2024-2025: Annual report to Parliament - Access to Information Act

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Organizational Structure
3. Delegation Order
4. Performance under Part 1 of the Access to Information Act, 2024–2025
5. Training and Awareness
6. Policies, Guidelines, and Procedures
7. Initiatives and Projects to Improve Access to Information
8. Summary of Key Issues and Actions Taken on Complaints
9. Proactive Publication under Part 2 of the ATIA
10. Monitoring Compliance
    • Appendix A: Delegation Order
    • Appendix B: Statistical Report
    • Appendix C: Supplemental Statistical Report

Annual Report on the Access to Information Act, 2024–2025

1. Introduction

The Access to Information Act (ATIA) came into force on July 1, 1983 and was further amended on June 21, 2019. The purpose of the ATIA is to enhance the accountability and transparency of federal institutions to promote an open and democratic society and enable public debate on the conduct of those institutions.

Part 1 of the ATIA extends the existing laws of Canada to provide a right of access to information in records under the control of government institutions in accordance with the principles that government information should be available to the public, necessary exceptions to the right of access should be limited and specific, and decisions about the disclosure of government information should be reviewed independently of government.

Part 2 of the ATIA sets out requirements for the proactive publication of information.

This report is prepared and tabled in accordance with section 94 of the ATIA, which requires that the head of every federal institution prepare and submit an annual report to Parliament on the administration of the Act for each fiscal year. It covers the period from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

Mandate of Natural Resources Canada

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) works to improve the quality of life of Canadians by ensuring that natural resources are developed sustainably, providing a source of jobs, prosperity and opportunity, while preserving the environment and respecting communities and Indigenous Peoples.

The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources has responsibilities related to more than 30 acts of Parliament. The Minister’s core powers, duties and functions are outlined in the Department of Natural Resources Act, the Resources and Technical Surveys Act, the Forestry Act, the Energy Efficiency Act and the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act. The Department also works in areas of shared responsibility with provinces, including the environment, public safety, economic development, science and technology, and consultations with Indigenous Peoples. To fulfil its responsibilities, the Department relies on several instruments (e.g., policy, regulation, statutory transfers, grants and contributions) and key activities (e.g., science and technology, partnerships and communications).

NRCan has offices and laboratories across the country. About one-third of its employees are in the National Capital Region, with the remainder working in regional offices: Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the Western and Pacific Regions and Northern Canada. NRCan also reports on behalf of the Northern Pipeline Agency (NPA).

2. Organizational Structure

NRCan’s Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Secretariat administers the ATIA on behalf of the Department. Pursuant to section 96 of the Act, which allows government institutions presided over by the same minister to provide access to information services to one another. In accordance with subsection 96(2) of the Act, in 2024–2025, under a Service Letter of Agreement, the Secretariat performed ATIP-related services for the Northern Pipeline Agency.

The ATIP Director has full authority delegated by the Minister for the administration of the ATIA. The Director is accountable for ensuring compliance with the ATIA and its related policy instruments. In addition, the Director is responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of effective practices and procedures within NRCan to enable efficient processing of requests under the ATIA.

The ATIP Secretariat is part of the Communications and Portfolio Sector. In 2024–2025, the Secretariat had an average complement of 23 employees, including: one Director, two Deputy Directors, three Team Leaders, seven ATIP Analysts, one Systems Analyst, four ATIP support staff, and five students. To help manage the increased workload and address the backlog, the ATIP Secretariat engaged approximately four consultants.

The ATIP Secretariat is responsible for:

1. Implementing and managing programs and services related to NRCan’s administration of the ATIA, including Part 2 on Proactive Publication, and the Privacy Act (PA); and
2. Providing advice to NRCan employees as they fulfill their obligations under the Acts.

In addition to the administering of the Acts, the ATIP Secretariat provides support in the following areas:

• Review of documents intended for publication by sectors
• Review of documents subject to parliamentary production motions
• Review of documents related to legal action
• Review of administrative investigation reports
• Review of audit reports
• Review of Human Resource-related actions and files
• Review of Parliamentary questions and responses, including media relations
• Review of draft Memoranda of Understanding, Information Sharing Agreements, contracts and other agreements
• Review of Retention and Disposition Schedules
• Training sessions on the administration of the Acts for sector officials
• Policy updates and research related to the administration of the Acts
• Research and reporting on trends within the ATIP Secretariat
• Privacy breach management
• ATIP advice to program sectors

The ATIP Secretariat is led by a Director supported by two Deputy Directors.

The Deputy Director of Operations oversees the management of the ATIP Operations Unit. The Deputy Director of Policy and Governance oversees the operations of the Policy and Governance Unit and the Intake Unit.

