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ATIP/ATI
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Access to Information
Please note that some sections are still under review. For more information, please email OCIO-APCDO-BDPI-BPCAP@tbs-sct.gc.ca.
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ATIOGPD is part of the Office of the Chief Information Officer of Canada at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). TBS is a Central Agency of the Government of Canada, alongside the Privy Council Office and the Department of Finance. ATIOGPD’s mandate is to support the President of the Treasury Board as the minister responsible for the government-wide administration of the Access to Information Act (ATIA). Over 260 federal institutions are subject to the ATIA, including departments, agencies, Crown corporations, and statutory bodies. |
Overview of the ATIA
Policies
Policy instruments and tools help to support the administration of the Government of Canada’s access to information program. Learn more about the roles, responsibilities and best practices for government institutions subject to the ATIA. There are three instruments that apply to your daily work: the Policy on Access to Information, the Directive on Access to Information Requests, and the Directive on Proactive Publication. They, along with related instruments under the Privacy Act, can be found here: Policies, directives, standards, and guidelines
Guidance
- The Access to Information Manual is intended as a reference tool to help government institutions interpret and administer the ATIA and the ATI Regulation, and to meet the requirements of related policy.
- The Guidance on the Disclosure of Historical Records under the Access to Information Act promotes access to Canada’s history by outlining recommended time thresholds (sunset clauses) to encourage heads of institutions and their delegates to consider the passage of time as a relevant factor when determining whether to release historical records under the ATIA.
- Access to Information and Privacy Notices provide guidance on the interpretation and application of the ATIA and Privacy Act and their related instruments.
ATIA – What’s new?
Reviewing the Access to Information Act
Information about the current review, feedback and engagement, areas of focus, progress can be found at the following link: 2025 review of the Access to Information Act
Access to Information Modernization Action Plan
Following the first legislated access to information review, this plan outlines actions that will be undertaken by TBS to make operational and administrative improvements to the access to information regime. The action plan is one of the key pillars of the Government of Canada Trust and Transparency Strategy. The Access to Information Modernization Action Plan results tracking tool provides progress updates on the efforts to modernize the access to information regime.
Proactive Publication
What is Proactive Publication?
The government is committed to raising the bar for openness and transparency and is taking steps to become “open by default,” by sharing an ever increasing amount of government data and information with Canadians.
To support that commitment, a new part of the Access to Information Act requires institutions to proactively publish specific information known to be of interest to the public, to provide greater transparency and accountability for the use of public funds. These changes put into law proactive disclosure practices previously only covered by federal policy, and introduce important new publication requirements that apply the Access to Information Act to a wider range of organizations.
| View Proactive Publications Q&A |
Proactive Publication Requirements
View requirements at a glance
Proactive Publication Requirements Table
| Legislative Requirement | Deadline (in calendar days) |
|---|---|
| Travel expenses of senior officers or employees | 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement |
| Hospitality expenses of senior officers or employees | 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement |
| Reports tabled in Parliament | 30 days after tabling |
| Legislative Requirement | Deadline (in calendar days) |
|---|---|
| Briefing packages for new or incoming deputy heads | 120 days after appointment |
| Titles and tracking numbers of memoranda | 30 days after the end of the month received |
| Briefing packages for Parliamentary Committee appearances | 120 days after appearance |
| Grants & Contributions | 30 days after the quarter |
| Contracts over $10,000 | Q1-3: 30 days after the quarter Q4: 60 days after the quarter |
| Legislative Requirement | Deadline (in calendar days) |
|---|---|
| Reclassification of positions | 30 days after the quarter |
| Legislative Requirement | Deadline (in calendar days) |
|---|---|
| Mandate Letters (published by the Office of the Prime Minister) | 30 days after being issued |
| Briefing packages prepared for new or incoming ministers | 120 days after appointment |
| Titles and tracking numbers of memoranda | 30 days after the end of the month received |
| Question Period Notes | 30 days after last sitting day in June & December, or no later than July 31 or January 31 if the House of Commons is not sitting in June or December |
| Briefing packages for Parliamentary Committee appearances | 120 days after appearance |
| Travel expenses of ministers, ministerial advisers, ministerial staff | 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement |
| Hospitality expenses of ministers, ministerial advisers, ministerial staff | 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement |
| Contracts over $10,000 | Q1-3: 30 days after the end of the quarter Q4: 60 days after the end of the quarter |
| Ministers' Office Expenses | 120 days after fiscal year end |
View General Provisions for Proactive Publication
Form of publications 79 (1) The designated Minister shall specify the form of the publications referred to in sections 74 to 78.
