Newfoundland and Labrador has been recognized as having one of Canada’s most progressive pieces of legislation governing access to information.
This is Right to Know Week 2023. Across Canada and the world, the week recognizes the importance of the right of access to information held by governments and other public bodies. Newfoundland and Labrador has been recognized as having one of Canada’s most progressive pieces of legislation governing access to information. The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 (ATIPPA, 2015) ensures government transparency and accountability by providing the public with the right of access to records as well as protecting the privacy of individuals whose personal information is collected, used and disclosed by public bodies. Last year, an estimated 3,000 requests for information were received by the government. This is a significant increase from 2015-16, the year ATIPPA, 2015 was introduced, when 1,410 requests were received.