Information Management Priorities in the 2014-15 Reports on Plans and Priorities

March 6, 2014

On March 6, 2014, Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, tabled the 2014-15 Reports on Plans and Priorities for 92 government departments and agencies.

In addition to providing details about the program priorities for each department and agency, the RPPs also identify priorities for their internal services.

Below are the information management related priorities as identified by individual departments and agencies.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and Canadian Polar Commission

• Continue to review and strengthen Information Management and Information Technology Governance.
• Identify and assess opportunities for implementing and maturing Enterprise Information Architecture and Enterprise Information Management practices.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

• The Department will continue with the Government of Canada mandated E-mail Transformation Initiative preparation and readiness activities for AAFC‘s email migration, which will help in the requirement to meet the Record Keeping Directive by 2015.

Canada Border Services Agency

• In pursuing service excellence, and by contributing to the Government of Canada Open Data Initiative, the CBSA will ensure that its public information, whether provided through the CBSA website, the Canada.ca website, traditional media, social media, or other communications means, is more accessible and streamlined to provide up-to-date, accurate and timely information for Canadians and stakeholders. By enhancing communication with the public, confidence in the Agency’s ability to administer its programs and services will be increased.

• Strengthening information management to support business needs; using science and engineering to support a modern border services agency; and implementing an infrastructure plan for critical systems and facilities, all remain enabling priorities for 2014–15. Mitigating significant disruptions to frontline services and the resulting impact on the strength of the Canadian economy and the security of Canadians has the CBSA constantly employing intelligence, science, sophisticated analytics and information systems to ensure the most effective management of border-related risks throughout the continuum. In 2014–15, the CBSA will continue to strengthen its science and engineering services in the area of detection technology, forensics, analytics, and radio telecommunications. The CBSA will also continue to develop and implement a plan to decommission aging and legacy business applications, and assure the availability of information technology and information management business systems to optimize border operations. This activity is also part of the risk response strategy linked to the IT Systems risk and aligns with the CBSA Enterprise Risk Profile.

Canada Revenue Agency

• In addition to the government-wide initiatives presented in this summary of the corporate business plan, we are supporting the following initiatives to deliver services more effectively and efficiently:
  • GCDOCS is the new enterprise-wide content management solution to facilitate the storing and retrieving of information provided to government and to ensure standardized electronic document and record management across the public service.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

• The Agency will continue with the Government of Canada mandated E-mail Transformation Initiative preparation and readiness activities for CFIA‘s email migration, which will help in the requirement to meet the Record Keeping Directive by 2015.

Canadian Heritage

• Undertaking the modernization of Artefacts Canada, the national inventory of Canadian museum collections information on the Web, in order to offer improved search capabilities and facilitate contributions from museum

• Completing the implementation of the Copyright Modernization Act.

• Continuing to implement the Recordkeeping Modernization Initiative and developing strategies to strengthen information management practices, fulfilling the growing need for timely, consistent, accessible and trusted information

Canadian Human Rights Commission

• implementing the Information Management and Record Keeping Directive to prepare the Commission for the launch of the Government of Canada’s e-office initiative;

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

• As part of broad government commitments, CIHR will implement the following in 2014–15:
  • an electronic record and document management system;
  • the Government of Canada Email Management Initiative; and
  • first steps of an enterprise architecture program.

Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat

• Implement the Electronic Document and Records Management System

Canadian International Trade Tribunal

• The Tribunal will launch a new IM system for its corporate documents. The new system allows more efficient retention and disposal of documents and improves access to corporate documents. In conjunction, an awareness campaign will be conducted to enhance the adoption rate of this new system.

• In response to users’ feedback, the Tribunal will make its Web site more accessible, relevant and user-friendly by facilitating navigation to find content related to each area of its mandate. The redesigned Web site will also feature new sections that provide recent developments and updated guidelines.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• To build a high-performing organization, the CRTC will
  • continue to modernize information management practices

• To support the Government of Canada’s Open Government initiative, the CRTC will take steps to provide greater public access to CRTC data.

