Federal Economic Development Agency Added to ATIA

Summary#

This is the Order Amending Schedule I to the Access to Information Act: SOR/2021-193. It adds the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario to Schedule I of the Access to Information Act, so the agency became subject to access-to-information rules on August 12, 2021 (published in the Canada Gazette on August 18, 2021).

What it does#

• Adds the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (French: Agence fédérale de développement économique pour le Nord de l'Ontario) to Schedule I of the Access to Information Act.
• Sets the change to take effect on August 12, 2021.
• The order is recorded as SOR/2021-193 and was registered on August 6, 2021 and published on August 18, 2021.

Who's affected#

• People and organizations who want records from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario. They can now make formal access-to-information requests to that agency.
• Staff at the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, who will handle those requests and manage records accordingly.
• Communities, businesses, and stakeholders in Northern Ontario who interact with the agency and whose communications or program records could be requested.
• Other federal institutions that coordinate or respond to information requests involving the agency.

Why it matters#

• The change increases transparency and accountability for the agency that funds and supports economic development in Northern Ontario.
• Citizens, journalists, and businesses can now request government records about programs, funding decisions, policies, and operations affecting Northern Ontario.
• It may lead to more information becoming publicly available, and it can create new administrative work for the agency as it responds to requests.