Publication not required 80 (1) A minister is not required to cause to be published any of the information, any part of the information, any of the materials or any part of the materials referred to in any of sections 74 to 78 if that information, that part of the information, those materials or that part of those materials were set out in a record and, in dealing with a request for access to that record, a head of a government institution could under Part 1 refuse to disclose that record, in whole or in part, for a reason that is set out in that Part.
Publication not permitted (2) A minister shall not cause to be published any of the information, any part of the information, any of the materials or any part of the materials referred to in any of sections 74 to 78 if that information, that part of the information, those materials or that part of those materials were set out in a record and, in dealing with a request for access to that record, a head of a government institution would be required under Part 1 to refuse to disclose that record, in whole or in part, for a reason that is set out in that Part or because that Part does not apply to the information or materials in question.
Information deemed not to be personal information (3) For the purposes of this section, information that must be published under section 75 or 76 is not personal information.
Form of publications 89 (1) The designated Minister shall specify the form of the publications referred to in sections 82 to 88.
Publication not required 90 (1) A head of a government institution is not required to cause to be published any of the information, any part of the information, any of the materials or any part of the materials referred to in any of sections 82 to 88 if that information, that part of the information, those materials or that part of those materials were set out in a record and, in dealing with a request for access to that record, he or she could under Part 1 refuse to disclose that record, in whole or in part, for a reason that is set out in that Part.
Publication not permitted (2) A head of a government institution shall not cause to be published any of the information, any part of the information, any of the materials or any part of the materials referred to in any of sections 82 to 88 if that information, that part of the information, those materials or that part of those materials were set out in a record and, in dealing with a request for access to that record, he or she would be required under Part 1 to refuse to disclose that record, in whole or in part, for a reason that is set out in that Part or because that Part does not apply to the information or materials in question.
Briefing packages: new or incoming ministers and deputy heads
Guidance
Guidance on proactive publication of transition briefing packages for Ministers and deputy heads
Supporting Tools Video Guidance: Non-Standardized Proactive Disclosure Types (Please note: Not all departments can access Google Drive)
Model Process: Briefing Packages
Accessible World primer template
Model Deck for Ministerial Briefings
Guidance on Uploading Ministerial Transition Binders to Open.cananda.ca
Proactive Publication of Transition Binders - Case Study: TB Secretary Transition
Proactive Publication of Transition Binders - Case Study: TB Secretary Transition
Relevant provisions of the ATIA
Ministers
Briefing Materials
74 A minister shall cause to be published in electronic form (a) within 120 days after the appointment of the minister, the package of briefing materials that is prepared for the minister by a government institution for the purpose of enabling the minister to assume the powers, duties and functions of his or her office;
Government Institutions
Briefing Materials
88 The head of a government entity shall cause to be published in electronic form (a) within 120 days after the appointment of a deputy head or a person to a position of an equivalent rank, the package of briefing materials that is prepared for the deputy head or the person for the purpose of enabling him or her to assume the powers, duties and functions of his or her office;
Publication Schedule
Briefing packages are required to be published within 120 days after the appointment of the minister or deputy head. When the publication deadline falls on a statutory holiday or weekend, the publication deadline is the last business day before the statutory holiday or weekend.
Contacts
For questions related to Open Government, Open.Canada.ca, systems, or templates, please email the Open Government Mailbox.
For questions related to the Access to Information Act, Bill C-58, or is more broad in focus, please email the IPPD Inbox.
Titles and tracking numbers of memoranda
Guidance
Guidance on proactive publication of titles and reference numbers of memoranda
Supporting Tools
Publication Training Guide - Briefing Note Titles and Number
Template Guide - Briefing Note Titles and Numbers
Model Process - Briefing Note Titles
NEW Proactive Publication - Titles and tracking numbers of memoranda Process Map Template
Relevant provisions of the ATIA
Ministers
Briefing Materials
74 A minister shall cause to be published in electronic form (b) within 30 days after the end of the month in which any memorandum prepared by a government institution for the minister is received by his or her office, the title and reference number of each memorandum that is received
Government Institutions
Briefing Materials
88 The head of a government entity shall cause to be published in electronic form (b) within 30 days after the end of the month in which any memorandum prepared for the deputy head or the person is received by his or her office, the title and reference number of each memorandum that is received
Policy Instrument
Forthcoming
Publication Schedule
Titles and tracking numbers of memoranda are required to be published on a monthly basis, within 30 days after the end of the month. When the publication deadline falls on a statutory holiday or weekend, the publication deadline is the last business day before the statutory holiday or weekend.