Canadian Space Agency

• The ongoing management of information assets and information systems created by or for the CSA in order to guarantee secured access for decision making in conformity with Canadian regulations and to assure preservation for historical purposes.

Canadian Transportation Agency

• preserving and enhancing business-critical expertise and information

Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada

• FJA is pursuing implementation of the Management Action Plan of the Office of the Comptroller General Horizontal Audit on Electronic Record Keeping. Specific actions include updating the information architecture, enhancing the security of the file structure, developing a new file structure and retention schedule for records management, implementing electronic tracking and managing of correspondence and the ability to automatically store completed forms and correspondence in a pre-determined file upon completion, so as to route correspondence in a structured process and quicken the movement and retrieval of correspondence.

Employment and Social Development Canada

• Improve information management and move towards compliance with the recordkeeping directive by 2015
  • Information and Record Management is a priority for the Department, and it will standardize its approach to information and document management as well as strengthen its approaches to privacy and the protection of its valuable information assets.

• Continue to advance the Department’s commitment to privacy management
  • The Department remains committed to modernizing its privacy policies, processes and support functions to safeguard and protect of personal information. As part of its Privacy Renewal Action Plan, Employment and Social Development Canada privacy management priorities will include the: modernization of the Department’s Information Sharing Framework; implementation of a new Departmental Policy on Privacy Management; ongoing implementation, review, and monitoring of program-led privacy action plans; implementation of a Privacy Impact Assessment action plan; horizontal coordination and prioritization of Department-wide privacy and security initiatives; and the implementation of mandatory privacy training and privacy awareness activities.

• In 2014–15, the Department will lead the renewal of the Government of Canada Web presence through the expansion of the Canada.ca website; the new primary site is intended to centralize all its online content. Service Canada will increase the information available on Canada.ca with the addition of Web content and the expansion of classes of information organized within the site. Additionally, efforts will continue to develop the website user experience and ensure that content is client-focused, easy to navigate and in plain language. This will support Service Canada’s objective to increase the use of the Web and provide Canadians with easy and convenient access to information about services.

• Support the Government of Canada Action Plan on Open Government

Environment Canada

• Advance the Department’s Data Management Program in support of government-wide initiatives for data management, open government and recordkeeping directives.

• Transform the Department’s email systems and Web infrastructure to align with Government of Canada initiatives.

• Promote more efficient use of available tools–including improvements to the Department’s online and social media presence–to share information more effectively with Canadians about the Department’s services and accomplishments.

Department of Finance Canada

• The Department of Finance Canada will pursue improvements of its information management (IM) and information technology (IT) infrastructure and services to ensure that the IT platform is robust and that IM services are effective, and to allow security considerations to be managed in a manner that addresses business requirements. The Department will also define and implement its Information Management Strategy to strengthen IM practices, including electronic information management, and will work toward full implementation in 2015 of the Treasury Board Directive on Recordkeeping.

Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre

• Continue work on the implementation of the Treasury Board Record Keeping Directive by reviewing and completing retention and disposition schedules and processes for information resources of business and enduring value.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

• Improve information management through:
  • Continued implementation of the Directive on Recordkeeping initiative; and
  • Implementation of Shared Services Canada’s Email Transformation Initiative in support of the Government of Canada’s move towards one email system.

• Continue to effectively manage the Department’s digital presence to ensure an integrated approach to delivering services and information to Canadians and stakeholders that are client-focussed, cost effective and will ensure a successful migration to a single Government of Canada site.

Health Canada

• Moving to a common email platform and an upgraded desktop operating system in 2014.

• Improving readiness to implement a Government of Canada records management system in 2015.

Immigration and Refugee Board

• The IRB will continue to ensure that information technology and information management internal practices are aligned with Treasury Board policies and SSC support services to support the future implementation of an electronic document management system.

Infrastructure Canada

• Ensure compliance with the Government of Canada’s Directive on Recordkeeping by March 31, 2015.

Justice Canada

• To modernize the Department and its information practices, Justice will continue to implement its multi-year Information@Justice Vision aimed at a departmental transformation through new ways of working, focus on digital information and business processes, and facilitate and promote greater use of digital legal tools such as Justipedia, the national legal knowledge management portal.