Core functions of the ATIP Secretariat include:

ATIP Intake Unit

• Receiving access to information and privacy requests from the public and from other organizations
• Liaising with sectors to obtain and retrieve documents relevant to ATIP requests
• Conducting and monitoring performance, reporting and data analytics for the team
• Supporting the ATIP Operations and Policy and Governance teams

ATIP Operations Unit

• Processing requests under the ATIA and the PA
• Responding to consultations from other government departments on records relating to NRCan
• Coordinating and reviewing documents that must be published under Part 2 of the ATIA
• Representing the Department in dealings with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), the Office of the Information Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and other government departments and agencies
• Developing procedures and practices to ensure proper administration of the ATIA
• Providing advice, and promoting awareness, to ensure legislative obligations are respected
• Conducting an informal review of information related to parliamentary motions, Order Paper questions, disposition of departmental records, administrative investigations, departmental reports, audits and media relations questions

ATIP Policy and Governance

• Guiding the collection, transmission, protection, use, retention and disclosure of personal information in accordance with the PA, including new or modified programs, agreements, and contracts
• Managing privacy breaches and incidents
• Representing the Department in dealings with the TBS, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, and other government departments and agencies regarding the application of the PA
• Developing procedures and practices to ensure the proper administration of both Acts
• Promoting awareness and training, to ensure legislative obligations are respected
• Monitoring departmental compliance with the PA, its regulations, and related procedures and policies
• Reviewing Treasury Board submissions in accordance with section 10 of the PA
• Coordinating, reviewing, approving, and publishing new entries and modifications to Info Source, an annual Government of Canada publication that assists members of the public in exercising their rights under the Acts
• Providing support for the development of Privacy Impact Assessments within the institution
• Reviewing Personal Information Banks
• Preparing the ATIP annual reports to Parliament and other statutory reports, as well as materials required by central agencies.

Subject-matter experts across the Department provide recommendations related to the disclosure of records subject to requests. Sector Liaison Officers play a key role in the processing of requests and consultations, including the timely retrieval of documents.

Proactive Publication

For a breakdown of the group(s) and/or position(s) responsible for meeting each applicable proactive publication requirement under Part 2 of the ATIA, see the section “Proactive Publication under Part 2 of the ATIA,” below.

3. Delegation Order

Section 95 of the ATIA provides that the head of a government institution may, by Delegation Order, designate one or more officers or employees of that institution to exercise or perform any of the powers, duties or functions of the head related to the administration of the ATIA.

Consistent with best practices, the ATIP Director maintains full delegated authority and serves as the principal administrator of the ATIA for NRCan. Full delegation also rests with the ATIP Deputy Director, the Director General responsible for ATIP, the Associate Deputy Minister and the Deputy Minister.

A copy of the Delegation Order is attached to Appendix A.

4. Performance under Part 1 of the Access to Information Act, 2024–2025

Multi-year trends 2022–2023 to 2024–2025

Requests Received and Workload

In 2024–2025, NRCan received 645 new access to information requests, representing a 33% decrease compared to the previous reporting period. The surge in requests during fiscal year 2023–2024 was largely driven by an influx of requests related to lobbyist groups, which contributed significantly to the higher number of ATIP case files that year.

Despite the decrease in the number of requests received in 2024–2025, there was a substantial increase in workload due the higher volume of pages reviewed. NRCan processed 107,042 pages, an increase of approximately 70% from the 64,106 pages reviewed in 2023–2024. This growth highlights the increased complexity and effort required to manage the requests. In addition to the 645 new requests, 442 outstanding requests carried over from previous reporting periods, resulting in a total of 1,087 active requests during the fiscal year. For more information on the number of requests received, please refer to Table 1.1 in Appendix B: Statistical Report.

Requests Completed Within Legislated Timelines

From April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, 806 requests were completed, 705 of which were closed within their legislative timeframes, resulting in a compliance rate of 87.4%. This represents a 4% decrease compared to the 2023–2024 reporting period, primarily due to a higher volume of outstanding requests from previous periods, ongoing efforts to reduce the backlog, and overall workload.

• 2023–2024: 846 requests closed, 774 within deadlines (91.4% compliance)
• 2022–2023: 746 requests closed, 665 within deadlines (89.1% compliance)

The following tables illustrate the number of requests completed with a disposition of “all disclosed” or “disclosed in part,” broken down by completion times, along with the percentage of requests responded to within their legislative timelines.

Number of Active Requests at Year-End

As of March 31, 2025, a total of 281 requests were carried over to the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Of these, 156 remained within their legislative timelines while the remaining 125 were beyond their legislative deadlines. For a breakdown of files received by fiscal year, refer to Table 1.1 in Appendix C: Supplemental Statistical Report.

Number of Active Complaints at Year-End

As of March 31, 2025, 11 active complaints were carried over to the 2025–2026 fiscal year. For a detailed breakdown by fiscal year, see Table 1.2 in Appendix C: Supplemental Statistical Report.

Number of Pages Processed

In 2024–2025, the ATIP Secretariat processed 107,042 pages under the ATIA, a 70% increase from the 64,106 pages processed in 2023–2024.

Application of Exemptions and Exclusions

• Exemptions: From 2022–2023 to 2024–2025, the nature and frequency of exemptions use remained consistent. The most applied exemptions related to personal information, third-party information, and government operations.
  • In 2024–2025: applied 153, 350, and 970 times, respectively
  • In 2023–2024, applied 151, 264, and 845 times
  • In 2022–2023, applied 133, 289, and 650 times
• Exclusions: In relation to the application of exclusions, section 69 (cabinet confidences) was applied 411 times in 2024–2025, compared to 368 times in 2023–2024 and 352 times in 2022–2023. The increase in 2024–2025 was primarily due to the nature of the information processed, particularly cabinet confidences.

Application of Extensions

During 2024–2025, extensions were applied to 60.5% of completed requests, compared to 69% in 2023–2024 and 59% 2022–2023. Extensions were mainly required to conduct necessary consultations with other departments. to handle voluminous requests where meeting the original due date would interfere with the operations, and to carry out third-party consultations.

Consultations from Other Institutions

NRCan completed 141 consultations during the reporting period—a slight decrease from 145 in 2023–2024 and 152 in 2022–2023. All consultations were completed within the required 30- to 90-day timeframe.

