Major Overhaul of Access-to-Information Law Needed, Commissioner Tells MPs

Information Commissioner of Canada Caroline Maynard prepares to appear before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 9, 2026. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

Canada’s information commissioner is calling for a major overhaul of the 43-year-old Access to Information Act, warning that public disclosure deadlines are routinely missed as growing volumes of digital communications strain Canada’s access-to-information system.

Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard told MPs on May 4 that complaints are increasing as outdated legislation, funding pressures, and weak enforcement tools further slow public access to records.