| Publication Period | Deadline for Publication |
|---|---|
| P1 (April 1 - April 30) | May 30 |
| P2 (May 1 - May 31) | June 30 |
| P3 (June 1 - June 30) | July 30 |
| P4 (July 1 - July 31) | August 30 |
| P5 (August 1 - August 31) | September 30 |
| P6 (September 1 - September 30) | October 30 |
| P7 (October 1 - October 31) | November 30 |
| P8 (November 1 - November 30) | December 30 |
| P9 (December 1 - December 31) | January 30 |
| P10 (January 1 - January 31) | March 2 (March 1 on a Leap Year) |
| P11 (February 1 - February 28/29) | March 30 |
| P12 (March 1 - March 31) | April 30 |
Contacts
For questions related to Open Government, Open.Canada.ca, systems, or templates, please email the Open Government Mailbox.
For questions related to the Access to Information Act, Bill C-58, or is more broad in focus, please email the IPPD Inbox.
Question Period notes
Guidance
Relevant provisions of the ATIA
Ministers
Briefing Materials
74 A minister shall cause to be published in electronic form (c) within 30 days after the last sitting day of the House of Commons in June and December or, respectively, no later than July 31 or January 31 if the House of Commons is not sitting in June or December, the package of question period notes that were prepared by a government institution for the minister and that were in use on the last sitting day of the month in question;
Publication Schedule
Question Period notes are required to be published within 30 days after the last sitting day of the House of Commons in June and December or, respectively, no later than July 31 or January 31 if the House of Commons is not sitting in June or December. When the publication deadline falls on a statutory holiday or weekend, the publication deadline is the last business day before the statutory holiday or weekend.
Contacts
For questions related to Open Government, Open.Canada.ca, systems, or templates, please email the Open Government Mailbox.
For questions related to the Access to Information Act, Bill C-58, or is more broad in focus, please email the IPPD Inbox.
Briefing packages: Parliamentary Committee appearances
Guidance
Guidance on proactive publication of briefing materials for Parliamentary Committee appearances
Supporting Tools Guidance on Uploading Package of Briefing Materials for Parliamentary Committee Appearances to open.canada.ca Video Guidance: Non-Standardized Proactive Disclosure Types (Please note: Not all departments can access Google Drive) Model Process: Parliamentary Committee appearances Process Map Template: Briefing packages for parliamentary committee appearances by Ministers and deputy heads
Relevant provisions of the ATIA
Ministers
Briefing Materials
74 A minister shall cause to be published in electronic form (d) within 120 days after the minister’s appearance before a committee of Parliament, the package of briefing materials that is prepared by a government institution for the minister for the purpose of that appearance.
Government Institutions
Briefing Materials
88 The head of a government entity shall cause to be published in electronic form (c) within 120 days after an appearance before a committee of Parliament, the package of briefing materials that is prepared for the deputy head or the person for the purpose of that appearance.
Publication Schedule
Briefing packages for Parliamentary Committee appearances are required to be published within 120 days after an appearance before a committee of Parliament. When the publication deadline falls on a statutory holiday or weekend, the publication deadline is the last business day before the statutory holiday or weekend.
Contacts
For questions related to Open Government, Open.Canada.ca, systems, or templates, please email the Open Government Mailbox.
For questions related to the Access to Information Act, Bill C-58, or is more broad in focus, please email the IPPD Inbox.
Travel & Hospitality
Publication on open.canada.ca: Travel Publication on open.canada.ca: Hospitality Publication on open.canada.ca: Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Relevant provisions of the ATIA
Ministers
Travel Expenses 75 Within 30 days after the end of the month in which any travel expenses incurred by a minister, any of his or her ministerial advisers or any member of his or her ministerial staff are reimbursed, the minister shall cause to be published in electronic form the following information: (a) the name of the minister, the ministerial adviser or the ministerial staff member, as applicable; (b) the purpose of the travel; (c) the dates of the travel; (d) the places visited; (e) the total cost for each of the following classes of expenses, including the costs for any other person such as a spouse or dependant who participated in the travel: (i) transportation, (ii) lodging, (iii) meals and any incidental expenses, and (iv) other expenses; and (f) the total amount of the travel expenses.
