Sample of Agencies Practicing Proactive Disclosure

Municipal
Vancouver Police Department – Publishes a disclosure log and records supplied in response to
requests from 2007-2011 that are deemed to be in the public interest, e.g., “Emails regarding
Missing Womens Investigation Report” (Response letters and the text of original request are
not posted, do not charge fees).

-The VPD does not have a policy regarding when requests are published. Once requests are
completed and emailed to the applicant they are “sent to the media division” for publishing on
the website as soon as practicable. If a high profile issue is associated with a request may host a
press conference at the same time.
http://vancouver.ca/police/organization/public-affairs/freedom-of-information.html

Victoria Police Department – Publishes a list of FOI requests deemed to be in the public
interest. Link to associated records provided. (Records date from 2005-2008). (Response letters
and the text of original request are not posted). -Same
http://www.vicpd.ca/index.php?page=previously-released-information

Other Provinces
Government of Manitoba – Information & Privacy Policy Secretariat and Privacy Policy
and Privacy Policy
-Publishes a weekly listing of access to information requests received by the Manitoba
Government -Associated records not provided
http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/fippa/pdfs/weekly_list_18feb2011.pdf

Federal
Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
http://www.oic-ci.gc.ca/eng/completed_requests.aspx

– Disclosure log and description of all requests received as of April 2010.

- Records not published. If an individual would like to obtain a copy of a response package they

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 are to click on the appropriate request number, enter the required information and their
request is sent directly to the ATIP Secretariat who then sends out the package.

Health Canada

-Disclosure log and description of requests (not all-inclusive) beginning in June 2010, but not
updated since Sept 2010
-Records not posted, individuals have to request records be sent.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/activit/atip-aiprp/requests-demandes/index-eng.php

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

- Disclosure log and description of completed requests for months April-December 2010.
- Records not posted, individuals have to request from ATIP office and records are sent.

http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1275329523128&lang=eng

National Defence Canada

- Publishes a disclosure log of all FOI requests processed from 2005-2011.

- Records not published. Individual need to request records be sent and package is mailed.
http://www.admfincs-smafinsm.forces.gc.ca/aip/cr-dc-09-eng.asp

Posts summaries of FOI requests to disclosure log 5-10 days after response is sent to the
applicant. No set timeframe or policy regarding when summaries of requests are posted. No set
categories of general requests that are to be considered for publication. ATIP Team Lead makes
decision during processing if description of request is to be posted.

Environment Canada

Has a dedicated “Proactive Disclosure” page which posts:

1) Audits and evaluations;

2) Contracts over $10,000;
3) Grants and contribution awards over $25,000;
4) Travel and hospitality expenses;
5) Position re-classifications; and
6) Departmental Three year plan for Transfer Payment Programs

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http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=390AF41B-1

Also offers a subscription service which allows the media and the public to be notified whenever
new documents or updates are added to the Environment Canada Newsroom.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

-Publishes a disclosure log of Access to Information requests (subject to public interest)

processed since January 1, 2009

Request Number Summary of Request Disposition of Request Number of Pages Released

- Records not posted, individuals have to provide a mailing address and telephone number to
receive associated responsive records.
http://www.acoa-
apeca.gc.ca/English/Accountability/AccessToInformation/Pages/ATIPRequests.aspx

CBC Radio Canada

http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/docs/disclosure/information.shtml
-Publishes a disclosure log of “Latest requests” and stats -“Our Access to Information record to
date February 11 , 2011 - Number of requests received: 1,335 - Number of closed files: 1,295”

Publishes documents released in response to ATI requests grouped by topic in reverse

chronological order that “we feel may be of interest to Canadians”. Individuals are to click on
the request file number to view a pdf of the responsive records. (Response letter not included).

The five categories of records posted are:

- Expenses
- Audits
- Retreats
- Agendas
- Policies

Disclosure log includes: request number, text of request and an explanation of any clarification
received from the applicant. No current publication policy. Requests that fall within one of the
above categories are published monthly/ as soon as administratively possible.

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International
The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Publishes disclosure log, redacted response letters & pdf of records.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/freedom-of-information/released-
documents/

UK BBC (released documents included)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/foi/publication_scheme/classes/disclosure_logs/

Suffolk Coastal District County (summary table only)

http://www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/yourcouncil/information/log/default.htm

National Archives of Scotland (summary table and links to documents)

http://www.nas.gov.uk/foi/disclosure.asp

Scottish Parliament (released letters included)

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/foi/pubScheme.htm

Office of the Information Commissioner, Queensland, Australia

http://www.oic.qld.gov.au/files/RTIGuidelines/Guideline%20-%20Disclosure%20logs%20-
%2025-01-10%20-%20v1.3.pdf

“The RTI Act provides that ‘nothing about a document’ may be put on the agency’s website
until at least 24 hours after the applicant accesses the document. The Right to Information
Report2 made this recommendation “in order to respect the requester’s first outlay of time,
effort and expense in seeking the information”.

The Ministerial Guidelines provide that information must be published on an agency’s

disclosure log ‘as soon as possible after the 24 hour period expires (on the next working day)
and no later than five business days after access’. “

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Queensland Government – Australia

http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/corporate/accessing-departmental-information/disclosure-log

Publishes a disclosure log listing the Request Number, Date of Decision, Number of Pages and a
summary of the Information requested.

Individuals have to write to the Right to Information and Privacy Unit to request associated
records be sent.

Other Sources
Simon Fraser University is participating in the “open access movement” with their “Public
Knowledge Project” which utilizes publishing software and knowledge management strategies
to improve the public’s access to research and the universities body of knowledge. -Enables the
use of open access research by government policymakers/ professionals in other fields and
increases the educational quality of public knowledge resources such as Wikipedia .
http://pkp.sfu.ca/about