Requests “All Disclosed” and “Disclosed in Part”

Between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, the Department completed a total number of 806 access requests. Of these, 71 requests (9%) had all records fully disclosed, while 598 requests (74%) were disclosed in part. The remaining 137 requests were either fully exempted or excluded, withdrawn, transferred to another institution or had no responsive records.

Informal Review of internal requests

ATIP offices are increasingly evolving beyond their traditional, reactive role of processing formal access requests. They now serve as strategic partners that support departmental transparency, governance, and openness. This includes conducting informal reviews for proactive or discretionary disclosure and promoting access and privacy awareness.

In 2024–2025, the ATIP Secretariat received 12 internal requests for review, which included audit reports, security reports, requests for production of papers and other departmental publications. While not part of the formal ATIA administration, these reviews required significant effort, involving the review of 194,793 pages.

NRCan 2024–2025 Statistical Report on the ATIA

For more information on the ATIP Secretariat’s performance, refer to Appendix B.

NRCan 2024–2025 Supplemental Statistical Report on the ATIA

For additional details, refer to Appendix C.

5. Training and Awareness

As part of ongoing efforts to promote ATIP awareness at NRCan, in 2024–2025, the ATIP Secretariat delivered two ATIP-focused training sessions to various program areas in 2024–2025, reaching a total of 238 departmental employees. The Secretariat actively promoted ATIP within the Department by distributing information on new TBS ATIP directives and updates. Additionally, awareness related to the Right to Know Week was promoted through NRCan’s internal website and included the dissemination of key information on access to information principles.

6. Policies, Guidelines, and Procedures

The ATIP Secretariat regularly reviews its practices and performance to maintain high standards of service. Key initiatives included the following:

• ATIP Online Request Service: To modernize services in a technology-driven environment, the ATIP Secretariat continued to use the ATIP Online Request Service to send release packages to requesters. In 2024–2025, 635 of the 645 completed requests were sent through this platform. Its use enables efficient, centralized delivery of information to requesters.
• Standard Office Procedures and Business Processes: As part of broader modernization efforts, the Secretariat initiated a comprehensive review and update of all Standard Office Procedures. The goal is to streamline and improve business processes to ensure greater efficiency, consistency, and alignment with current best practices and regulatory requirements. The updated procedures will enhance service delivery and support the Secretariat’s commitment transparency and accountability.
• Disposal Project: To comply with Library and Archives Canada retention standards, the Secretariat launched a file disposal project focused on reviewing over 5,000 previously closed ATIP files. This initiative demonstrates the Secretariat’s commitment to responsible information management by ensuring secure disposal of records that have reached the end of their retention periods. The project is currently in progress and expected to conclude in the next fiscal year.
• Leveraging Technology: To facilitate collaboration and expedite the processing, the Secretariat expanded its use of GCDocs to transmit and receive records. Weekly and monthly reports, along with release packages, were also transferred to SharePoint. These changes have improved the efficiency of approval processes and decision-making by enhancing visibility and ease of access. This approach supports more effective collaboration with program areas, minimizes delays in responding to requests and aligns with the Secretariat’s commitment to modernize ATIP services through technology.
• Presence in the Workplace: In response to amendments to the TBS Direction on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace, the ATIP Secretariat adjusted employee work arrangements from two to three days per week to ensure compliance with the Directive.

7. Initiatives and Projects to Improve Access to Information

NRCan is committed to leveraging opportunities aimed at reinforcing public trust. The following initiatives and projects, currently underway, aim to improve service to Canadians in the area of access to information, enhance transparency and accountability, and support reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

Improving Services to Canadians

• Professional Development Program: Strengthening the ATIP workforce remains a cornerstone of delivering efficient and timely ATIP services. Since its creation in 2019, the NRCan ATIP Secretariat has continued to develop its function through the Professional Development Program. This program serves as a vital human resources tool designed to address both current and future workforce needs by recruiting entry-level ATIP professionals and supporting their career progression toward Senior ATIP Analyst roles. During this reporting period, one staff member successfully advanced through the program, further demonstrating its continued effectiveness.
• IT Modernization: Technology continues to be a driving force in the evolution of the digital age. In 2024–2025, the Secretariat focused on implementing a project management plan to procure and adopt a new Request Processing Software Solution aimed at replacing its outdated system. Considerable progress was made, including gathering comprehensive business requirements, mapping key processes, and updating internal policies to ensure greater clarity, consistency, and alignment across departmental functions. Following a detailed evaluation of TBS-approved technology options, the Amanda software was selected as the next-generation, cloud-hosted Request Processing Software Solution. In the upcoming year, NRCan’s ATIP operations will be migrated to the Amanda platform.

Enhancing Trust and Transparency

• Backlog Reduction Strategy: To enhance access to information services, processes, and timelines, the ATIP Secretariat continued to prioritize clearing the backlog of requests through the Backlog Reduction Strategy. This strategy aligns with the Chief Information Officer of Canada’s guidance to institutions on fulfilling legal obligations under the ATIA during workplace reintegration planning. As part of this strategy, the Secretariat enlisted consultants specifically tasked with backlog reduction. By the end of the 2024–2025 fiscal year, 157 out of the 216 backlog files had been completed, representing a completion rate of 72.69%.
• Increasing Access to Release Packages: Enhancing public access to information helps build transparency and improve awareness of government records. In 2024–2025, the Secretariat collaborated with an applicant to provide access to previously released access to information requests. These requests are now available through a centralized online platform, allowing users to access release packages from multiple federal institutions. Additionally, the Secretariat released 2,364 informal requests to various other requesters, a significant increase from the 737 informal requests released during the previous reporting period.
• Open Data: NRCan contributes to open government by publishing datasets on its Open Government Portal and GEO.ca platform. These datasets span a variety of topics, including mineral resources, forestry, energy projects, and geospatial information. As of this reporting period, NRCan has published 10,170 datasets, of which 9,965 are updated regularly or as needed.

