What is the timeline for my existing ATIP request to a public body?

Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests can be used to access your personal information or government records from a federal public body. Federal public bodies have 30 days to respond to a formal ATIP request, but this time limit can be extended for up to another 30 days. The two reasons a request can be extended are if the request is for too many records or meeting the original time limit would interfere with the government institution’s operations and require a search through many records.

Further, federal public bodies may be granted a time extension longer than the 60 total days if the Information or Privacy Commissioner of Canada approves. The federal public body must inform you of the extension and its length within 30 days of receiving your request and must also inform you of your right to make a complaint to either the Information or Privacy Commissioner of Canada about the extension.

If you have received a response with a tracking number for your ATIP request, then you can track and receive your response through the following webpage. However, the ATIP tracking system sometimes does not provide enough information.

If you do not receive a response within 30 days or you are unsatisfied with the tracking information, you may inquire about the status of your request by emailing: ATIP-AIPRP@cic.gc.ca. Additionally, you may contact the ATIP coordinator responsible for the institution you have made your ATIP request to. Please see the list of access to information and privacy coordinators by institution. When contacting either of the above options, please provide information about your request, such as the tracking number (if you have one) and when you submitted the request (it is not necessary to immediately disclose what you requested). In communicating with either contact, you could possibly ask whether narrowing your ATIP request to be more specific would help expedite the process or inquire whether there are any options for you to help expedite a response from the public body.

The last option when dealing with a very late response is to submit a complaint to either the Information or Privacy Commissioner of Canada (depending on whether your request is about access to information or privacy). A complaint can be filed online on either through the Information Commissioner’s website or the Privacy Commissioner’s website. However, it is very unlikely that a complaint would expedite a response as the complaint process may also take a long time.

For more information about ATIP requests, please visit BC FIPA’s Get Help pages.

Updated 2024.09. 20