Library and Archives Canada

• Collaboration in the management of government records
  • Evaluate and roll out disposition instruments so as to provide, by 2016, comprehensive disposition coverage to the 297 federal institutions that are subject to the Library and Archives of Canada Act. Pursue negotiations with federal institutions that are not subject to the Library and Archives of Canada Act in order to ensure sound recordkeeping.
  • Continue to implement the new storage model for government information resources, through which LAC works with departments and agencies to help them dispose of their records of business value that are stored in the regional centres. In 2014–15, the focus will be on moving the post-war (post-1945) personnel records of Canadian Forces members to the regional service centre in Winnipeg.
  • Pursue dialogue with the network of federal government libraries in the context of LAC’s efforts to clarify its coordination role and review the services it provides.
  • Take a leadership role in government‑wide recordkeeping and information management initiatives, such as:
    • The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: LAC has the mandate to assist in the identification of government archival records that are deemed relevant to supporting the mandate of the Commission.
    • Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government: To provide quicker access to the material it acquires, LAC has added a clause to each new disposition authority whereby departments and agencies are to transfer their records of enduring value only once they are fully open and accessible.
    • The Arctic Council: The Council is an international organization composed of eight member countries, including Canada, which has assumed chairmanship from 2013 to 2015. LAC will pursue the launch of an archival system for standard records that will improve management and access to these records.

• Documentation of Canadian Society
  • Acquire documentary heritage that is relevant to Canadians.
  • Develop and implement service standards to ensure the quality of all processes for evaluating, acquiring and processing information resources.
  • Continue to analyze private collections in the evaluation and acquisition process.
  • Continue with web harvesting so that key events and topics of interest to Canadians are documented for current and future generations.
  • Test the tools developed for the auto-capture of websites.
  • Continue to develop and implement the technological infrastructure that will enable LAC to acquire digital content.
  • Continue to automate the societal watch function to ensure the proactive identification of issues, individuals and events that should be documented.
  • Set up a team for the evaluation, acquisition and processing of specialized media (documentary art and photography, audiovisual materials, architecture, mapping, geospatial science, stamp collecting and rare books).

• Stewardship of Documentary Heritage
  • Pursue mass digitization projects in collaboration with partners for microfilms and content related to the First World War.
  • Continue to implement the audiovisual migration strategy and the migration strategy for unpublished content recorded on outdated digital media (such as diskettes and floppy disks).
  • Begin development of the transition plan for the migration of motion picture films, while LAC is in the process of moving from analogue reproduction to digitization.
  • Continue to transfer part of the published heritage collection and material from the Second World War to the new high‑density storage facility in Gatineau. This new building will bring together, in a single high-tech location, information resources currently being stored in less than optimal conditions.
  • Continue efforts to finalize the trusted digital repository, designed to be an integrated digital preservation infrastructure where digital documentary heritage can be identified, gathered, managed, preserved and made accessible in the long term.

• Access to Documentary Heritage
  • Increase access to documentary heritage nationally through digitization initiatives and collaborative exhibitions, increased online content and search aids, and renewed services that facilitate access to information resources.
  • Contribute to the commemoration of the First World War in 2014 and the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation in 2017 by digitization of 640,000 service records of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and by highlighting other documents that illustrate Canada’s participation in the First World War.
  • Provide direct support to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by providing specialized work areas and reference and consultation services to make it easier to search for and consult documents useful to the Commission’s work.
  • Renew the National Union Catalogue (NUC) so that this resource, which contains over 25 million bibliographic records, can leverage new technological advances and fully meet clients’ needs.

• Describe and contextualize documentary heritage
  • Develop new online resources and update existing ones on the First World War (including databases, guides and digital content) so that participants in the Lest We Forget Project and other researchers have better access to information about the soldiers who fought in that war.
  • Develop new online resources and update existing ones on Aboriginal heritage (such as research assistance tools that provide historical and geographic information about the various bands or communities and about the treaties).
  • Add new databases and improve existing ones in order to increase the amount of searchable information having to do with the history of immigration and cultural communities in Canada.
  • Continue with the renewal of the National Union Catalogue, a free catalogue that provides access to the holdings of 1,300 libraries across Canada.

