Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada 2024-2025 Annual report to parliament Access to Information Act

A1: Introduction

The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) is pleased to submit to Parliament its annual report on the administration of the Access to Information Act for the reporting period commencing on April 1, 2024, and ending on March 31, 2025.

This report is prepared and tabled in accordance with the following:

• section 94 of the Access to Information Act, which requires that the head of every federal
• institution prepare and submit an annual report to Parliament on the administration of the Act in the institution during the fiscal year

Purpose of the Access to Information Act

The purpose of the Access to Information Act is to enhance the accountability and transparency of federal institutions to promote an open and democratic society and to enable public debate on the conduct of those institutions. To further that purpose:

• Part 1 extends the present laws of Canada to provide a right of access to information in records under the control of a government institution in accordance with the principles that government information should be available to the public, that necessary exceptions to the right of access should be limited and specific, and that decisions about the disclosure of government information should be reviewed independently of government
• Part 2 sets out requirements for the proactive publication of information.

Mandate of The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (the Board)

Under the Historic Sites and Monuments Act, the Board is the statutory advisory body to the Minister responsible of Parks Canada on the national historic significance of places, people, events of Canadian history. The Government of Canada has designated over 2,200 subjects of national historic significance on the advice of the HSMBC since its inception in 1919. The HSMBC is also responsible for providing advice on the designation of heritage railway stations under the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act and on the designation of heritage lighthouses under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.

The Indigenous Stewardship and Cultural Heritage Directorate of Parks Canada (the Directorate), offers secretariat services to the HSMBC and receives approximately 1,000 queries annually from the public, MPs, media and heritage organizations across Canada related to the designation process, information about the HSMBC and previous HSMBC deliberations. The Directorate also processes and responds to about 50 nominations for subjects of possible national historic significance each year. It also administers the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act, the National Program for the Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers and the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.

In 2024-25, Parks Canada’s Access to Information and Privacy Office (ATIP) officials had the full delegated authority in relation to the Access to Information Act as it relates to the HSMBC.

A2: Organizational Structure

During this reporting period, the Parks Canada ATIP office was part of the Corporate Secretary Branch. The Access to Information and Privacy Office is comprised of six (6) full-time employees responsible of implementing and managing services related to the administration of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act for Parks Canada and HSMBC.

Internal tools and procedures have been developed to support the Agency in meeting its obligations under the Access to Information Act, regulations and Treasury Board policies and are regularly reviewed and improved.

HSMBC handles a relatively low number of requests received under the Access to Information Act.

A3: Delegation Order

A4: Performance 2024-2025

Since most information requests from the public, media, researchers, businesses, and heritage organizations pertained to publicly available records and were submitted directly to the Directorate, no formal requests were made under the Access to Information Act in 2024-2025.

A5: Training and awareness

No training or awareness activities took place during this period.

A6: Policies, guidelines, procedures and initiatives

No new policy regarding administration of the Access to Information Act was implemented during the reporting period.

A7: Initiatives and projects to improve access to information

No new initiatives and projects were implemented for the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada during the reporting period.

A8: Summary of key issues and actions taken on complaints

The HSMBC did not receive any complaints, and no investigations were concluded in 2024-2025; there are no issues to report in this regard.

A9: Proactive publication under Part 2 of the ATIA

All proactive publications are completed under Parks Canada’s portfolio. The information can be found on the Parks Canada website under Transparency and the Open Government Portal.

A10: Monitoring compliance

Parks Canada is the lead for the Agency on the management responsibilities related to the HSMBC. The Agency monitors the time required to process access to information requests. When the need for improvements are identified, internal processes are adjusted.