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Info Source

Sources of Federal Government and employee information

General information

Introduction to Info Source

Info Source describes the programs and activities, and the information holdings related to programs and activities, of government institutions subject to the Access to Information Act to facilitate the right of access. It also provides, including current and former employees of the Government of Canada, with relevant information to access personal information about themselves held by government institutions subject to the Privacy Act and to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act.

An index of institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act are available centrally.

The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act assign overall responsibility to the President of Treasury Board (as the designated Minister) for the government-wide administration of the legislation.

Background

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is an independent agency created in 1990 by an Act of Parliament (Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act). It operates at arm's length from other government departments and agencies to ensure that there are no real or perceived conflicts of interest. The TSB reports to Parliament through the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

Responsibilities

Under the legislation, the TSB's only objective is the advancement of transportation safety in the federally-regulated elements of the air, marine, rail and pipeline transportation systems. This mandate is fulfilled by conducting independent investigations into selected transportation occurrences. The purpose is to identify the causes and contributing factors of the occurrences and the safety deficiencies evidenced by an occurrence. The TSB then makes recommendations to improve safety and reduce or eliminate risks to people, property and the environment.

The TSB may also represent Canadian interests in foreign investigations of transportation accidents involving Canadian registered, licensed or manufactured aircraft, ships or railway rolling stock. In addition, the TSB carries out some of Canada's obligations related to transportation safety at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The Act provides for a Board consisting of up to five full-time members, including the Chairperson. The Act requires that members be collectively knowledgeable about marine, commodity pipeline, rail and air transportation. They are appointed by the Governor in Council. Members' duties include establishing policies respecting the classes of occurrences to be investigated and policies to be followed in the conduct of investigations, reviewing investigation reports, determining findings as to causes and contributing factors, identifying safety deficiencies and making safety recommendations.

Institutional programs and activities

Institution-specific content

Aviation occurrence investigations

The Aviation occurrence investigations program is governed by the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and the Transportation Safety Board Regulations. Under this program, the TSB conducts independent investigations into selected aviation transportation occurrences in, or over Canada, and in certain circumstances internationally, to identify causes and contributing factors. This program includes the publication of investigation reports, the formulation and monitoring of recommendations and other safety communications, as well as the conduct of outreach activities to advocate for changes to operating practices, equipment, infrastructure, and legislation to advance transportation safety. The Aviation occurrence investigations program also includes the fulfillment of specific Government of Canada obligations related to transportation safety under conventions of the International Civil Aviation Organization and other international agreements.

Air occurrence investigations

Description: Includes records related to the conduct and reporting of aviation safety investigations such as operations data, laboratory testing and analysis of parts, structural components, systems, instruments and wreckage; search and recovery of wreckage; documentation on occurrence sites; and the extraction and interpretation of information from recordings andaviation safety deficiencies.  Also includes records required for specialized human factors analysis of investigations as well as macro-analysis, special studies, evaluations and publications related to occurrences and investigations.  The legislative authority is provided by sections 3(1) of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and 6 of the Transportation Safety Board Regulations.

Marine occurrence investigations

The Marine occurrence investigations program is governed by the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and the Transportation Safety Board Regulations. Under this program, the TSB conducts independent investigations into selected marine transportation occurrences in Canada, and in certain circumstances internationally to identify causes and contributing factors. This program includes the publication of investigation reports, the formulation and monitoring of recommendations and other safety communications, as well as the conduct of outreach activities to advocate for changes to operating practices, equipment, infrastructure, and legislation to advance transportation safety. The Marine occurrence investigations program also includes the fulfillment of specific Government of Canada’s obligations related to transportation safety under conventions of the International Maritime Organization and other international agreements.

Investigations in the Maritime transportation sector

Description: Includes records related to the conduct and reporting of marine safety investigations, including operations data, laboratory testing and analysis of parts, structural components, systems, instruments and wreckage; search and recovery of wreckage; documentation on occurrence sites; and the extraction and interpretation of information from recordings; and general information such as marine safety deficiencies. Also includes records required for specialized human factors analysis of investigations as well as macro-analysis, special studies, evaluations and publications related to occurrences and investigations. The legislative authority is provided by sections 3(2) and (3) of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and 3 of the Transportation Safety Board Regulations.

Pipeline occurrence investigations

The Pipeline occurrence investigations program is governed by the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and the Transportation Safety Board Regulations. Under this program, the TSB conducts independent investigations into selected pipeline occurrences under federal jurisdiction within Canada to identify causes and contributing factors. This program includes the publication of investigation reports, the formulation and monitoring of recommendations and other safety communications, as well as the conduct of outreach activities to advocate for changes to operating practices, equipment, infrastructure, and legislation to advance transportation safety.

Investigations in the transport by Pipeline sector

Description: Includes records related to the conduct and reporting of pipeline safety investigations, including pipeline operations data, laboratory testing and analysis of parts, structural components, systems, instruments; documentation on occurrence sites, and the extraction and interpretation of information from recordings, pipeline equipment specifications, and pipeline infrastructure information. The legislative authority is provided by sections 3(3) and (4) of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and 5 of the Transportation Safety Board Regulations.