• Promote and make available documentary heritage
  • Continue to implement the content digitization strategy by focusing on the digitization of the most frequently requested documents.
  • Continue the digitization projects being carried out to digitize and post online over 60 million images.
  • Continue to share content on LAC’s social network sites, namely through blogs, podcasts, Flickr, Facebook and Twitter, to reach a maximum number of clients and to make the collection available through a wide range of channels.
  • Develop new online resources and update existing ones on the First World War, Aboriginal heritage, and the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation.

• Internal Services
  • Continue with the infrastructure renewal process in order to ensure sound management of LAC’s business information.
  • Continue to focus on the priorities of replacing older computer systems and developing the components of the enterprise architecture and operating model.
  • In partnership with Shared Services Canada, continue to implement the strategy designed to increase digital data management and storage capacity.
  • Comply with the Government of Canada’s information technology policies and priorities, such as the Email Transformation Initiative, the migration of the human resources management system, and the implementation of the new policy on the use of secure removable media.
  • Develop and implement a long‑term infrastructure strategy that meets space requirements for preservation and services. To that end, LAC will continue to consolidate and streamline its document storage spaces.
  • Continue to regularly follow up on the implementation of key projects and on operational performance by means of performance indicators, rigorous project management, and effective corporate governance.
  • Highlight research and work with the external research community to contribute to evidence-based decision making within LAC.
  • Continue to work towards achieving the key Blueprint 2020 objectives, as identified in the action plan and in the preliminary report submitted to the Clerk of the Privy Council.
  • Continue to implement the Treasury Board Directive on Performance Management at LAC and roll out the related tools.

Military Police Complaints Commission

• The Commission’s Internal Services will continuously find innovative ways to ensure programs and services meet the operational demands of the Complaints Resolution Program and central agency requirements. In addition, the Commission plans to review and incorporate the 2020 Blueprint throughout the organization by incorporating a sound change management process. This includes a new Enterprise Document and Records Management Solution, implementation of the Common Human Resources Business Processes, greening opportunities, etc.

National Defence

• Continue to implement the Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) Directive on Recordkeeping throughout Defence, in compliance with the initiative’s milestones;

• Complete the transition of applicable services to Shared Services Canada during FY 2014-15; and

• Continue to implement Enterprise Web Content Management in accordance with TBS milestones to ensure the Department is aligned with the Government of Canada web renewal initiative. In FY 2014-15, the Department will migrate active web content to “Canada.gc.ca”, and archive older web content to meet with initiative goals.

National Film Board of Canada

• Over the next few months, the NFB will focus on its information management (IM) systems. An information management plan is currently being developed and is expected to be completed by early 2014. The IM sector has called on specialized consultants to provide a broad overview of the current state of information management at the NFB and of the NFB’s information management-related resources (existing systems and tools such as Synchrone and Oracle, present standards and practices, etc.). The plan will aim to identify needs and find ways to make IM more productive and integrated, and will also include an action plan to guide the NFB as it works toward creating an ideal system of information management.

National Research Council

• Over the next three years, the NRC Electronic Working Environment investment project will implement an electronic records and corporate information management system to ensure that all corporate information of business value is collected, stored and made accessible to support future business decisions and meet Government of Canada directives.

Natural Resources Canada

• NRCan will complete the implementation of the GCDOCs project, which will establish a new platform for the management of electronic records at NRCan. The Department will also continue its efforts to decrease information management and technology (IMT) expenditures through the reorganization and streamlining of IMT processes and solutions. The Department will continue to support the Government of Canada’s web renewal initiative, contributing to an improved user-centric Web presence for Canadians.

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

• Our Information Management team, among other projects, will update our Electronic Document and Records Management System to ensure it is compliant with the Directive on Recordkeeping.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Further enhance the OPC’s knowledge/collaboration environment by implementing the 2014-2017 Information Management/Information Technology Strategy.