Advancing Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

• ATIP and Indigenous Reconciliation: Advancing Indigenous reconciliation within the access to information framework is a key commitment of the Government of Canada. In 2024–2025, the ATIP Secretariat partnered with Nòkwewashk, under the Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships Program to develop a three-year Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan. The Plan outlines measures to provide more culturally appropriate services to Indigenous communities and enhance the management of Indigenous data held by NRCan. Awareness of Indigenous reconciliation efforts has also been integrated into departmental ATIP training sessions. The Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan has been finalized for internal publication, with full implementation planned for the upcoming fiscal year.

8. Summary of Key Issues and Actions Taken on Complaints

In 2024–2025, NRCan received 29 complaints under the ATIA. These included four delay complaints, 15 extension complaints, five exemption and exclusion complaints, and five general complaints. No complaints were received regarding a reasonable search.

During this period, NRCan also received 22 findings from the Office of the Information Commissioner related to processing delays, extensions, and exemptions. The Secretariat worked with the Office of the Information Commissioner to resolve these complaints. In certain instances, the investigations led to the disclosure of additional information.

9. Proactive Publication under Part 2 of the ATIA

NRCan is listed as a government institution under Part 2 of the ATIA. Its proactive publication process was developed in consultation with departmental program areas responsible for meeting each of the Act’s key requirements.

Under this model, each program area lead is accountable for fulfilling their proactive publication obligations within the prescribed legislative timelines. Before publication, all materials are reviewed by the ATIP Secretariat to ensure compliance. Once approved, the program area lead proceeds with publication and confirms its completion with the Secretariat.

The table below outlines key information related to NRCan’s proactive publication process.

Legislative Requirement	Section of ATIA	Publication Timeline	Does requirement apply to your institution? (Y/N)	Internal group(s) or positions(s) responsible for fulfilling requirement	% of proactive publication requirements published within legislated timelines*	Link to web page where published**
Apply to all Government Institutions as defined in section 3 of the ATIA
Travel Expenses	82	Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement	Yes	Corporate Reporting unit within the Finance and Procurement Branch, Corporate Management and Services Sector (CMSS)	100%	Government Travel Expenses
Hospitality Expenses	83	Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement	Yes	Corporate Reporting unit within the Finance and Procurement Branch within CMSS	100%	Hospitality Expenses
Reports tabled in Parliament	84	Within 30 days after tabling	Yes	Parliamentary Affairs Unit within the Portfolio Management and Corporate Secretariat Branch within Communications and Portfolio Sector (CPS)	100%	Not applicable
Apply to government entities or Departments, agencies, and other bodies subject to the Act and listed in Schedules I, I.1, or II of the Financial Administration Act
Contracts over $10,000	86	Q1-3: Within 30 days after the quarter Q4: Within 60 days after the quarter	Yes	Procurement Policy Analysis and Reporting within the Finance and Procurement Branch within CMSS	100%	Search Government Contracts over $10,000
Grants & Contributions over $25,000	87	Within 30 days after the quarter	Yes	Center of Expertise on Grants and Contributions within the Finance and Procurement Branch within CMSS	100%	Grants and Contributions
Packages of briefing materials prepared for new or incoming deputy heads or equivalent	88(a)	Within 120 days after appointment	Yes	Audience and Engagement unit within the Communications within CPS	Not applicable	Not applicable
Titles and reference numbers of memoranda prepared for a deputy head or equivalent, that is received by their office	88(b)	Within 30 days after the end of the month received	Yes	Executive Document Unit within the Portfolio Management and Corporate Secretariat Branch within CPS	100%	Briefing Note Titles and Numbers
Packages of briefing materials prepared for a deputy head or equivalent’s appearance before a committee of Parliament	88(c)	Within 120 days after appearance	Yes	Parliamentary Affairs Unit within the Portfolio Management and Corporate Secretariat Branch within CPS	100%	Briefing packages for Parliamentary Committee appearances for deputy heads
Applies to government institutions that are departments named in Schedule I to the Financial Administration Act or portions of the core public administration named in Schedule IV to that Act (i.e. government institutions for which Treasury Board is the employer)
Reclassification of positions	85	Within 30 days after the quarter	Yes	Executive Document Unit within the Portfolio Management and Corporate Secretariat Branch within CPS	100%	Position Reclassification
Apply to Ministers’ Offices (therefore apply to any institution that performs proactive publication on behalf of a Minister’s Office)
Packages of briefing materials prepared by a government institution for new or incoming ministers	74(a)	Within 120 days after appointment	Yes	Audience and Engagement unit within the Communications within CPS	Not applicable	Not applicable
Titles and reference numbers of memoranda prepared by a government institution for the minister, that is received by their office	74(b)	Within 30 days after the end of the month received	Yes	Executive Document Unit within the Portfolio Management and Corporate Secretariat Branch within CPS	100%	Briefing Note Titles and Numbers
Package of question period notes prepared by a government institution for the minister and in use on the last sitting day of the House of Commons in June and December	74(c)	Within 30 days after last sitting day of the House of Common in June and December	Yes	Parliamentary Affairs Unit within the Portfolio Management and Corporate Secretariat Branch within CPS	100%	Not applicable
Packages of briefing materials prepared by a government institution for a minister’s appearance before a committee of Parliament	74(d)	Within 120 days after appearance	Yes	Parliamentary Affairs Unit within the Portfolio Management and Corporate Secretariat Branch within CPS	100%	Not applicable
Travel Expenses	75	Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement	Yes	Corporate Reporting unit within the Finance and Procurement Branch within CMSS	100%	Government Travel Expenses
Hospitality Expenses	76	Within 30 days after the end of the month of reimbursement	Yes	Corporate Reporting unit within the Finance and Procurement Branch within CMSS	100%	Hospitality Expenses
Contracts over $10,000	77	Q1-3: Within 30 days after the quarter Q4: Within 60 days after the quarter	Yes	Center of Expertise on Grants and Contributions unit within the Finance and Procurement Branch within CMSS	100%	Grants and Contributions
Ministers’ Offices Expenses Note: This consolidated report is currently published by TBS on behalf of all institutions.	78	Within 120 days after the fiscal year	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable

