Info Source
On this page
- Introduction to Info Source
- Background
- Responsibilities
- Institutional functions, programs and activities
- Internal services
- Classes of personal information
- Additional information
- Reading room
Introduction to Info Source
Info Source: Sources of Federal Government and Employee Information provides information about the functions, programs, activities and related information holdings of government institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. It provides individuals and employees of the government (current and former) with relevant information to access personal information about them held by government institutions subject to the Privacy Act and to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act.
The Introduction and 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 Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), is Canada's financial intelligence unit. The Centre exists to assist in the detection, prevention and deterrence of money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities, while ensuring the protection of personal information under its control. FINTRAC’s financial intelligence and compliance programs strive to disrupt the ability of criminals and terrorist groups that seek to abuse Canada’s financial system and to reduce the profit incentive of crime. FINTRAC is an independent agency that operates at arm’s length from the law enforcement agencies and other entities to which it is authorized to disclose financial intelligence. It reports to the Minister of Finance who, is in turn accountable to Parliament for the activities of the Centre. FINTRAC was established by, and operates within, the ambit of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and its Regulations.
Responsibilities
FINTRAC assists in the detection, prevention and deterrence of money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities. Its major policy and program responsibilities are:
- Receiving financial transaction reports and voluntary information in accordance with the legislation and regulations;
- Safeguarding personal information under its control;
- Ensuring compliance of reporting entities with the legislation and regulations;
- Maintaining a registry of money services businesses in Canada;
- Producing financial intelligence relevant to investigations of money laundering, terrorist activity financing and threats to the security of Canada;
- Researching and analyzing data from a variety of information sources that shed light on trends and patterns in money laundering and terrorist activity financing; and
- Enhancing public awareness and understanding of money laundering and terrorist activity financing.
Institutional functions, programs and activities
Core Responsibility: Production and Dissemination of Financial Intelligence
Financial Intelligence
FINTRAC’s Financial Intelligence Program is mandated by the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (the Act) to produce actionable financial intelligence; including case disclosures that assist Canada's police, law enforcement, national security and other partner agencies in combatting money laundering, terrorism financing and threats to the security of Canada, while protecting the personal information entrusted to FINTRAC.
Tactical Financial Intelligence
Description: Records created by this program include tactical information derived from the analysis of the transaction reports received from reporting entities and reports received from the Canada Border Services Agency, as required by Parts 1 and 2 of the PCMLTFA; voluntary information from police, law enforcement, security agencies, foreign financial intelligence units, and the public; information obtained from public sources and commercially available databases, or information that is stored in databases maintained by the federal government, a provincial government, the government of a foreign state, or by an international organization for intelligence purposes for law enforcement and national security. Records also include outreach presentations and delivery of training on the value of financial intelligence to FINTRAC’s domestic disclosure recipients and technical assistance to foreign counterparts and guidance on the use of FINTRAC’s tactical financial intelligence. Records also include information on FINTRAC's work with the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, the Financial Action Task Force, Financial Action Task Force-style Regional Bodies, and other multilateral organizations; information on technical assistance and its delivery of training on the production of tactical intelligence to other financial intelligence units, either directly by FINTRAC, through the Egmont Training Working Group, or through collaboration with other multilateral organizations.
Document Types: Policies, strategies, procedures, frameworks, information sharing memoranda of understanding (templates, signed versions, reference guides and query guides), financial transaction reports, analysis work files, disclosure files, disclosure feedback documents received from disclosure recipients, notices regarding feedback on suspected non compliance, notices received by other sector(s) regarding an assessment of analyzed information of potential tactical value, protection frameworks, country profiles, evaluations, training materials, presentations, statistical reports, agendas, and statements of requirement and proposals, project material, records of minutes (RoMs).
Record Number: FINTRAC TFI 010
- Financial Analysis and Disclosures
Description: This personal information bank describes information received in reports from a variety of reporting entities (e.g. banks, trust companies, accountants, casinos, money services businesses). Reports are related to the following types of financial transactions: large cash transactions of $10,000 or more (except withdrawals); large virtual currency transactions of $10,000 or more; casino disbursements of $10,000 or more and electronic funds transfers of $10,000 or more ordered in Canada to a foreign country or vice versa. The bank also contains reports regarding suspicious transactions and attempted suspicious transactions as well as those dealing with terrorist assets. Furthermore, the bank contains reports provided by the Canada Border Services Agency relating to the importation or exportation of $10,000 or more in currency or monetary instruments or to the seizure of currency or monetary instruments.
