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Access to Information and Privacy

As a Crown corporation, IDRC is subject to Canada's laws on access to information and privacy protection. The following resources will help you learn more about IDRC and the access to information and privacy acts, including instructions for submitting an access to information or privacy act (ATIP) request.

IDRC and ATIP

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in the developing regions of the world to promote growth and development.

We fulfill our obligations in implementing Canada’s laws on access to information and privacy protection.

The Access to Information Act (ATIA) and the Privacy Act came into effect on July 1, 1983. One of the responsibilities of the Legal and Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Coordinator is to provide information to the public on access to information and privacy matters, on behalf of IDRC, in the official language of your choice.

The Access to Information Act gives Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and any individual or corporation present in Canada, the right to access  records under the control of IDRC, subject to limited and specific exceptions. It also provides for decisions on the disclosure of information to be reviewed independently.

The Act also specifies that it is intended to complement existing procedures for obtaining information and is not to limit in any way the type of information that is normally available to the public, thereby denoting the importance of informal access.

The Privacy Act provides every individual who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident with a right to

  • access their personal information held by IDRC
  • request corrections of personal information where the individual believes there is an error or omission therein
  • require that a notation be attached to the information reflecting any correction requested but not made. 

It also regulates how personal information under IDRC's control is managed, by providing protection against unauthorized disclosure of personal information and controls how IDRC will collect, use, store, disclose, and dispose of any personal information in the administration of its programs and activities.

How to submit a request

Requests for information may be made under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act. While procedures are similar, they are not the same.

Access to Information Act

To make a request under the Access to Information Act, you may either submit your request on the IDRC Access to Information Request Form or you may write to us stating that your request is pursuant to the Access to Information Act. Your request should be forwarded, along with the CA$5.00 application fee payable to the International Development Research Centre, to the following address:

Legal and Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
Office of the Secretary and General Counsel
International Development Research Centre
PO Box 8500
Ottawa ON  K1G 3H9

Please note

  • An application fee of CA$5.00 payable to the International Development Research Centre is required before the processing of your request under the Access to Information Act can begin.
  • To make an Access to Information request, you must either be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have an address in Canada. Canadians living abroad will be required to provide proof of citizenship in order to receive the information they are seeking.
  • If you are not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and would like to submit a request to IDRC, you should to do so through a representative that is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or someone who has an address in Canada.
  • Corporations, businesses, and organizations with a Canadian presence have the right to make an access to Information request.
  • Please note that an applicant may be charged additional search fees and/or preparation fees in regards to a request they have submitted under the Access to Information Act.

Privacy Act

To make a request under the Privacy Act, you may either submit your request on the IDRC Personal Information Request Form or you may submit a signed written request stating clearly what personal information you are seeking. There are no fees for accessing your own personal information under the Privacy Act.

Your request should be sent to:

Legal and Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
Office of the Secretary and General Counsel
International Development Research Centre
PO Box 8500
Ottawa ON  K1G 3H9

Please note

  • You must either be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to make a request under the Privacy Act.
  • Your request for personal information shall provide sufficient details about the information you are seeking so as to render it reasonably retrievable.
  • Please DO NOT include your Social Insurance Number as it is not required to make a Privacy Act request.
Publications and links

Publications

Annual Reports to Parliament

Annual Reports submitted to Parliament pursuant to the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act.

Access to Information Act

Privacy Act

Links

Useful links about Access to Information and Privacy.

Federal Legislation

A list of acts and regulations involved with Access to Information and Privacy.

Policies and Guidelines

List of Treasury Board guidelines used in processing ATIP requests

Application Forms

The recommended forms to fill out when formally requesting information under the Access to Information and Privacy Acts.

Commissioners

Federal organizations established to oversee compliance with the two acts.

Summary of completed requests

The International Development Research Centre posts summaries of completed Access to Information requests by its Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Coordinator. 

The following list contains summaries of completed requests since January 2012 for which documents have been retrieved or treated. The list is provided in chronological order, by month and year, and by request number. (Requests focusing on personal information or third party proprietary information are not included.)

To obtain, informally, a copy of the records released in response to any of these requests, send us an email at ATIP-AIPRP@idrc.ca, or write to us at the following address:

Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator (ATIP)
Office of the Secretary and General Counsel 
International Development Research Centre
PO Box 8500
Ottawa, ON K1G 3H9

Include your full name and complete mailing address as well as the file number(s) requested.

