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For a $5 fee, people can use the access law to ask for a range of federal documents — from internal emails and invoices to briefing notes and policy memos — but it has long been criticized as outdated and poorly implemented. 

Government agencies are supposed to respond within 30 days or provide valid reasons why more time is needed to process a request. 

The law has not been significantly updated since its introduction more than 40 years ago, and many users complain of lengthy delays, heavily blacked-out documents or blanket denials in response to their applications. 

Carney said he was “happy to commit to having a review” because seeing how the law works as an outsider, he “can’t always follow the process,” citing redactions to documents and the time taken to answer requests.

“So an objective review of that would serve Canadians well regardless of the result of the election.”

There have been many studies of the federal access system over the years. 

Civil society groups, journalists and members of the public who took part in the last federal review of the regime called for expansion of the law, removal of loopholes, stricter timelines for responses and more resources to make the system work. 

In addition, in June 2023, a House of Commons committee made 38 recommendations to revamp the access system, including an amendment to the law that would allow for fines or penalties when agencies miss deadlines for answering requests.

In response, then-Treasury Board President Anita Anand said the next federal review, to begin sometime in 2025, would provide an opportunity to “leverage the committee’s helpful advice on the proposed reforms of the act.”

Earlier this week, The Canadian Press asked all of the major federal parties about the adequacy of the Access to Information Act and whether they propose any changes to the law or how departments respond to requests.

The Liberal and Conservative parties did not respond to the questions, and their platforms are silent on the Access to Information law.

In February last year, however, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said if his party formed government it would improve the system.

“We will speed up response times,” he said. “We will release more information.” 

“We will give the commissioner more power to override the gatekeepers within the government and favour transparency over secrecy.”

The NDP will push to amend the access law to cover the Prime Minister’s Office and the offices of other federal ministers, party spokesperson Anne McGrath said in response to the questions.

The party also advocates making it more difficult for federal agencies to withhold information considered to be advice or recommendations to government, McGrath said. 

In addition, the NDP backs giving the federal information commissioner, an ombudsman for users of the law, more powers, and adding a public interest override to the law to allow for release of information with environmental, health, safety or human rights implications, she said.

Bloc Québécois spokeswoman Joanie Riopel said the party advocates modernization of the access law to prevent excessive redaction of records.

Riopel also said the government should not control funding for the information commissioner’s office, in order to ensure the office’s independence. The Bloc also wants a review of the commissioner’s role and powers to see if they are sufficient.

The Greens did not respond to questions, but the party’s platform includes support for open government practices, ensuring proactive disclosure of documents and timely responses to access to information requests.

The Green party also advocates for expanding the law to cover Parliament and the offices of the prime minister and other cabinet members, creating a public interest override and enhancing the information commissioner’s powers. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.