Parks Canada Agency

• Continue identifying information resources of business value and required controls to facilitate the effective management, sharing and use of information in compliance with the Treasury Board Directive on Recordkeeping.

Patented Medicine Prices Review Board

• Complete the development and implementation of an electronic records and information management system to provide relevant and timely information to support decision-making

Privy Council Office

• build upon the achievements of its multi-year Recordkeeping Transformation Strategy to support business units in adopting digital recordkeeping practices, in order to make information resources easier to retrieve and use in the future

Public Health Agency of Canada

• Improving readiness to implement a Government of Canada records management system in 2015

Public Prosecution Service of Canada

• The PPSC will renew its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Justice (JUS) for the continued provision of a range of information management, information technology and library services. It will also negotiate new formal agreements with Shared Services Canada for the provision of data centre, network and email services previously delivered by JUS under this MOU. The Directorate will continue to work on several initiatives including enabling technologies to support electronic disclosure and knowledge management and will initiate a new cycle of IM–IT planning in 2013-14. It will also increase the use of laptops to support prosecution staff in the courtroom. Following the recent signing of a Records Disposition Authority (RDA) with Library and Archives Canada, a number of IM processes will be established to support the RDA.

Public Safety Canada

• The Department will participate in government-wide Information Technology initiatives and will implement its updated Information Management Strategic Plan, which focuses on managing information in an electronic environment, as opposed to a paper environment.

Public Works and Government Services Canada

• Continue to partner with client organizations to facilitate the roll-out of GCDOCS throughout the government and develop innovative solutions, such as the Shared Case Management Solution.

• Enhance Information Management practices to support effective decision making, facilitate knowledge retention and enable better delivery of PWGSC services and programs.

• Implement a new records management Service Delivery Model comprised of a Centre of Expertise and Branch Operations Model, to focus on record keeping obligations and internal promotion of good record keeping practices, thus ensuring that departmental employees have timely access to information resources with business value and clear guidelines and instructions with regards to the life cycle management of their information.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

• In 2014-15, SSHRC will continue to work with CIHR and NSERC on a harmonized tri-agency policy on open access, designed to improve access to the published results of agency-funded research, and to increase the dissemination and exchange of research results.

Supreme Court of Canada

• The Library and Information Management Branch supports the information management needs of the organization.  Priorities for 2014-15 include

• Assessing the Enterprise Information System Proof of Concept/prototype in support of business transformation. Implementing GCDOCS across the organization to manage documents and records of business value, including closed case-related records.
• Ensuring that the Office of the Registrar is able to meet its obligations under the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Directive on Recordkeeping.

Transport Canada

• Pursue ways to improve information management system efficiency and capacity to ensure Transport Canada data is complete, consistent, reliable, and shareable

Transportation Safety Board of Canada

• Another Internal Services priority for 2014–15 is to continue to improve the tools and guidance with respect to information management. During the year, the TSB will finalize its work on the modernization of the transportations occurrence databases, with the modernization of the Air Investigations database. Additionally, the TSB has implemented a digital-only approach for records relating to investigations and will continue to review its investigation management system to ensure that requirements for electronic records management are fully met.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

• Develop and implement government-wide standards for social media channels and mobile applications to ensure a standard look and feel and a standard development platform.

• Develop a government-wide service strategy and new policy instruments that will support enhanced digital self-service delivery.

• Continue to lead the Open Government initiative by publishing Canada’s second Action Plan on Open Government, including a progress report on existing commitments and the identification of new commitments to foster greater engagement with citizens, consistent with the core principles of the Open Government Partnership.

• Develop a  government-wide applications rationalization program, including roadmaps for the rationalization of core back office IT applications (e.g., human resources, financial management, electronic documents records management), which will streamline and modernize internal systems, reduce costs, support enhanced business analytics and increase administrative efficiencies;

• Develop the detailed plan for the migration of 1,500 individual websites to Canada.ca, the new web presence for the Government of Canada.

• Implement new technology, tools and practices for the management of information, to increase productivity and collaboration and enhance the security of the Secretariat’s information

Western Economic Diversification Canada

• Transition to a new electronic record-keeping model to improve knowledge management