In addition, the bank contains information voluntarily provided to FINTRAC by federal, provincial, territorial or municipal law enforcement agencies, government institutions or agencies, any agency of another country that has powers and duties similar to those of FINTRAC and information provided by members of the public about suspicions of money laundering and/or the financing of terrorist activities. The bank also contains publicly available information and data relevant to money laundering or terrorist financing gathered from databases maintained by the federal government, a provincial government, or the government of a foreign state or an international organization for purposes related to law enforcement and national security purposes. Personal information may include: name (including alias), contact information, date of birth, citizenship status, biographical information, criminal history (including lawful investigation information), identification number (e.g. client number, driver's licence, and transaction number), place of birth, financial information and credit information and other details related to financial transactions, such as information about the purpose, time, location, addresses, and information on the beneficiary of a transaction. Personal information may also include name and contact information of representatives of reporting entities.
Notes: Personal information bank was amended in 2022. The macro level intelligence analysis products do not contain identifiable personal information.
Class of Individuals: General public and representatives of reporting entities.
Purpose: Personal information is received and collected, pursuant to subsections 54(a) and 54(b) of the PCMLTFA respectively, and is assessed and analyzed to identify indicators, trends and developments of suspected money laundering and/or terrorist activity financing activities and/or threats to the security of Canada pursuant to the PCMLTFA. The purpose of the analysis is either tactical, with the goal of reaching the legal threshold to disclose financial intelligence on specific law enforcement cases (see consistent uses), or strategic, with a goal of producing macro level intelligence products for a wider distribution (e.g. to law enforcement, reporting agencies, public).
Consistent Uses: In accordance with the PCMLTFA, where FINTRAC has reasonable grounds to suspect that information defined as "designated information" would be relevant to investigating or prosecuting a money laundering or terrorist activity financing offence, the information must be disclosed to the appropriate Canadian police service (federal, provincial, and/or municipal). In addition, the same information must be disclosed to the Canada Border Services Agency; the Canada Revenue Agency; Communications Security Establishment; a provincial securities commission; Revenu Québec, and the Competition Bureau when additional statutory thresholds are met. The same information may be disclosed to a foreign financial intelligence unit with which there is a memorandum of understanding if FINTRAC, on the basis of its analysis, has reasonable grounds to suspect that the information would be relevant to investigating or prosecuting a money laundering or terrorist activity financing offence or an offence that is substantially similar to either offence. Designated information must also be disclosed to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service if FINTRAC has reasonable grounds to suspect that the disclosure would be relevant to threats to the security of Canada. When additional thresholds related to threats to the security of Canada are met, FINTRAC must also disclose this information to police, CBSA, and the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.
Designated information is disclosed to the following program personal information banks:
CBSA PPU 033 – Secure Tracking System
CBSA PPU 028 – Canada's War Crimes Program
CBSA PPU 1106 – Customs Controlled Areas (CCA)
CBSA PPU 030 – Organized Crime Data Bank (OCSS)
CRA PPU 095 – Detection and Investigations
CRA PPU 200 – Charities Directorate T3010 Annual Information Return
CSEC PPU 040 – Foreign Intelligence Files
CSIS PPU 045 – Canadian Security Intelligence Service Investigational Records
RCMP PPU 005 – Operational Case Record
RCMP PPU 015 – Criminal Operational Intelligence Records
RCMP PPU 025 – National Security Investigations Records
DND PPU 060 – Security Intelligence RecordsDesignated information disclosed to the Competition Bureau is provided to the Cartels and Deceptive Marketing Branch. Designated information disclosed to Revenu Québec is provided to the Criminal Investigations Division.
Information about representatives of reporting entities is shared with and described in the personal information bank: FINTRAC PPU 028 – Compliance of Reporting Entities.
Information may also be used for evaluation purposes.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Information contained in all reports sent to FINTRAC by reporting entities must be retained for ten years beginning on the day on which the report was received. Fifteen years after the day on which a report was received, any identifying information contained in a report must be destroyed, if the report was not disclosed under sections 55(3), 55.1(1), and 56 of the PCMLTFA.