Rail occurrence investigations

The Rail occurrence investigations program is governed by the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and the Transportation Safety Board Regulations. Under this program, the TSB conducts independent investigations into selected rail transportation occurrences in Canada to identify causes and contributing factors. This program includes the publication of investigation reports, the formulation and monitoring of recommendations and other safety communications, as well as the conduct of outreach activities to advocate for changes to operating practices, equipment, infrastructure, and legislation to advance transportation safety. The Rail occurrence investigations program also includes the provision of assistance, upon request, to the provinces for the investigation of short-line railway occurrences under provincial jurisdiction.

Investigations in the Rail transportation sector

Description: Includes records related to the conduct and reporting of rail safety investigations, including railway operations data, laboratory testing and analysis of parts, structural components, systems, instruments and wreckage, documentation on occurrence sites, and the extraction and interpretation of information from recordings, railway equipment specifications, and railway infrastructure information. Also includes records required for specialized human factors analysis of investigations as well as macro-analysis, special studies, evaluations and publications related to occurrences and investigations.  The legislative authority stems from the section 3(4) of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and section 4 of the Transportation Safety Board Regulations.

Internal services

Internal services constitute groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are management and oversight services, communications services, legal services, human resources management services, financial management services, information management services, information technology services, real property services, materiel services, acquisition services, and travel and other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Acquisition services

Acquisition services involve activities undertaken to acquire a good or service to fulfill a properly completed request (including a complete and accurate definition of requirements and certification that funds are available) until entering into or amending a contract.

Communications services

Communications services involve activities undertaken to ensure that Government of Canada communications are effectively managed, well coordinated and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public. The communications management function ensures that the public—internal or external—receives government information, and that the views and concerns of the public are taken into account in the planning, management and evaluation of policies, programs, services and initiatives.

Financial management services

Financial management services involve activities undertaken to ensure the prudent use of public resources, including planning, budgeting, accounting, reporting, control and oversight, analysis, decision support and advice, and financial systems.

Human resources management services

Human resources management services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction, allocating resources among services and processes, as well as activities relating to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies and plans.

Information management services

Information management services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective information management to support program and service delivery; foster informed decision making; facilitate accountability, transparency and collaboration; and preserve and ensure access to information and records for the benefit of present and future generations.

Information technology services

Information technology services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective use of information technology to support government priorities and program delivery, to increase productivity, and to enhance services to the public.

Legal services

Legal services involve activities undertaken to enable government departments and agencies to pursue policy, program and service delivery priorities and objectives within a legally sound framework.

Management and oversight services

Management and oversight services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction and allocating resources among services and processes, as well as those activities related to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies or plans.

Materiel services

Materiel services involve activities undertaken to ensure that materiel can be managed by departments in a sustainable and financially responsible manner that supports the cost-effective and efficient delivery of government programs.

Travel and other administrative services

Travel and other administrative services include Government of Canada travel services, as well as those other internal services that do not smoothly fit with any of the internal services categories.

Classes of personal information: Those identified in Institution-specific content above.

Manuals

Additional information

For general information about making a request for access to information or personal information, see Make an access to information or personal information request.

To make a request for information online, access the Access to Information and Personal Information Online Request Service.

To make a request for information under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act by mail, mail your letter or completed Access to Information Request Form (Access to Information Act) or Personal Information Request Form (Privacy Act), along with any necessary documents (such as consent or the $5 application fee for a request under the Access to Information Act), to the following address:

Luc Casault, DG, Corporate Services
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
Place du Centre
200 Promenade du Portage, 4th floor
Gatineau QC K1A 1K8
atip.aiprp@tsb-bst.gc.ca (preferred)
Fax: 819-953-9648

In accordance with the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, an area on the premises will be made available to review original materials on site if that is the applicant’s preference (and it is practical to do so), or if it is not practical to create copies of the material.

Please note: Each request made to the Transportation Safety Board under the Access to Information Act must be accompanied by an application fee of $5. For requests made online, this is paid at the time of application via credit card. For requests made by mail, this should be paid by enclosing cheque or money order made payable to the Receiver General for Canada.

The Government of Canada encourages the release of information through requests outside of the formal request processes. To make an informal request, contact:

Luc Casault, DG, Corporate Services
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
Place du Centre
200 Promenade du Portage, 4th floor
Gatineau QC K1A 1K8
atip.aiprp@tsb-bst.gc.ca (preferred)
Fax: 819-953-9648

You may also wish to search summaries of completed access to information requests for which the Transportation Safety Board has already provided responses [link], as this information may be more easily obtained. You may also wish to review available open data regarding the Transportation Safety Board [link].

The Transportation Safety Board conducts privacy impact assessments (PIAs) to ensure that privacy implications will be appropriately identified, assessed and resolved before a new or substantially modified program or activity involving personal information is implemented.