The publications are available at the following web link:

• Open Government | Open Government, Government of Canada

NRCan’s overall compliance rate for proactive publication in 2024–2025 reporting period was 100%.

10. Monitoring Compliance

Monitoring ATIP compliance is a key component in enhancing performance and ensuring the right of access is upheld. The ATIP Secretariat employs the following tools and practices:

ATIP Weekly Planner: The ATIP Secretariat routinely monitors departmental ATIP performance using weekly tracking tools and dashboards. The ATIP Planner is shared with senior officials weekly, including the Minister’s Office, and highlights the overall year-to-date compliance rate for the Department, the number of requests received, and the number of requests closed.

Sector Report Cards and Departmental Performance: In 2024–2025, the ATIP Secretariat focused its efforts on data analytics to identify emerging trends and deficiencies in the ATIP process. This exercise led to the development of individualized sector report cards designed to raise awareness of legislative obligations and highlight performance in this area. These report cards are produced monthly and shared with senior officials quarterly. The ATIP Secretariat also collaborated closely with sectors experiencing high volumes of ATIP requests to coordinate and expedite responses. This collaboration enhanced awareness of compliance and identified gaps in the process, thereby improving procedures and overall performance

Inter-institutional Consultations: To support the TBS-issued guidance outlined in Access to Information Implementation Notice 2022-01: Inter-institutional Consultations, NRCan limits inter-institutional consultations by consulting only when necessary and by sending courtesy consultations when appropriate. In doing so, NRCan exercises discretion in applying certain exemptions warranted. In 2024–2025, NRCan continued to ensure that decisions regarding inter-institutional consultations were well documented and clearly established.

Open Data: The ATIP Secretariat continues to assess the feasibility of making frequently requested information publicly available through informal channels. Efforts included collaboration with a requester who developed a platform showcasing previously released requests, as well as engagement with program areas to determine whether other datasets can be proactively released.

Contracts: In accordance with section 4.2.8 of the Directive on Access to Information Requests, the ATIP Secretariat worked with program officials to develop additional measures supporting the public’s right of access to information in contracts, arrangements and agreements. This work is ongoing.

Accuracy and Completeness: NRCan monitors accuracy and completeness of proactive publication in accordance with established publication deadlines. This is achieved through a verification process of the published information and ongoing liaison with the lead sectors.

Info Source: Info Source provides information about the functions, programs, activities, and related information holdings of federal government institutions. It also offers guidance to individuals on how to access information held by government institutions enabling them to exercise their rights under the Acts. Each institution is required to update its chapter annually by the due date set by TBS. In compliance with this requirement, NRCan published updates to its Info Source chapter, along with the related Personal Information Banks and classes of records, by the required deadline of September 30, 2024. NRCan’s Info Source chapter can be found at: Info Source: Sources of Federal Government and Employee Information - Natural Resources Canada

Appendix A: Delegation Order

Delegation Order – Access to Information Act and Access to Information Regulations

The Minister of Natural Resources, pursuant to section 95 of the Access to Information Act (ATIA), hereby designates the persons holding the positions set out in the schedule hereto, or the persons occupying on an acting basis those positions, to exercise the powers, duties and functions of the Minister as the head of Natural Resources Canada, under the provisions of the ATIA and related regulations set out in the schedule below. This designation supersedes all previous delegation orders.

Original signed by: The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P. Minister of Natural Resources Canada

Date: November 17, 2021

Appendix B: Statistical Report

Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act

Name of institution: Natural Resources Canada

Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31

Section 1: Requests Under the Access to Information Act

1.1 Number of requests

	Number of Requests
Received during reporting period	645
Outstanding from previous reporting periods	442
Outstanding from previous reporting period	261
Outstanding from more than one reporting period	181
Total	1087
Closed during reporting period	806
Carried over to next reporting period	281
Carried over within legislated timeline	156
Carried over beyond legislated timeline	125

1.2 Sources of requests

Source	Number of Requests
Media	478
Academia	8
Business (private sector)	52
Organization	13
Public	54
Decline to Identify	40
Total	645

1.3 Channels of requests

Source	Number of Requests
Online	635
E-mail	5
Mail	5
In person	0
Phone	0
Fax	0
Total	645