FINTRAC must destroy within a reasonable time, any information contained in a document that purports to be a report made under sections 7, 7.1, 9 or 12 of the PCMLTFA that it determines relates to a financial transaction or circumstance that is not required to be reported. Furthermore, FINTRAC must also destroy within a reasonable time any information voluntarily provided to it by the public that it determines, in the normal course of its activities, is not about suspicions of money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities.
In addition, information voluntarily provided to FINTRAC in accordance with paragraph 54(a) and information that is collected by FINTRAC, in accordance with paragraph 54(b), that is publicly available or that is stored in databases maintained by the federal government, a provincial government, or the government of a foreign state or by an international organization for purposes related to law enforcement or national security and in respect of which an agreement was entered into, must be retained for ten years beginning on the day on which the information was received or collected.
RDA Number: 2010/010
Related Record Number: FINTRAC TFI 010, FINTRAC SFI 020
TBS Registration: 006293
Bank Number: FINTRAC PPU 020
Strategic Intelligence and Research
FINTRAC's Strategic Intelligence, Research and Analytics provides a wide analytic perspective on the nature, scope and threat posed by money laundering and terrorism financing. Produced for the Canadian security and intelligence community, federal policy and decision-makers, reporting entities across the country, international partners and other stakeholders, FINTRAC's strategic intelligence is focused on strengthening Canada's ability to prevent, detect, deter and disrupt the methods and techniques used by criminals to launder money or fund terrorist activities.
Strategic Financial Intelligence Analysis
Description: Information created by this program includes records pertaining to strategic intelligence resulting from the macro analysis of aggregated data from FINTRAC disclosures and reports and information received and collected under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act. It also includes records containing information created from research and analysis of a wide variety of information sources, which serve to inform policy, industry and decision-makers on matters of money laundering and terrorist activity financing. Those records may include the identification of emerging trends and typologies, the assessment of products and technologies and other industry related factors regarding vulnerabilities to money laundering and terrorist financing, and guidance on risk-based approaches, including those identified through FINTRAC’s work with Public-Private Partnerships. It also includes records on FINTRAC's work with the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, the Financial Action Task Force, Financial Action Task Force-style Regional Bodies, and other multilateral organizations including international technical assistance training related material and presentations to other financial intelligence units, either directly by FINTRAC, through the Egmont Training Working Group, or through collaboration with other multilateral organizations.
Document Types: Strategic Intelligence products (financial intelligence reports, strategic intelligence backgrounders, financial intelligence perspectives, environmental scans, research reports, operational alerts, special bulletins, sectoral and geographic advisories, and operational briefs), intelligence assessments, intelligence briefs, typologies and trends reports, backgrounders/vulnerability assessments, analytical notes, intelligence memorandums, reviews of media articles and publicly available studies, training materials, briefings and presentations, project material, records of minutes (RoMs).
Record Number: FINTRAC SFI 020
- Financial Analysis and Disclosures
Description: This personal information bank describes information received in reports from a variety of reporting entities (e.g. banks, trust companies, accountants, casinos, money services businesses). Reports are related to the following types of financial transactions: large cash transactions of $10,000 or more (except withdrawals); large virtual currency transactions of $10,000 or more; casino disbursements of $10,000 or more and electronic funds transfers of $10,000 or more ordered in Canada to a foreign country or vice versa. The bank also contains reports regarding suspicious transactions and attempted suspicious transactions as well as those dealing with terrorist assets. Furthermore, the bank contains reports provided by the Canada Border Services Agency relating to the importation or exportation of $10,000 or more in currency or monetary instruments or to the seizure of currency or monetary instruments.
In addition, the bank contains information voluntarily provided to FINTRAC by federal, provincial, territorial or municipal law enforcement agencies, government institutions or agencies, any agency of another country that has powers and duties similar to those of FINTRAC and information provided by members of the public about suspicions of money laundering and/or the financing of terrorist activities. The bank also contains publicly available information and data relevant to money laundering or terrorist financing gathered from databases maintained by the federal government, a provincial government, or the government of a foreign state or an international organization for purposes related to law enforcement and national security purposes. Personal information may include: name (including alias), contact information, date of birth, citizenship status, biographical information, criminal history (including lawful investigation information), identification number (e.g. client number, driver's licence, and transaction number), place of birth, financial information and credit information and other details related to financial transactions, such as information about the purpose, time, location, addresses, and information on the beneficiary of a transaction. Personal information may also include name and contact information of representatives of reporting entities.
