Access to Info plan includes guidance on historical records, no legislative changes

The Liberal government has outlined a variety of steps intended to make the much-criticized Access to Information system work better, including new guidance on disclosure of historical records.

But the new plan makes it clear that any changes to the federal access law will have to wait until after the next formal review, set to begin a year from now.

For a $5 fee, people can use the Access to Information Act to request government records ranging from emails and memos to reports and expense claims.

Federal agencies are supposed to respond within 30 days or provide valid reasons why more time is needed to process a request.

The access law has not been fully updated since its introduction 41 years ago. Many users complain of lengthy delays as well as exemptions in the law that result in heavily blacked-out documents or blanket denials in response to their applications.

Civil society groups, journalists and members of the public who took part in the last federal review of the regime called for expansion of the law, removal of loopholes, stricter timelines for responses and more resources to make the system work.

In addition, a report last June from a House of Commons committee made 38 recommendations to overhaul the access regime, including an amendment to the law that would allow for fines or penalties when agencies miss deadlines for answering requests.

Many records held by Library and Archives Canada, though often decades old, are still vetted through the Access to Information law. Information related to national security, defence, international affairs, personal matters, legal advice and a host of other areas might be stripped from the documents prior to disclosure.

In an April 2022 report, information commissioner Caroline