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5.1.2 Additional Information on User Fees (Table B)

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act

Table B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

A. External Fee	Service Standard*	Performance Result*	Stakeholder Consultation
Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act	Framework under development by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) More information available at the Updates to Justice Laws website	Statutory deadlines met 92 percent of the time	This service standard is established under the Access to Information Act and Access to Information Regulations. Consultations with stakeholders were undertaken for amendments done in 1986 and 1992.
B. Other Information
The Access to Information Act permits the waiving of fees when deemed to be in the public interest and if under $25. The fees collected during the reporting period totalled $2,910. In accordance with government policy, it is the Department's practice to waive fees where the total owing per request amounts to less than $25. Fees waived during 2006-07 represented $1,592. There continues to be a significant increase in the number of times fees are waived due to the ongoing use of an electronic disclosure service. In order to reduce costs and increase efficiency, released documents are provided on CD-ROM, which means that no reproduction fees are charged to the applicant.

* As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees:

• service standards may not have received parliamentary review;
• service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address); and
• performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.

Canada Small Business Financing Program

Table B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

A. External Fee	Service Standard*	Performance Result*	Stakeholder Consultation
Canada Small Business Financing Act (CSBFA) Loans component (registration and administration fees) Capital leases component (registration and administration fees)	The following standards were set: 2 days or less to register loans/leases Less than 20 days to process claims	The following results were obtained: Standard of 2 days or less to register loans/leases met 100 percent of the time Time required to process a claim in 2006-07 was an average of 13 days. Standard of 20 days or less to process claims met 80 percent of the time.	Discussions and a survey of participating lenders indicate satisfaction with present performance results. Annual meetings with key lenders will continue to include discussions on stakeholder satisfaction with service standards and results.
Small Business Loans Act (SBLA) Administration fees	The following standard was set: Less than 20 days to process claims	The following result was obtained: Time required to process a claim in 2006-07 was an average of 13 days. Standard of less than 20 days to process claims met 80 percent of the time.	Discussions and a survey of participating lenders indicate satisfaction with present performance results. Annual meetings with key lenders will continue to include discussions on stakeholder satisfaction with service standards and results.

* As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees:

• service standards may not have received parliamentary review;
• service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address); and
• performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

Table B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

A. External Fee	Service Standard*	Performance Result*	Stakeholder Consultation
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) grants or registers ownership for 5 types of intellectual property: patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs and integrated circuit topographies.	Patents: 80 percent of applications with a request for examination processed in less than 27 months	Patents: 77 percent of applications with a request for examination processed in less than 27 months	Extensive formal consultations were undertaken in 2002 with the broad intellectual property constituency through letters, the Internet and information sessions. There was strong endorsement of the need to increase existing fees to support service delivery improvements and to introduce new services, such as international searches and international preliminary examinations.
	Trademarks: Processed within 6 months of filing date at the start of 2006-07, to 4 months at the end of 2006-07	Trademarks: Processed within 5.5 months of filing date
	Copyrights: Processed within 3 working days of receipt of application	Copyrights: Processed within 2.3 working days of receipt of application
	Industrial designs: Processed within 13 months of receipt of application	Industrial designs: Processed within 11.1 months of receipt of application
	Information: Baseline (survey SMEs segment)	Information: 36 percent familiar with intellectual property
B. Other Information
Turnaround times for examining trademark applications did not meet expectations due to unexpectedly high employee attrition in 2006-07. Recruitment of new trademark examiners will redress the situation.

* As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees:

• service standards may not have received parliamentary review;
• service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address); and
• performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.

Competition Bureau

Table B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

A. External Fee	Service Standard*	Performance Result*	Stakeholder Consultation
Combined Merger Notification and Advance Ruling Certificate requests	Non-complex: 14 days Complex: 10 weeks Very complex: 5 months	94.5 percent 90.9 percent 66.7  percent	There were no public consultations on these service standards during 2006-07.
Merger Notification
Advance Ruling Certificate requests
Written opinions: The Commissioner may provide binding opinions on proposed business conduct.	Service standards vary, ranging from 2 to 10 weeks for different sections of the Competition Act.	77.3 percent	There were no public consultations on these service standards during 2006-07.
Fees charged for the processing of Competition Act number requests	To be developed in consultation with stakeholders	N/A	The majority of requests are answered instantaneously online.

* As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees:

• service standards may not have received parliamentary review;
• service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address); and
• performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.

Corporations Canada

Table B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

A. External Fee	Service Standard*	Performance Result*	Stakeholder Consultation
Corporations Canada has several product offerings, including file articles of incorporation, letters patent, file articles of continuance, file statements of revocation of intent to dissolve, file annual returns and name searches.	Incorporations under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA):		Once a year, Corporations Canada organizes information sessions in various cities across Canada. Corporations Canada also has a "visit program" with key clients in order to get continuous feedback for potential improvements of our products and services.
	Internet:
	CBCA incorporation applications received by 1:00 p.m. EST via e-commerce are processed by 5:00 p.m. EST.	91.5 percent of CBCA incorporation received via e-commerce issued within standard
	Visitors:
	Clients who come to headquarters between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. will receive 1-hour, over-the-counter service.	100 percent of requests (CBCA incorporation and restated articles) issued within standard
	Batches:
	Batches of 5 or more articles are processed within the same day if received before 8:00 a.m.	100 percent of requests (CBCA incorporation and restated articles) issued within standard
	Incorporations under the Canada Corporations Act (CCA) Part II:
	CCA Part II incorporation applications are processed within 20 business days.	100 percent of CCA Part II incorporation received by mail issued within standard
	Annual returns under CBCA:
	CBCA annual returns are processed and available on the Corporations Canada website within 5 business days.	99.0 percent of annual returns received by mail available on the Corporations Canada website within standard
	Annual summaries under CCA:
	CCA-II annual summaries are processed and available on the Corporations Canada website within 20 business days.	99.0 percent of annual summaries received by mail available on the Corporations Canada website within standard
	Amendments under the CBCA incorporation:
	Applications received by 1:00 p.m. EST via e-commerce should be processed by 5:00 p.m. EST.	94.3 percent of amendments under the CBCA incorporation received via e-commerce issued within standard
	Other services such as revival, certificate, copies	Service standards are available on the Corporations Canada website at the Services and Contacts page.