Notes: Personal information bank was amended in 2022. The macro level intelligence analysis products do not contain identifiable personal information.
Class of Individuals: General public and representatives of reporting entities.
Purpose: Personal information is received and collected, pursuant to subsections 54(a) and 54(b) of the PCMLTFA respectively, and is assessed and analyzed to identify indicators, trends and developments of suspected money laundering and/or terrorist activity financing activities and/or threats to the security of Canada pursuant to the PCMLTFA. The purpose of the analysis is either tactical, with the goal of reaching the legal threshold to disclose financial intelligence on specific law enforcement cases (see consistent uses), or strategic, with a goal of producing macro level intelligence products for a wider distribution (e.g. to law enforcement, reporting agencies, public).
Consistent Uses: In accordance with the PCMLTFA, where FINTRAC has reasonable grounds to suspect that information defined as "designated information" would be relevant to investigating or prosecuting a money laundering or terrorist activity financing offence, the information must be disclosed to the appropriate Canadian police service (federal, provincial, and/or municipal). In addition, the same information must be disclosed to the Canada Border Services Agency; the Canada Revenue Agency; Communications Security Establishment; a provincial securities commission; Revenu Québec, and the Competition Bureau when additional statutory thresholds are met. The same information may be disclosed to a foreign financial intelligence unit with which there is a memorandum of understanding if FINTRAC, on the basis of its analysis, has reasonable grounds to suspect that the information would be relevant to investigating or prosecuting a money laundering or terrorist activity financing offence or an offence that is substantially similar to either offence. Designated information must also be disclosed to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service if FINTRAC has reasonable grounds to suspect that the disclosure would be relevant to threats to the security of Canada. When additional thresholds related to threats to the security of Canada are met, FINTRAC must also disclose this information to police, CBSA, and the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.
Designated information is disclosed to the following program personal information banks:
CBSA PPU 033 – Secure Tracking System
CBSA PPU 028 – Canada's War Crimes Program
CBSA PPU 1106 – Customs Controlled Areas (CCA)
CBSA PPU 030 – Organized Crime Data Bank (OCSS)
CRA PPU 095 – Detection and Investigations
CRA PPU 200 – Charities Directorate T3010 Annual Information Return
CSEC PPU 040 – Foreign Intelligence Files
CSIS PPU 045 – Canadian Security Intelligence Service Investigational Records
RCMP PPU 005 – Operational Case Record
RCMP PPU 015 – Criminal Operational Intelligence Records
RCMP PPU 025 – National Security Investigations Records
DND PPU 060 – Security Intelligence RecordsDesignated information disclosed to the Competition Bureau is provided to the Cartels and Deceptive Marketing Branch. Designated information disclosed to Revenu Québec is provided to the Criminal Investigations Division.
Information about representatives of reporting entities is shared with and described in the personal information bank: FINTRAC PPU 028 – Compliance of Reporting Entities.
Information may also be used for evaluation purposes.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Information contained in all reports sent to FINTRAC by reporting entities must be retained for ten years beginning on the day on which the report was received. Fifteen years after the day on which a report was received, any identifying information contained in a report must be destroyed, if the report was not disclosed under sections 55(3), 55.1(1), and 56 of the PCMLTFA.
FINTRAC must destroy within a reasonable time, any information contained in a document that purports to be a report made under sections 7, 7.1, 9 or 12 of the PCMLTFA that it determines relates to a financial transaction or circumstance that is not required to be reported. Furthermore, FINTRAC must also destroy within a reasonable time any information voluntarily provided to it by the public that it determines, in the normal course of its activities, is not about suspicions of money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities.
In addition, information voluntarily provided to FINTRAC in accordance with paragraph 54(a) and information that is collected by FINTRAC, in accordance with paragraph 54(b), that is publicly available or that is stored in databases maintained by the federal government, a provincial government, or the government of a foreign state or by an international organization for purposes related to law enforcement or national security and in respect of which an agreement was entered into, must be retained for ten years beginning on the day on which the information was received or collected.
