Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP)

CSE has an established Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Office that processes formal requests made under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act for information held under our control.

• the Access to Information Act gives Canadian citizens, permanent residents as well as individuals and corporations present in Canada the right to seek access to federally-controlled information and records not of a personal nature.
• the Privacy Act provides Canadian citizens and individuals present in Canada the right to seek access to their personal information held by the federal government. It also governs the collection, use, disclosure, retention and disposal of personal information.

Because of our national security mission, we handle sensitive information which may hurt Canada's national security, defence, foreign relations and interests, if it were disclosed. CSE uses provisions of the ATIP legislation that allow us to not release that type of information. However, we are committed to being as transparent as we can be, and will release information when it will not cause harm.

CSE’s most recent Annual Reports to Parliament on the administration of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act can be found on our Reports page.

Completed Access to Information requests

We post summaries of completed Access to Information requests processed by our ATIP Office. The searchable list can be found on the Government of Canada’s Open Government website. If you wish to obtain an informal copy of the records already released, you may complete the online form found on the Open Government website or write to us directly using the contact information for our ATIP office below. Include your name, mailing address, as well as the file number(s) requested.

Requests focusing on personal information or third-party proprietary information are not included in materials we release.

The records are disclosed in the form that they were released under the Access to Information Act including the format, language(s) and any exemptions or exclusions that were applied at the time of release.

Submitting an Access to Information request or Privacy request (ATIP)

All government institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act publish an inventory of their information holdings as well as relevant details about personal information under their control. This inventory is called Info Source. The information on the following site can help you in making an access to information or personal information request, or in exercising your privacy rights: Information about programs and information holdings.

Online: You may submit your requests through the centralized Government of Canada ATIP request service:
Official request form

By mail: You may either submit your request on the official form linked or you may write to us stating what information you are seeking.

Access to information request form: Official Form (ATI)
Personal information request form: Official Form (Privacy)

• Notes for Access to information request

  • an application fee of $5.00 is required before the processing of your request under the Access to Information Act can begin. Payment can be made by cheque or money order payable to “The Receiver General of Canada”, as well as in cash or by credit card
  • you must either be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or have an address in Canada in order to make an Access to Information request. Canadians living abroad will be required to provide proof of citizenship in order to receive the information they are seeking
  • if you are not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and you would like to submit a request to our department, you will have to do so through a representative that is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or has an address in Canada
  • corporations, businesses and organizations with a Canadian presence have the right to make an Access to Information request
  • please provide us with a detailed description of exactly what information you are seeking
  • if you are seeking personal information under our control, we suggest that you complete a request under the Privacy Act as indicated below
  • please note that an applicant may be charged additional search fees and/or preparation fees in regards to a request they have submitted under the Access to Information Act
• Notes for Privacy requests

  • you must either be a Canadian citizen or present in Canada in order to make a Privacy request
  • if you are not a Canadian citizen or present in Canada and you would like to submit a privacy request to our department, you will have to do so through a representative that is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or has an address in Canada
  • the processing of request sent by e-mail will not commence until your signature is received by our office
  • sufficient information must be detailed in your request in order to allow us to locate your personal information
  • please DO NOT include your Social Insurance Number (SIN) as it is not required to make a Privacy Act request
  • please note that no fees are charged under the Privacy Act