Section 2: Informal Requests

2.1 Number of informal requests

	Number of Requests
Received during reporting period	2166
Outstanding from previous reporting periods	198
Outstanding from previous reporting period	184
Outstanding from more than one reporting period	14
Total	2364
Closed during reporting period	2364
Carried over to next reporting period	0

2.2 Channels of informal requests

Source	Number of Requests
Online	2162
E-mail	4
Mail	0
In person	0
Phone	0
Fax	0
Total	2166

2.3 Completion time of informal requests

Completion Time
1 to 15 Days	16 to 30 Days	31 to 60 Days	61 to 120 Days	121 to 180 Days	181 to 365 Days	More Than 365 Days	Total
1107	351	500	213	88	91	14	2364

2.4 Pages released informally

Less Than 100 Pages Released		100-500 Pages Released		501-1000 Pages Released		1001-5000 Pages Released		More Than 5000 Pages Released
Number of Requests	Pages Released	Number of Requests	Pages Released	Number of Requests	Pages Released	Number of Requests	Pages Released	Number of Requests	Pages Released
0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

2.5 Pages re-released informally

Less Than 100 Pages Re-released		100-500 Pages Re-released		501-1000 Pages Re-released		1001-5000 Pages Re-released		More Than 5000 Pages Re-released
Number of Requests	Pages Rereleased	Number of Requests	Pages Re-released	Number of Requests	Pages Re-released	Number of Requests	Pages Re-released	Number of Requests	Pages Re-released
2054	35746	240	56009	38	26120	32	52918	0	0

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

	Number of Requests
Outstanding from previous reporting period	0
Sent during reporting period	0
Total	0
Approved by the Information Commissioner during reporting period	0
Declined by the Information Commissioner during reporting period	0
Withdrawn during reporting period	0
Carried over to next reporting period	0

Section 4: Requests Closed During the Reporting Period

4.1 Disposition and completion time

Disposition of Requests	Completion Time
	0 to 15 Days	16 to 30 Days	31 to 60 Days	61 to 120 Days	121 to 180 Days	181 to 365 Days	More Than 365 Days	Total
All disclosed	12	33	19	7	0	0	0	71
Disclosed in part	53	72	134	201	69	40	29	598
All exempted	0	0	0	1	2	0	2	5
All excluded	2	1	0	6	0	1	1	11
No records exist	4	55	17	0	1	1	0	78
Request transferred	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Request abandoned	17	6	0	2	0	2	14	41
Neither confirmed nor denied	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	90	167	170	217	72	44	46	806

4.2 Exemptions

Section	Number of Requests
13(1)(a)	30
13(1)(b)	5
13(1)(c)	29
13(1)(d)	0
13(1)(e)	0
14	169
14(a)	4
14(b)	0
15(1)	14
15(1) - I.A.*	168
15(1) - Def.*	0
15(1) - S.A.*	9
16(1)(a)(i)	0
16(1)(a)(ii)	0
16(1)(a)(iii)	0
16(1)(b)	0
16(1)(c)	0
16(1)(d)	0
16(2)	57
16(2)(a)	0
16(2)(b)	0
16(2)(c)	2
16(3)	0
16.1(1)(a)	0
16.1(1)(b)	0
16.1(1)(c)	0
16.1(1)(d)	0
16.2(1)	0
16.3	0
16.4(1)(a)	0
16.4(1)(b)	0
16.5	0
16.6	0
17	0
18(a)	14
18(b)	46
18(c)	0
18(d)	4
18.1(1)(a)	0
18.1(1)(b)	2
18.1(1)(c)	0
18.1(1)(d)	0
19(1)	153
20(1)(a)	2
20(1)(b)	193
20(1)(b.1)	0
20(1)(c)	114
20(1)(d)	41
20.1	0
20.2	0
20.4	0
21(1)(a)	477
21(1)(b)	406
21(1)(c)	76
21(1)(d)	11
22	3
22.1(1)	0
23	54
23.1	0
24(1)	10
26	4

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

4.3 Exclusions

Section	Number of Requests
68(a)	38
68(b)	0
68(c)	0
68.1	0
68.2(a)	0
68.2(b)	0
69(1)	0
69(1)(a)	15
69(1)(b)	0
69(1)(c)	5
69(1)(d)	5
69(1)(e)	20
69(1)(f)	0
69(1)(g) re (a)	171
69(1)(g) re (b)	1
69(1)(g) re (c)	69
69(1)(g) re (d)	50
69(1)(g) re (e)	53
69(1)(g) re (f)	67
69.1(1)	0

4.4 Format of information released

Paper	Electronic				Other
	E-record	Data set	Video	Audio
5	664	0	0	0	0

4.5 Complexity

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

Number of Pages Processed	Number of Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests
107042	39040	726

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

Disposition	Less Than 100 Pages Processed		100-500 Pages Processed		501-1000 Pages Processed		1001-5000 Pages Processed		More Than 5000 Pages Processed
	Number of Requests	Pages Processed	Number of Requests	Pages Processed	Number of Requests	Pages Processed	Number of Requests	Pages Processed	Number of Requests	Pages Processed
All disclosed	67	687	4	953	0	0	0	0	0	0
Disclosed in part	514	9837	55	13270	14	9453	13	26233	2	25547
All exempted	3	12	0	0	0	0	1	1834	1	7596
All excluded	11	109	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Request abandoned	33	210	2	236	3	2035	2	3154	1	5876
Neither confirmed nor denied	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	628	10855	61	14459	17	11488	16	31221	4	39019