RDA Number: 2010/010
Related Record Number: FINTRAC TFI 010, FINTRAC SFI 020
TBS Registration: 006293
Bank Number: FINTRAC PPU 020
Core Responsibility: Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Legislation and Regulations
Compliance and Strategic Policy and Reviews
FINTRAC’s Compliance Program is responsible for ensuring compliance with Part 1 and Part 1.1 of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and associated Regulations. This legal framework establishes obligations for reporting entities to develop and implement a compliance program in order to identify clients, monitor business relationships, keep records and report certain types of financial transactions. The Compliance Program undertakes enabling and enforcement actions to ensure that the reporting entities operating within Canada's financial system fulfill their PCMLTFA obligations. These obligations provide important measures for countering patterns and behaviours observed in criminals and terrorists in order to deter them from operating within the legitimate channels of Canada's economy. FINTRAC also maintains a registry of money services businesses in Canada and foreign money services businesses that direct and provide services to persons and entities in Canada.
FINTRAC’s Strategic Policy and Reviews Program works closely with the Department of Finance and other regime partners to share operational and strategic expertise and knowledge of Canada’s law enforcement and national security priorities. It also identifies potential enhancements to legislation and regulations with a view to strengthening Canada’s overall anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime.
Compliance
Description: Information created by this program includes records relating to Compliance assessments conducted by FINTRAC to assess compliance; records related to agreements with various domestic and foreign regulators and foreign financial intelligence units; records containing quality, timing and volume assessments received of reporting; compliance examination files on reporting entities including financial transactions, compliance program documentation and third-party personal information records which are reviewed during the course of an examination; risk assessments and analytics, statistical reports on compliance; information on voluntary declarations of non-compliance, records on interpreting legislation and regulations as well as guidance; records related to enforcement actions taken against entities that have violated regulations, including disclosures of non-compliance to law enforcement for investigation or prosecution, records on the administrative monetary penalties program, administrative review and court appeal documents. It also includes records on FINTRAC's work with the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, the Financial Action Task Force, Financial Action Task Force-style Regional Bodies, and other multilateral organizations including international technical assistance training related material, and presentations to other financial intelligence units, either directly by FINTRAC, through the Egmont Training Working Group, or through collaboration with other multilateral organizations.
Document Types: Policies, standard operating procedures and guides, correspondence, memoranda, briefing notes, budget proposals, parliamentary briefing material, legislative proposals, drafting instructions, regular impact analysis statements, draft regulations, meeting notes, summaries, agendas, Treasury Board submissions, presentations, supervisory activity files, statistical reports, operational plans and strategies, results of assessments, impact analysis, market studies, budget and financial management records, voluntary self-declarations of non-compliance, policy interpretations, guidance, risk assessments, non-compliance disclosures, notices of violation, representations from reporting entities, legal submissions from reporting entities, business documents from reporting entities, client records (all types), transaction reports, notices of decision, decision record, Ebinder, checklist, Court materials (e.g. affidavits, legal documents, notices, orders, court decisions), memoranda of understanding, meeting notes and training materials.
Record Number: FINTRAC ROC 030
- Compliance of Reporting Entities
Description: This personal information bank describes information received for the purpose of ensuring compliance with Part 1 or 1.1 of the PCMLTFA from reporting entities (e.g. banks, trust companies, accountants, insurance companies, etc.), financial regulators, and government institutions, with which FINTRAC has a memorandum of understanding, and other sources, and is related to: the compliance of reporting entities and/or regulators; outreach; enrolment; quality assurance and examination functions. Personal information may include: name, contact information, biographical information, financial information, date of birth and signature. FINTRAC may also receive voluntary information provided by any source relating to the compliance of persons or entities with obligations under the PCMLTFA. In its assessment and review of violations, FINTRAC may receive representations that demonstrate a reporting entity's compliance knowledge as well as statements and information provided to FINTRAC with respect to a reporting entity's level of compliance. Personal information received in this regard may include: course grades and certifications, health and criminal record information, as well as correspondence, the details of which are implicitly or explicitly of a confidential or private nature.
