Nova Scotia has reported a high rate of compliance with its Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) requests for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
According to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program, the province responded to 98.3 percent of its 1,514 FOIPOP requests within the legislated timelines. This rate positioned Nova Scotia among the leading provinces in Canada for processing access to information requests.
This marks the sixth consecutive year that the province has maintained a response rate above 90 percent. The consistent performance indicates an established process for managing such requests effectively. The total number of requests received in 2023-24 was 1,514, which represents a decrease of 165 requests compared to the previous fiscal year, 2022-23.
Of the requests processed, 66 percent were related to personal information. The remaining 34 percent were for general information. These statistics reflect the types of information citizens are seeking from the provincial government. Individuals, businesses, and media commonly utilize FOIPOP to obtain government records.
Timely processing of access to information requests is a component of government transparency and accountability. The FOIPOP Act allows individuals to request information from public bodies and provides for independent review by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Source: Nova Scotia Nominee Program