4.5.3 Relevant minutes processed and disclosed for audio formats

Number of Minutes Processed	Number of Minutes Disclosed	Number of Requests
0	0	0

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

Disposition	Less Than 60 Minutes Processed		60 - 120 Minutes Processed		More than 120 Minutes Processed
	Number of Requests	Minutes Processed	Number of Requests	Minutes Processed	Number of Requests	Minutes Processed
All disclosed	0	0	0	0	0	0
Disclosed in part	0	0	0	0	0	0
All exempted	0	0	0	0	0	0
All excluded	0	0	0	0	0	0
Request abandoned	0	0	0	0	0	0
Neither confirmed nor denied	0	0	0	0	0	0
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	0	0	0	0	0	0

4.5.5 Relevant minutes processed and disclosed for video formats

Number of Minutes Processed	Number of Minutes Disclosed	Number of Requests
0	0	0

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

Disposition	Less Than 60 Minutes Processed		60 - 120 Minutes Processed		More than 120 Minutes Processed
	Number of Requests	Minutes Processed	Number of Requests	Minutes Processed	Number of Requests	Minutes Processed
All disclosed	0	0	0	0	0	0
Disclosed in part	0	0	0	0	0	0
All exempted	0	0	0	0	0	0
All excluded	0	0	0	0	0	0
Request abandoned	0	0	0	0	0	0
Neither confirmed nor denied	0	0	0	0	0	0
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	0	0	0	0	0	0

4.5.7 Other complexities

Disposition	Consultation Required	Legal Advice Sought	Other	Total
All disclosed	14	0	0	14
Disclosed in part	437	145	0	582
All exempted	3	0	0	3
All excluded	11	9	0	20
Request abandoned	15	2	0	17
Neither confirmed nor denied	0	0	0	0
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner	0	0	0	0
Total	480	156	0	636

4.6 Closed requests

4.6.1 Requests closed within legislated timelines

Number of requests closed within legislated timelines	705
Percentage of requests closed within legislated timelines (%)	87.46898263

4.7 Deemed refusals

4.7.1 Reasons for not meeting legislated timelines

Number of requests closed past the legislated timelines	Principal Reason
	Interference with operations/ Workload	External Consultation	Internal Consultation	Other
101	23	47	1	30

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

Number of days past legislated timelines	Number of requests past legislated timeline where no extension was taken	Number of requests past legislated timeline where an extension was taken	Total
1 to 15 days	2	8	10
16 to 30 days	1	4	5
31 to 60 days	0	13	13
61 to 120 days	1	12	13
121 to 180 days	0	7	7
181 to 365 days	0	18	18
More than 365 days	12	23	35
Total	16	85	101

4.8 Requests for translation

Translation Requests	Accepted	Refused	Total
English to French	0	0	0
French to English	0	0	0
Total	0	0	0

Section 5: Extensions

5.1 Reasons for extensions and disposition of requests

Disposition of Requests Where an Extension Was Taken	9(1)(a) Interference With Operations/ Workload		9(1)(b) Consultation		9(1)(c) Third-Party Notice
			Section 69	Other
All disclosed	7		11	11	1
Disclosed in part	57		391	327	69
All exempted	2		3	3	2
All excluded	7		7	3	0
Request abandoned	0		12	10	5
No records exist	7		1	1	1
Declined to act with the approval of the Information Commissioner	0		0	0	0
Total	80		425	355	78

5.2 Length of extensions

Length of Extensions	9(1)(a) Interference With Operations/ Workload	9(1)(b) Consultation		9(1)(c) Third-Party Notice
		Section 69	Other
30 days or less	51	76	76	7
31 to 60 days	16	119	84	68
61 to 120 days	5	169	134	2
121 to 180 days	5	52	52	1
181 to 365 days	3	8	8	0
365 days or more	0	1	1	0
Total	80	425	355	78

Section 6: Fees

Fee Type	Fee Collected		Fee Waived		Fee Refunded
	Number of Requests	Amount	Number of Requests	Amount	Number of Requests	Amount
Application	237	$1,185.00	404	$2,020.00	0	$0.00
Other fees	0	$0.00	0	$0.00	0	$0.00
Total	237	$1,185.00	404	$2,020.00	0	$0.00

Section 7: Consultations Received From Other Institutions and Organizations

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

Consultations				Other Government of Canada Institutions		Number of Pages to Review		Other Organizations		Number of Pages to Review
Received during the reporting period				132		7474		12		306
Outstanding from the previous reporting period				17		385		1		13
Total				149		7859		13		319
Closed during the reporting period				141		6707		13		319
Carried over within negotiated timelines				8		1152		0		0
Carried over beyond negotiated timelines				0		0		0		0

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

Recommendation	Number of Days Required to Complete Consultation Requests
	0 to 15 Days	16 to 30 Days	31 to 60 Days	61 to 120 Days	121 to 180 Days	181 to 365 Days	More Than 365 Days	Total
Disclose entirely	24	34	12	0	0	0	2	72
Disclose in part	11	22	17	2	1	0	2	55
Exempt entirely	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2
Exclude entirely	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Consult other institution	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other	5	0	0	0	0	0	6	11
Total	41	57	30	2	1	0	10	141

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

Recommendation	Number of Days Required to Complete Consultation Requests
	0 to 15 Days	16 to 30 Days	31 to 60 Days	61 to 120 Days	121 to 180 Days	181 to 365 Days	More Than 365 Days	Total
Disclose entirely	6	3	0	0	0	0	0	9
Disclose in part	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	3
Exempt entirely	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Exclude entirely	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Consult other institution	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Total	7	4	2	0	0	0	0	13

