PO-4649-I

An individual submitted a request to the Ministry of Solicitor General (the ministry), under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, for records related to the Security Assessment for Evaluating Risk (SAFER) program. The ministry granted partial access to the responsive records withholding some information.
The ministry denied access to the SAFER training manual relying on the exclusion in section 65(6) that excludes labour relations and employment records from the application of the Act. The ministry also denied access to the SAFER policy manual and the data definition guide based on the exemption in section 13(1) (advice or recommendation).
In this order, the adjudicator finds that the ministry did a reasonable search for records responsive to the request. She finds that the training manual is not excluded from the application of the Act and orders the ministry to issue an access decision. She upholds the ministry’s decision not to disclose the policy manual and the data definition guide as they contain advice or recommendation but orders the ministry to re-exercise its discretion under section 13(1).