The records will be disclosed in the form in which they were released under the Access to Information Act, including format, language(s), and any exemptions or exclusions that were applied at the time of release. 

For any questions regarding this process, please contact our Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator at 613-696-2014. 

Summaries of completed Access to Information requests

Frequently asked questions about ATIP

  1. What are the costs involved to submit a request under the Access to Information Act or Privacy Act?
    • Under the Privacy Act, there are no associated costs as it is your personal information that you are requesting.
    • Under the Access to Information Act, there is an initial CA$5.00 processing fee, which covers the first five hours of search and preparation for your request. If more than five hours of search and preparation are needed, a fee estimate may be calculated and you will be advised of the additional costs, which are CA$10.00 for every hour of research and preparation beyond the first five hours. Furthermore, you may be assessed photocopy fees of up to $0.20 a page for large requests.
    • Please make sure that you clearly describe the information that you are seeking. The more general your request is, the less likely we will be able to find exactly what you are looking for.
  2. I have received my information from your Crown corporation and I am not satisfied with the results. What are my options?

    It is the right for anyone who requests information from an access to information and privacy (ATIP) office to file a complaint in relation to their request.

    For Access to Information Act complaints, please send correspondence to:

    Office of the Information Commissioner
    30 Victoria Street
    Gatineau, Québec  K1A 1H3

    Note: The Office of the Privacy Commissioner does not process complaints sent by e-mail or phone. Please submit your complaint by mail.

    For Privacy Act complaints, please send correspondence to:

    Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
    30 Victoria Street
    Gatineau, Québec  K1A 1H3

    Note: The Office of the Privacy Commissioner does not process complaints sent by e-mail. Please submit your complaint by mail.

  3. Where can I get more information about the Access to Information and Privacy Acts?

    To learn more about the Acts, please refer to the information published on the following websites:

    Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

    Office of the Information Commissioner

    Office of the Privacy Commissioner

  4. How do I make an Access to Information request?

    To make a request under the Access to Information Act, you may either submit your request on the IDRC Access to Information Request Form or you may write to us stating that your request is pursuant to the Access to Information Act. Your request should be forwarded, along with the CA$5.00 application fee, payable to the International Development Research Centre, to the following address:

    Legal and Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
    Office of the Secretary and General Counsel
    International Development Research Centre
    PO Box 8500
    Ottawa ON  K1G 3H9

    Please note:

    • An application fee of CA$5.00 payable to the International Development Research Centre is required before the processing of your request under the Access to Information Act can begin.
    • To make an Access to Information request, you must either be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have an address in Canada. Canadians living abroad will be required to provide proof of citizenship in order to receive the information they are seeking.
    • If you are not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and you would like to submit a request to IDRC, you should to do so through a representative that is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or has an address in Canada.
    • Corporations, businesses, and organizations with a Canadian presence have the right to make an Access to Information request.
    • Please note that an applicant may be charged additional search fees and/or preparation fees in regards to a request they have submitted under the Access to Information Act.
  5. How long will it take to get the information I have requested?

    We have 30 calendar days in which to respond to a formal access to information request. However, if a lengthy or complex search is needed to locate the information or if external consultations need to be undertaken, we have a right to take more time to complete the request. If more time is needed, you will be advised of the extension.

  6. Can I obtain all the information the government has about me by submitting a request to your Crown Corporation?
    • Both the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act only permit us to release information that is under the control of the International Development Research Centre. If you need information from a different federal institution, such as the Department of Global Affairs Canada (GAC), you will need to contact them directly. Please refer to the list of Access to Information and Privacy Coordinators.
    • Please note that you have a right to request information under the control of a specific institution.
    • The Acts only apply to federal government organizations. If you require information from provincial or municipal departments, you will need to contact them directly.
  7. Does it matter which Act I submit my request under?
    • Your rights of access to your own personal information are in accordance with section 12 of the Privacy Act. If you are looking for information about yourself, it is best to apply under the Privacy Act, as you will not be charged for making your request.
    • Information other than personal information should be requested under the Access to Information Act.
  8. In what format can my final response package be sent to me?
    • Your package may be sent to you either on paper or on CD. CD release packages are provided in a PDF format, which will work on both Mac and PC computers.
    • Please note that there may be fees associated with the production of paper documents.