Note: Personal information bank was amended in 2020.
Class of Individuals: Reporting entities who are business owners or representatives of businesses, banks, financial regulators and other financial entities.
Purpose: Information is obtained pursuant to sections 62, 63 and 63.1 of the PCMLTFA for the purpose of ensuring that reporting entities comply with their reporting obligations under Part 1 or 1.1 of the PCMLTFA. Representations with respect to an alleged violation committed by a reporting entity are received pursuant to subsection 73.15 of the PCMLTFA.
Consistent Uses: The information may be used to establish user accounts and also for the purposes of ensuring authenticity and validation of reports. Contact information is also recorded for the purpose of responding to and tracking questions and comments. As part of obtaining consent to enter a dwelling house for compliance examinations, the date of birth may be used to confirm the identity of the individual and to ensure the safety of the compliance officer by conducting a criminal reference check.
FINTRAC may issue administrative monetary penalties when it has reasonable grounds to believe that a person or entity has committed a violation in respect of its obligations under the PCMLTFA and its Regulations. For the purpose of collecting penalties, information may be disclosed to other federal institutions, to an agency of a provincial government, or to any other entities inside Canada in accordance with a contract, memoranda of understanding or other agreement. In this regard FINTRAC may disclose information to personal information bank: CRA PPU 047 – Business Returns and Payment Processing.
In appeal cases, information may be filed with the Federal Court as part of FINTRAC's defence. As such the personal information may be disclosed to personal information bank: JUS PPU 010 – Civil Proceeding and Legal Services. Information concerning the nature of the violation, the name of the person or entity who committed the violation, and the amount of the penalty imposed may also be made public by FINTRAC after all court proceedings are ended.
FINTRAC may disclose to the appropriate law enforcement agencies any information of which it becomes aware in exercising its compliance functions and that it suspects on reasonable grounds would be relevant to investigation or prosecuting an offence under the PCMLTFA arising out of a contravention of Part 1 or 1.1. Any disclosure of this information to the RCMP would be to personal information banks: RCMP PPU 005 – Operational Case Records, RCMP PPU 015 – Criminal Operational Intelligence Records, or RCMP PPU 025 – National Security Investigations Records.
FINTRAC may disclose to or receive from any agency or body that regulates or supervises persons or entities to which Part 1 or 1.1 applies information relating to the compliance of those persons or entities with that Part. Any information so disclosed by FINTRAC may be used by the recipient only for purposes relating to compliance with Part 1 or 1.1.
FINTRAC may disclose compliance information to a foreign agency, which has similar compliance powers and duties, with which there is a memorandum of understanding concerning the compliance of persons and entities with respect to their reporting obligations and about the assessment of risk related to their compliance.
FINTRAC may also provide information to the Canada Revenue Agency respecting the compliance of persons or entities that are subject to Part 1 or 1.1 of the PCMLTFA in order to allow that agency to ensure compliance of these persons or entities with their electronic funds transfer reporting obligations under the Income Tax Act. Pursuant to subsection 65.02(3) of the PCMLTFA, any such information provided by FINTRAC cannot, directly or indirectly, identify a client of the reporting entity. The provision of compliance information to the Canada Revenue Agency is primarily business information and any actual personal information that is provided would be to personal information bank: CRA PPU 411 – Offshore Compliance. The Canada Revenue Agency may also provide FINTRAC with information that relates to the compliance of reporting entities with their electronic funds transfer reporting obligations under the Income Tax Act where such information would be relevant to compliance by the reporting entities with their obligations under the PCMLTFA.
Information may also be used for evaluation purposes.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Information is retained for five years after the last administrative action unless the information was used or obtained in relation to a non-compliance action. Information that pertains to an administrative monetary penalty or a non-compliance disclosure will be retained for 25 years.
RDA Number: 2010/010
Related Record Number: FINTRAC ROC 030
TBS Registration: 20091261
Bank Number: FINTRAC PPU 028
Money Services Business Registry
Description: Information created by this program includes records related to the registration and identification of MSBs including service locations. It also includes records related to pending registration applications, identification of potential registrants, notifications (registration acknowledgments, registration denials, and requests for clarification, pending cessations, etc.), registration updates, pending renewals, and records pertaining to applications for review by the Director.
Document Types: Policies, procedures, correspondence, memorandums, briefing notes, registration instructions and application forms, approval documents, lists of money services businesses, notifications, guides, interpretation notices, applications for review, letters of acknowledgment, letters of ineligibility for review, letters of instruction, checklist, notices of decision, decision record, Ebinder, recommendation, and frequently asked questions.
Record Number: FINTRAC REG 040
- Money Services Business Registration
Description: This personal information bank describes information collected during the application for registration, the review of a denial of registration or a review of the revocation of registration of domestic and foreign money services businesses (e.g. foreign exchange dealers, issuers or redeemers of money orders, alternative money remittance systems such as Hawala, etc.) by FINTRAC. Personal information may include: name and contact information, language preference, password, place and date of birth, place of residence, financial information, identification numbers, and criminal record information.
Note: Personal information bank was updated in 2020.
Class of Individuals: Money service business owners, directors, chief executive officers, presidents, representatives, agents, and mandataries (e.g. powers of attorney).
Purpose: The information is collected for the purpose of registration and review of money services businesses by FINTRAC, pursuant to sections 11.1 to 11.3 of the PCMLTFA. The information will also be used for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the PCMLTFA, and may be used for analytical purposes.
Consistent Uses: With respect to a business appealing the decision to deny its application or revoke its registration, personal information may be filed with the Federal Court as part of FINTRAC's defence. As such the personal information may be disclosed to personal information bank: JUS PPU 010 Civil Proceeding and Legal Services.
Personal information may be used for analysis and, as a result, in accordance with the PCMLTFA, where FINTRAC has reasonable grounds to suspect that information defined as “designated information” would be relevant to investigating or prosecuting a money laundering or terrorist activity financing offence, the information must be disclosed to the appropriate Canadian police force (federal, provincial, and/or municipal). In addition, the same information must be disclosed to the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Communications Security Establishment Canada, a provincial securities commission, Revenu Québec, and the Competition Bureau when additional statutory thresholds are met. The same information may be disclosed to a foreign financial intelligence unit with which there is a memorandum of understanding if FINTRAC, on the basis of its analysis, has reasonable grounds to suspect that the information would be relevant to investigating or prosecuting a money laundering or terrorist activity financing offence or an offence that is substantially similar to either offence. Designated information must also be disclosed to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service if FINTRAC has reasonable grounds to suspect that the disclosure would be relevant to threats to the security of Canada. When additional thresholds related to threats to the security of Canada are met, FINTRAC must also disclose this information to police, CBSA, and the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.
Designated information may be disclosed to the following program personal information banks:
CBSA PPU 033 – Secure Tracking System
CBSA PPU 028 – Canada's War Crimes Program
CBSA PPU 1106 – Customs Controlled Areas (CCA)
CBSA PPU 030 – Organized Crime Data Bank (OCSS)
CRA PPU 095 – Detection and Investigations
CRA PPU 200 – Charities Directorate T3010 Annual Information Return
CSEC PPU 040 – Foreign Intelligence Files
CSIS PPU 045 – Canadian Security Intelligence Service Investigational Records
RCMP PPU 005 – Operational Case Records
RCMP PPU 015 – Criminal Operational Intelligence Records
RCMP PPU 025 – National Security Investigations Records
DND PPU 060 – Security Intelligence RecordsDesignated information disclosed to the Competition Bureau is provided to the Cartels and Deceptive Marketing Branch. Designated information disclosed to Revenu Québec is provided to the Criminal Investigations Division.
Information may also be used for compliance purposes including the imposition of administrative monetary penalties and, in that context, the information may be shared with entities with which FINTRAC has a contract for the purpose of collecting those administrative monetary penalties.
Information may also be used for evaluation purposes.
Retention and Disposal Standards: FINTRAC retains MSB registration info for as long as an MSB has an active status. It is destroyed 10 years after a business's registration is denied, revoked, expired or if the business ceases operations.
RDA Number: TBD
Related Record Number: FINTRAC REG 040
TBS Registration: 20091262
Bank Number: FINTRAC PPU 027
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.
