Program directory · Library and Archives Canada
Access and Services
- Department
- Library and Archives Canada
- Program code
- BSJ01 (LAC)
- Core responsibility
- Providing access to documentary heritage
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
This program ensures access to LAC collections, in both original and digital formats, by providing direct assistance to clients (such as reference and consultation services) and actively enabling self-access through a range of tools and resources. Access is facilitated through the digitization of collections, the creation of comprehensive online guides and discovery tools, and the review of copyright restrictions to broaden availability, as well as strategic projects and partnerships for increased access to digital collections. By enabling Canadians to explore these resources on their own or with expert guidance, the program fosters a deeper understanding of Canadian culture and identity highlighting the people, events and ideas that have shaped the nation. These services and self-access tools are available in person at various locations across Canada, online and through other channels.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access and Services | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $232M |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | Employees (FTEs) 250, against 192 in 2021-22 (+30%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2022-23 | Spending $40.4M, against $23.6M in 2021-22 (+71%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Employees (FTEs) 140, against 250 in 2022-23 (−44%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Indicators added: Percentage increase of virtual interactions between the public and LAC’s collection | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Indicators dropped: Percentage of formal Access To Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests that have been responded to within the statutory time limits | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators added: Number of in-person and virtual service transactions fulfilled by LAC | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators dropped: Percentage increase of virtual interactions between the public and LAC’s collection | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Renamed from “Public services” to “Access and Services”. | GC InfoBase program names by year |
| 2027-28 | Planned spending $18.2M, against $46M in 2026-27 (−60%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | ≥ 25% | 2024 | — This is a new indictor of 2023-24, so there is no result to report for 2023-24. | No result reported |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 5% | 2025 | 59% | Met |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 90% | 2019 | 95% | Met |
| 2019-20 | ≥ 90% | 2020 | 94% | Met |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 90% | 2021 | 40% Several factors impacted responses to ATIP requests, such as increasing backlog and lack of resources; limited access to physical locations to process paper-based requests due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and unexpected increase in the volume of requests related to the Federal Indian Day School Class Action. | Not met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 66% | 2022 | 40% Several factors have affected the processing of ATIP requests, including a lack of resources to respond to the increased number of requests, the high turnover of staff with expertise across the GC, and the reallocation of resources to address complaints filed with the Office of the Information Commissioner. | Not met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 20% | 2023 | 24% | Met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 1,500,000 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $18.3M | $21.6M |
| 2019-20 | $24.1M | $25.8M |
| 2020-21 | $25.1M | $25.6M |
| 2021-22 | $35.1M | $23.6M |
| 2022-23 | $65.8M | $40.4M |
| 2023-24 | $46.9M | $47.2M |
| 2024-25 | $64M | $47.5M |
| 2025-26 | $54.7M | — |
| 2026-27 | $46M | — |
| 2027-28 | $18.2M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $18.5M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 196 | 221 |
| 2019-20 | 230 | 257 |
| 2020-21 | 229 | 230 |
| 2021-22 | 239 | 192 |
| 2022-23 | 222 | 250 |
| 2023-24 | 162 | 140 |
| 2024-25 | 140 | 145 |
| 2025-26 | 154 | — |
| 2026-27 | 142 | — |
| 2027-28 | 134* | — |
| 2028-29 | 132* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $18,282,966 | $17,937,754 | $17,937,754 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $24,105,015 | $23,812,609 | $33,308,258 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $25,090,324 | $34,578,976 | $34,681,913 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $35,134,759 | $35,237,386 | $37,294,172 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $65,761,919 | $67,840,676 | $40,023,507 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $46,914,162 | $63,262,456 | $53,644,122 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $64,041,510 | $54,383,527 | $27,960,739 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $54,666,740 | $28,238,575 | $18,034,889 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $45,979,353 | $18,185,554 | $18,544,304 | ||||||||
| Actual | $21,620,229 | $25,838,194 | $25,594,452 | $23,617,331 | $40,366,602 | $47,165,687 | $47,518,751 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
