How do I make a Request?

In order to submit an Access to Information request to a federal institution, you must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or an individual or corporation currently present in Canada. Proof of eligibility may be required prior to commencing a formal Access request.

You may wish to use one of the request forms available on the Treasury Board Secretariat website but you do not need to do so. A letter or online submission clearly explaining what records you are seeking will suffice. Please be sure to include a telephone number and/or e-mail address where you can be contacted during weekdays. This will allow the ATIP Coordinator or Analyst to speak with you in the event that we have questions about your request and in order to keep you apprised of its status.

If you are making your request under the Access to Information Act, you must include a $5.00 application fee which is payable by cheque or money order (made out to the Receiver General for Canada). If you submit your request online, you will also have the option of paying the application fee with a major credit card.

If you are making your request under the Privacy Act, no fees of any kind will be charged. We will, however, require your original signature on your request.

In order to expedite the processing of your request, we strongly advise that you be as specific as possible when describing the information you want so that we may locate it as quickly as possible. You may also wish to set a time frame for the records you are seeking.

You may also wish to further narrow your request by excluding some or all of the following from the ambit of your request:

• Draft documents
• E-mails
• English documents if they exist in a French format or French documents if they exist in an English format
• Cabinet Confidences. The Act does not apply to draft legislation nor to records that contain information about draft legislation as they are considered to be Cabinet Confidences. Eliminating such documents and information, eliminates our need to consult with our Legal Services Division  and, therefore, results in a speedier response to your request
• Documents which originate with another government institution or third party. Eliminating these documents means that we do not need to consult with the other institution which, in turn, means a speedier response to your request. You may wish to submit a separate request to the originating institution. However, be mindful that a separate application fee will apply to that request. You will also have a separate right-of-complaint to the Office of the Information Commissioner if you are not satisfied with the response to your request

There are two methods by which you can submit your request to OSFI’s ATIP office

Online

The Access to Information and Privacy Online Request Service offers a convenient way to submit access to information or personal information requests.

This service enables individuals to make online requests for information under the control of Government of Canada institutions instead of having to print, scan and email or mail a form to the correct institution.

Submit a request online

By mail

Regardless of the Act being used, please send your complete request to: