Bill 208, Financial Accountability Officer Amendment Act, 2016

Bill 208 2016

An Act to amend the Financial Accountability Officer Act, 2013 with respect to the Financial Accountability Officer's access to information

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

   1.  (1)  Subsection 12 (1) of the Financial Accountability Officer Act, 2013 is amended by striking out "subsections (2) and (3)" and substituting "subsection (3)".

   (2)  Subsection 12 (2) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Access to records

   (2)  Subject to subsection (3), the Financial Accountability Officer is entitled to have free access to all books, accounts, financial records, electronic data processing records, reports, files and all other papers, things or property belonging to or used by a ministry or public entity that the Financial Accountability Officer believes to be necessary to perform his or her duties under this Act.

   (3)  Subsection 12 (3) of the Act is amended by striking out "any information under subsection (1)" in the portion before paragraph 1 and substituting "anything under subsection (1) or (2)".

   (4)  Subsection 12 (5) of the Act is amended by striking out "subsection (1)" at the end and substituting "subsection (1) or (2)".

   (5)  Subsection 12 (6) of the Act is amended by striking out "subsection (1)" and substituting "subsection (1) or (2)".

Commencement

   2.  This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

   3.  The short title of this Act is the Financial Accountability Officer Amendment Act, 2016.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Current subsection 12 (2) of the Financial Accountability Officer Act, 2013 prevents the Financial Accountability Officer from accessing certain Cabinet records. This is replaced to entitle the Financial Accountability Officer to certain records or things belonging to or used by a ministry or public entity if the Financial Accountability Officer believes it to be necessary to perform his or her duties under the Act, subject to the other exceptions in the Act.