Hospitality Expenses 76 Within 30 days after the end of the month in which any expenses incurred by a minister, any of his or her ministerial advisers or any member of his or her ministerial staff for a hospitality activity are reimbursed, the minister shall cause to be published in electronic form the following information: (a) the name of the minister, the ministerial adviser or the ministerial staff member, as applicable; (b) the purpose of the hospitality activity; (c) the date of the hospitality activity; (d) the municipality in which the hospitality activity took place; (e) the name of any commercial establishment or vendor involved in the hospitality activity; (f) the number of persons who attended the hospitality activity; and (g) the total amount of the expenses for the hospitality activity.
Government Institutions
Travel Expenses 82 Within 30 days after the end of the month in which any travel expenses incurred by a senior officer or employee of a government institution are reimbursed, the head of the government institution shall cause to be published in electronic form the following information: (a) the senior officer’s or employee’s name, as applicable; (b) the purpose of the travel; (c) the dates of the travel; (d) the places visited; (e) the total cost for each of the following classes of expenses: (i) transportation, (ii) lodging, (iii) meals and any incidental expenses, and (iv) other expenses; (f) the total amount of the travel expenses; and (g) any other information that, in accordance with Treasury Board policies, must be published.
Hospitality Expenses 83 Within 30 days after the end of the month in which any expenses incurred by a senior officer or employee of a government institution for a hospitality activity are reimbursed, the head of the government institution shall cause to be published in electronic form the following information: (a) the senior officer’s or employee’s name, as applicable; (b) the purpose of the hospitality activity; (c) the date of the hospitality activity; (d) the municipality in which the hospitality activity took place; (e) the name of any commercial establishment or vendor involved in the hospitality activity; (f) the number of persons who attended the hospitality activity; (g) the total amount of the expenses for the hospitality activity; and (h) any other information that, in accordance with Treasury Board policies, must be published.
Policy Instrument
NEW: The updated ATIA expands the requirements for Travel & Hospitality to Ministers' Offices, Crown Corporations, and Wholly Owned Subsidiaries. Guide to the Proactive Publication of Travel and Hospitality Expenses Under review to align with the updated ATIA: Policies for Ministers' Offices
Publication Schedule
NEW: The updated ATIA changes the publication requirement from quarterly reporting to monthly reporting, reflected in the table below. Travel and hospitality expenses are required to be published within 30 days after the end of the month. When the publication deadline falls on a statutory holiday or weekend, the information must be published in electronic form by the last business day before that statutory holiday or weekend.
| Publication Period | Deadline for Publication |
|---|---|
| P1 (April 1 - April 30) | May 30 |
| P2 (May 1 - May 31) | June 30 |
| P3 (June 1 - June 30) | July 30 |
| P4 (July 1 - July 31) | August 30 |
| P5 (August 1 - August 31) | September 30 |
| P6 (September 1 - September 30) | October 30 |
| P7 (October 1 - October 31) | November 30 |
| P8 (November 1 - November 30) | December 30 |
| P9 (December 1 - December 31) | January 30 |
| P10 (January 1 - January 31) | March 2 (March 1 on a Leap Year) |
| P11 (February 1 - February 28/29) | March 30 |
| P12 (March 1 - March 31) | April 30 |
Toolkit
Note: Data Element Profiles, Training Guides and Templates are currently being updated
Open.Canada.ca Data Element Profiles Travel Data Element Profile: Template Guide - Travel Expenses Hospitality Data Element Profile: Template Guide - Hospitality Annual Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures Data Element Profile: Annual Report - Travel Hospitality Conferences (October 2018)
Open.Canada.ca Training Guides Travel Training Guide: Travel Expenses Hospitality Training Guide: [[Media:Training_Guide-_Hospitality.docx | Hospitalism] Annual Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures Training Guide: 2018
Contacts
Office of the Comptroller General - Financial Management Sector | fin-www@tbs-sct.gc.ca
National Joint Council - Interpretation - Travel | ZZVOYAGE@tbs-sct.gc.ca
Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer - Compensation and Labour Relations Sector | mino-cabmin@tbs-sct.gc.ca
Priorities & Planning Sector - Crown Corporations Directorate | Jason.Masse@tbs-sct.gc.ca
Contracts over $10,000
Publication on open.canada.ca: Contracts
Relevant provisions of the AITA
Ministers
Contracts over $10,000 77 (1) Within 30 days after the end of each of the first three quarters and within 60 days after the end of each fourth quarter, a minister shall cause to be published in electronic form the following information with respect to any contract that is entered into during the quarter in relation to the activities of the minister’s office that result in expenses being incurred by the minister or by any of his or her ministerial advisers or any member of his or her ministerial staff if the value of the contract is more than $10,000: (a) the subject matter of the contract;
