There are two models. Actually, there are more than two, but let's stick with these two. The first model has a firm deadline: either the organization responds within 30 days or it is deemed to have refused to comply. The requester may then take the matter to court for a review of why the documents were not released. Under another model, which falls between the two, there is a limit of 20 days or some other time limit, with a maximum 10-day extension. In Quebec, it is 20 days plus 10 days, but this has to be indicated. I'm not sure there is actually much difference when the time limits are so short. There is, however, no need to request permission. Once again, there is ultimately a firm deadline.
My concern, especially at the federal level, is the volume of extension requests that the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada would have to process. We know there are already over 1,000 extension requests for access to information files that have not been processed. Will the commissioner's office actually be able to process so many extension requests in a timely manner? My sense is that creating such a mechanism would not be a good investment of resources by the government. I think a firm deadline would be useful, but perhaps parameters should be set to keep access to information requests manageable and to ensure that they could be processed in a timely manner. That would have to be adopted at the same time.