- Awards (Pride and Recognition) Class of Record
- Classification of Positions Class of Record
- Compensation and Benefits Class of Record
- Employment Equity and Diversity Class of Record
- Hospitality Class of Record
- Human Resources Planning Class of Record
- Labour Relations Class of Record
- Occupational Health and Safety Class of Record
- Official Languages Class of Record
- Performance Management Reviews Class of Record
- Recruitment and Staffing Class of Record
- Applications for Employment Personal Information Bank
- Employee Personnel Record Personal Information Bank
- Personnel Security Screening Personal Information Bank
- Staffing Personal Information Bank
- Values and Ethics Codes for the Public Sector and Organizational Code(s) of Conduct Personal Information Bank
- Relocation Class of Record
- Training and Development Class of Record
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.
- Cooperation and Liaison Class of Record
- Executive Services Class of Record
- Internal Audit and Evaluation Class of Record
- Planning and Reporting Class of Record
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.
Real Property Services
Real property services involve activities undertaken to ensure that real property is managed in a sustainable and financially responsible manner, throughout its life cycle, to support 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.
- Administrative Services Class of Record
- Boards, Committees and Council Class of Record
- Business Continuity Planning Class of Record
- Proactive Disclosure Class of Record
- Security Class of Record
- Travel Class of Record
Classes of personal information
Through the conduct of compliance activities, FINTRAC receives and collects a variety of personal information which is used solely to document, assess and review a reporting entity's compliance program, reporting history, record keeping, client identification and reporting obligations. The receipt of this information, which includes financial information such as account numbers and transactional details relating to individuals, is authorized pursuant to the PCMLTFA, and is not used by FINTRAC for the purpose of making administrative decisions about the individuals to whom the information relates.
Personal information is stored as part of the compliance examination file (or the file used for internal reviews and court appeals) where the records are not retrievable by the individual's name or other personal identifier. The retention periods for these classes of personal information are controlled by the retention period of the subject files in which they are stored.
Manuals
- Administration of Access to Information and Privacy Requests
- Administrative Monetary Penalties Program Procedures Handbook
- Complaints Resolution Process
- Compliance Assessment Reports
- Compliance Tool on Entities Dealing with High Risk Jurisdiction
- Compliance Tool on MSBs with Agents
- Compliance Tool: Desk vs Onsite Exam
- Contact Management System Steps for Mergers of Reporting Entities
- Financial Entity Follow-up and Monitoring Policy and Framework
- FINTRAC Assessment Manual
- FINTRAC Compliance Framework
- Form to Make Representations
- Guides for Assessing Harm Done of Administrative Monetary Penalty violations
- Handling of Reporting Entity Information
- Maintaining Electronic Reporting Access
- Major Reporter Inbox Guide (Portfolio Approach)
- Money Services Business Branch Agency Information Batch File Upload Specifications
- Money Services Business Registration
- Money Services Business Validation
- Paper Reports
- Policy for the Administrative Monetary Penalties Program
- Policy Interpretation Process
- Policy for the Review of Administrative Monetary Penalties Representations
- Policy for the Review of MSB Denials
- Policy for the Review of MSB Revocations
- Policy on Ability to Pay
- Procedure Guide for Compliance Examination
- Procedure Guide for Financial Entity Examinations
- Procedures on the Review of Administrative Monetary Penalties Representations
- Real Estate Examination Methodology
- Reporting Entity Assistance
- Reports Monitoring – Quality, Timing and Volume (QTV)
- Reports Segregation Process
- User Guide/Procedure for Downtime/Outage Messages for FINTRAC’s Electronic Reporting Systems
- Voluntary Self-Declaration of Non-Compliance
Additional Information
Please visit the Access to Information and Privacy Protection page for more information on how to file a request under the Access to Information Act or Privacy Act. Summaries of completed Access to Information requests are also available online. FINTRAC may be able to process informal requests for information where exemptions do not apply to the records or where only a cursory review of the records is required.
FINTRAC conducts Privacy Impact Assessments 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. You can also consult FINTRAC's Privacy Policy to find out more about how FINTRAC assesses privacy impacts on its programs and services. Summaries of completed PIAs are available online.
For general enquiries please contact us.
Reading Room
In accordance with the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, an area on the premises will be made available should the applicant wish to review materials on site. Applicants are asked to contact us to make arrangements.
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