fees waved or refunded: no fees were waived during the 2022-23 reporting year
• Costs of operating the program: $11,000

A11: MONITORING COMPLIANCE

No monitoring was conducted during the reporting period, 2022-23.

Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act

Section 1: Requests Under the Access to Information Act

1.1 Number of requests

1.2 Sources of requests

1.3 Channels of requests

Section 2: Informal Requests

2.1 Number of informal requests

2.2 Channels of informal requests

2.3 Completion time of informal requests

2.4 Pages released informally

2.5 Pages re-released informally

Section 3: Applications to the Information Commissioner on Declining to Act on Requests

Section 4: Requests Closed During the Reporting Period

4.1 Disposition and completion time

4.2 Exemptions

* I.A.: International Affairs
Def.: Defence of Canada
S.A.: Subversive Activities

4.3 Exclusions

4.4 Format of information released

4.5 Complexity

4.5.1 Relevant pages processed and disclosed for paper and e-record formats

4.5.2 Relevant pages processed per request disposition for paper and e-record formats by size of requests

4.5.3 Relevant minutes processed and disclosed for audio formats

4.5.4 Relevant minutes processed per request disposition for audio formats by size of requests

4.5.5 Relevant minutes processed and disclosed for video formats

4.5.6 Relevant minutes processed per request disposition for video formats by size of requests

4.5.7 Other complexities

4.6 Closed requests

4.6.1 Requests closed within legislated timelines

4.7 Deemed refusals

4.7.1 Reasons for not meeting legislated timelines

4.7.2 Requests closed beyond legislated timelines (including any extension taken)

4.8 Requests for translation

Section 5: Extensions

5.1 Reasons for extensions and disposition of requests

5.2 Length of extensions

Section 6: Fees

Section 7: Consultations Received From Other Institutions and Organizations

7.1 Consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions and other organizations

7.2 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other Government of Canada institutions

7.3 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other organizations outside the Government of Canada

Section 8: Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences

8.1 Requests with Legal Services

8.2 Requests with Privy Council Office

Section 9: Investigations and Reports of finding

9.1 Investigations

9.2 Investigations and Reports of finding

Section 10: Court Action

10.1 Court actions on complaints

10.2 Court actions on third party notifications under paragraph 28(1)(b)

Section 11: Resources Related to the Access to Information Act

11.1 Allocated Costs

11.2 Human Resources

Note: Enter values to three decimal places.

Supplemental Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

Section 1: Capacity to Receive Requests under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

Enter the number of weeks your institution was able to receive ATIP requests through the different channels.

Section 2: Capacity to Process Records under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

2.1 Enter the number of weeks your institution was able to process paper records in different classification levels.

2.2 Enter the number of weeks your institution was able to process electronic records in different classification levels

Section 3: Open Requests and Complaints Under the Access to Information Act

3.1 Enter the number of open requests that are outstanding from previous reporting periods.

Row 11, Col. 3 of Section 3.1 must equal Row 7, Col. 1 of Section 1.1 of the 2022-2023 Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act.

3.2 Enter the number of open complaints with the Information Commissioner of Canada that are outstanding from previous reporting periods.

Section 4: Open Requests and Complaints Under the Privacy Act

4.1 Enter the number of open requests that are outstanding from previous reporting periods.

Row 11, Col. 3 of Section 4.1 must equal Row 7, Col. 1 of Section 1.1 of the 2022-2023 Statistical Report on the Privacy Act

4.2 Enter the number of open complaints with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada that are outstanding from previous reporting periods.

Section 5: Social Insurance Number

Section 6: Universal Access under the Privacy Act

Row 1, Col. 1 of Section 6 must be equal to or less than Row 1, Col. 1 of Section 1.1 of the 2022-2023 Statistical Report on the Privacy Act.