* As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees:

• service standards may not have received parliamentary review;
• service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address); and
• performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.

Measurement Canada

Table B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

A. External Fee	Service Standard*	Performance Result*	Stakeholder Consultation
Measurement standards certification and measuring device approvals	Certificate of Calibration issued within 60 calendar days	60-day performance standard met 100 percent of the time	Clients are provided with the opportunity to express their views through an online service feedback form and during stakeholder meetings. Feedback is analyzed for trends and changes in processes instituted to improve service performance. Modifications to the standards will be introduced in 2007-08. Clients are provided with the opportunity to express their views through an online service feedback form and during stakeholder meetings. Feedback is analyzed for trends and changes in processes instituted to improve service performance.
	Notice of Approval issued within 90 calendar days if the device is in compliance with the requirements	Performance standard met, on average, 85 percent of the time
Measuring device inspection	Inspection performed within 10 calendar days of receipt of request	10-day performance target met 80 percent of the time	Clients are provided with the opportunity to express their views through an online service feedback form and during stakeholder meetings. Feedback is analyzed for trends and changes in processes instituted to improve service performance. Modifications to the standards will be introduced in 2007-08.
Measuring apparatus certification and electricity and natural gas meter approval	Certificate of Calibration issued within 60 calendar days	Performance standard met, on average, 95 percent of the time	Clients are provided with the opportunity to express their views through an online service feedback form and during stakeholder meetings. Feedback is analyzed for trends and changes in processes instituted to improve service performance.
	Notice of Approval issued within 90 calendar days if the device is in compliance with the requirements	Performance standard met, on average, 80 percent of the time
Electricity and natural gas meter inspection	Inspection performed within 10 calendar days of receipt of request	10-day performance target met 80 percent of the time	Clients are provided with the opportunity to express their views through an online service feedback form and during stakeholder meetings. Feedback is analyzed for trends and changes in processes instituted to improve service performance. Modifications to the standards will be introduced in 2007-08.
Electricity and gas accreditation	Accreditation granted within 1 month of an audit that demonstrates the applicant has met all requirements	1-month performance target met 100 percent of the time	Clients are provided with the opportunity to express their views through an online service feedback form and during stakeholder meetings. Feedback is analyzed for trends and changes in processes instituted to improve service performance.

* As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees:

• service standards may not have received parliamentary review;
• service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address); and
• performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.

Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy

Table B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

A. External Fee	Service Standard*	Performance Result*	Stakeholder Consultation
Registration Fee	Registration of new estates: 90 percent of the time within 2 days	99.7 percent of estates registered within standard	For all aforementioned fees (all modified in 2001), the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) published two discussion papers in its Insolvency Bulletin and on the OSB website in January 1999 and November 1999. The papers explained the need for the fee changes, presented stakeholders with several options, and asked that they provide their input and comments. Written submissions and briefs were analyzed and presented to the Superintendent and the OSB Management Advisory Board (which is made up of a cross-section of key private-sector stakeholders). The second discussion paper in November 1999 was presented to the Canadian Insolvency Practitioners Association. In June 2000, recommendations for the OSB's fee structure were reviewed and endorsed by the Management Advisory Board and were approved by Treasury Board in February 2001.
Superintendent Levy	Letters of comment: issuance 90 percent of the time within 21 business days of receipt of the Statement of Affairs	92.7 percent of letters issued within standard
Name Search Fee	Name search: faxes answered within 24 hours	99.9 percent of faxes responded to within standard
Trustee Licence Fee	Licensing fee: no standard Annual fee paid by a trustee to retain his/her licence; licence annulled if fee not paid	Licensing fee: N/A

* As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees:

• service standards may not have received parliamentary review;
• service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address); and
• performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.

Spectrum Management

Table B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

A. External Fee	Service Standard*	Performance Result*	Stakeholder Consultation
Radio Licences:			A client satisfaction survey was conducted in 2004. Results indicate that clients are "mostly satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the service levels. The next client satisfaction survey will be conducted in 2008-09.
1. Land Mobile Service a) Pre-determined (fixed parameters)	1a) Processing time of 3 weeks (15 working days) per transaction	1a) 3-week processing standard met 96.4 percent of the time
b) Non-pre-determined (requiring frequency assignment and Electromagnetic Compatibility Study)	1b) Processing time of 7 weeks (35 working days) per transaction; 13 weeks (65 working days) if international coordination is required	1b) 7-week processing standard met 96.0 percent of the time
2. Fixed Service	2. Processing time of 4 weeks (20 working days) per transaction	2. 4-week processing standard met 92.0 percent of the time
3. Space Service	3. Processing time of 9 weeks (45 working days) per transaction	3. 9-week processing standard met 96.2 percent of the time
Radio and Terminal Equipment Approval	3 to 5 weeks	12 calendar days on average; 35 days maximum standard met 85 percent of the time	Client consultation is on an ongoing basis through the Radio Advisory Board of Canada and the Terminal Attachment Program Advisory Committee

* As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees:

• service standards may not have received parliamentary review;
• service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g., international comparison, independent complaint address); and
• performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.

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