Section 8: Completion Time of Consultations on Cabinet Confidences

8.1 Requests with Legal Services

Number of Days	Fewer Than 100 Pages Processed		100-500 Pages Processed		501-1000 Pages Processed		1001-5000 Pages Processed		More Than 5000 Pages Processed
	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests		Pages Disclosed
1 to 15	14	205	4	575	0	0	0	0	0		0
16 to 30	46	644	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0
31 to 60	78	1302	2	425	1	557	0	0	0		0
61 to 120	17	247	1	117	0	0	0	0	0		0
121 to 180	1	31	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0
181 to 365	1	36	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0
More than 365	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0
Total	157	2465	7	1117	1	557	0	0	0		0

8.2 Requests with Privy Council Office

Number of Days	Fewer Than 100 Pages Processed		100‒500 Pages Processed		501-1000 Pages Processed		1001-5000 Pages Processed		More Than 5000 Pages Processed
	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed	Number of Requests	Pages Disclosed
1 to 15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
16 to 30	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
31 to 60	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
61 to 120	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
121 to 180	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
181 to 365	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
More than 365	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Section 9: Investigations and Reports of finding

9.1 Investigations

Section 32 Notice of intention to investigate	Subsection 30(5) Ceased to investigate	Section 35 Formal Representations
29	10	13

9.2 Investigations and Reports of finding

Section 37(1) Initial Reports			Section 37(2) Final Reports
Received	Containing recommendations issued by the Information Commissioner	Containing orders issued by the Information Commissioner	Received	Containing recommendations issued by the Information Commissioner	Containing orders issued by the Information Commissioner
3	0	3	22	0	5

Section 10: Court Action

10.1 Court actions on complaints

Section 41
Complainant (1)	Institution (2)	Third Party (3)	Privacy Commissioner (4)	Total
2	0	0	0	2

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

Section 44 - under paragraph 28(1)(b)
0

Section 11: Resources Related to the Access to Information Act

11.1 Allocated Costs

Expenditures	Amount
Salaries	$1,179,444
Overtime	$164
Goods and Services	$1,273,081
Professional services contracts	$1,268,697
Other	$4,384
Total	$2,452,689

11.2 Human Resources

Resources	Person Years Dedicated to Access to Information Activities
Full-time employees	12.263
Part-time and casual employees	1.535
Regional staff	0.000
Consultants and agency personnel	3.6
Students	1.518
Total	18.916

Note: Enter values to three decimal places.

Appendix C: Supplemental Statistical Report

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

Name of institution: Natural Resources Canada

Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31

Section 1: Requests Carried Over and Active Complaints Under the Access to Information Act

1.1 Requests carried over to next reporting period, broken down by reporting period received

Reporting Period Requests Carried Over Were Received	Requests Carried Over that are Within Legislated Timelines as of March 31, 2025	Requests Carried Over that are Beyond Legislated Timelines as of March 31, 2025	Total
Received in 2024-25	116	10	126
Received in 2023-24	0	52	52
Received in 2022-23	0	26	26
Received in 2021-22	26	15	41
Received in 2020-21	4	9	13
Received in 2019-20	9	6	15
Received in 2018-19	1	3	4
Received in 2017-18	0	2	2
Received in 2016-17	0	2	2
Received in 2015-2016 or earlier	0	0	0
Total	156	125	281

1.2 Active complaints with the Information Commissioner of Canada, broken down by reporting period received

Reporting Period Active Complaints Were Received by Institution	Number of Active Complaints
Received in 2024-25	10
Received in 2023-24	1
Received in 2022-23	0
Received in 2021-22	0
Received in 2020-21	0
Received in 2019-20	0
Received in 2018-19	0
Received in 2017-18	0
Received in 2016-17	0
Received in 2015-16 or earlier	0
Total	11

Section 2: Requests Carried Over and Active Complaints Under the Privacy Act

2.1 Requests carried over to next reporting period, broken down by reporting period received

Reporting Period Requests Carried Over Were Received	Requests Carried Over that are Within Legislated Timelines as of March 31, 2025	Requests Carried Over that are Beyond Legislated Timelines as of March 31, 2025	Total
Received in 2024-25	2	1	3
Received in 2023-24	0	1	1
Received in 2022-23	0	0	0
Received in 2021-22	0	0	0
Received in 2020-21	0	0	0
Received in 2019-20	0	0	0
Received in 2018-19	0	0	0
Received in 2017-18	0	0	0
Received in 2016-17	0	0	0
Received in 2015-16 or earlier	0	0	0
Total	2	2	4

2.2 Active complaints with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, broken down by reporting period received

Reporting Period Active Complaints Were Received by Institution	Number of Active Complaints
Received in 2024-25	0
Received in 2023-24	0
Received in 2022-23	0
Received in 2021-22	0
Received in 2020-21	0
Received in 2019-20	0
Received in 2018-19	0
Received in 2017-18	0
Received in 2016-17	0
Received in 2015-16 or earlier	0
Total	0

Section 3: Social Insurance Number

Has your institution begun a new collection or a new consistent use of the SIN in 2024-25?

No

Section 4: Universal Access under the Privacy Act

How many requests were received from foreign nationals outside of Canada in 2024-25?

0

For information regarding reproduction rights, contact Natural Resources Canada at copyright-droitdauteur@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources, 2025