Information Management Priorities in the 2015-16 Reports on Plans and Priorities

April 1, 2015

On March 31, 2015, Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, tabled the 2015-16 Reports on Plans and Priorities for 84 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

• Implement the approved Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT) Strategy, including enhanced governance over IM/IT initiatives and associated funding, which will enable the Department to effectively prioritize projects and other IM/IT initiatives;
• Identify and assess opportunities for implementing and maturing Enterprise Information Architecture and Enterprise Information Management practices to provide the framework and integrated process to support departmental operations and initiatives

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

• The Department will continue to adopt and enhance information management and information technology solutions to advance the discovery, collaboration and safeguarding of business information and knowledge within the Department and with its partners. It will also continue to support the Government of Canada’s consolidation and standardization agenda with its work on web renewal, migration to a common email platform, application readiness for data-centre migration, and planning for the human- and financial-resource systems managed by the federal government.

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

• Continued implementation of electronic document management;
• Intensified use of social media to maintain contact with economic development organizations and citizens in the interest of communication;
• Implementation of innovative approaches to information management and information technology, through maximized use of the data warehouse, dashboards and automated reports for decision-making and reporting

Canada Revenue Agency

• Integrity and security
  • The Agency will enhance the protection of personal information it holds through the continued implementation of its privacy action plan. This includes the implementation of the highest levels of security protocols for data transfers and an Agency-wide plan to ensure privacy impacts are identified and addressed each time the CRA launches a new program or activity.
  • The CRA will continue to strengthen privacy protections for internal applications and secure services to taxpayers. In the face of evolving threats, the CRA’s vigilant protection of Canadians’ tax information and electronic services will be assured through ongoing projects to advance identity and access management and through the National Audit Trail System (to be fully implemented by March 2017).
• Access to information and privacy
  • The CRA is enhancing the protection of personal information held by the Agency through the timely implementation of its privacy action plan developed in fiscal 2013-2014. This plan outlines actions the Agency will take to strengthen privacy oversight and practices at the CRA. Some of the key activities in the action plan include the implementation of an Agency-wide privacy impact assessment action plan, which will ensure privacy risks are adequately addressed in the development of new programs and services, and the use of the Audit Trail Record Analysis Tool (ATRAT), which enhances the CRA’s ability to monitor access to taxpayer information by its employees.
  • The CRA is taking immediate action to enhance the protection of personal information and privacy within its ATIP operations. Near-term actions will focus on three broad areas: operational processes, communications/training, and accountabilities. Actions will include:
    • Implementing encryption for electronic transmission of documents.
    • Enhancing existing requirements for securing all Agency documents containing personal information through the use of identifying marks clearly communicating to employees which documents contain protected information and must be managed accordingly.
    • Establishing quality assurance officers in all ATIP offices who are dedicated to verifying the accuracy and transmission information for all document packages. This will add additional, independent oversight of contents and use of security procedures.
    • Raising the accountabilities and authorities granted under the Access to Information Act to ensure senior managers are directly engaged in decisions on the treatment and disclosure of personal information.
    • The CRA is committed to continually enhancing its ability to protect taxpayer information, taking immediate action where there is inappropriate disclosure or access, and meeting its legislative requirements under the Privacy Act. The Agency will do so while managing a steadily increasing volume of requests which, in recent years, consistently rank it in the top three of all government departments and agencies. In 2013-14, the CRA received 2,751 requests and processed 1,636,782 pages. This is almost 400,000 more pages than the organisation ranked second.

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

• Monitor and reinforce compliance with the Policy on Government Security and the Privacy Act and requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat’s notice on Secure Use of Portable Data Storage Devices and the Directive on Privacy Practices;
• Integrate and modernize information technology systems and information management practices to more efficiently support EA and Aboriginal consultation processes, by partnering with Public Works and Government Services Canada in its Shared Case Management System;
• Upgrade the Agency’s electronic document and records management system to the government-wide standard, GCDOCS;
• Transition the Agency’s online content to Canada.ca through the Web Renewal Initiative; and
• Implement a social media strategy for the Agency.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

• The CFIA’s transparency agenda is part of the CFIA’s ongoing transformation to be more service-oriented, responsive and accountable organization and aligns with the new requirements under Open Government and organizational changes under Agency Transformation. In 2015-2016 the Agency will review its own experience and key considerations to develop an approach for its next phase of Transparency. This will include:
  • Considering the approaches taken by its international partners and aligning CFIA’s practices with international standards.
  • Engaging and consulting with stakeholders on the Agency’s approach to transparency and Open Government.

Canadian Heritage

• Implement the Government of Canada web renewal initiative by initiating the migration of the Department web content to the Canada.ca website within the theme “Culture, History and Sport.”
• Strengthen the Department’s Record Keeping capacity by initiating the Government of Canada Electronic Document Record Management solution, GCDOCS, to provide Department-wide information lifecycle management and the ability to collect, store, share, organize, manage, and search content.

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 Northern Economic Development Agency

• Prepare for the migration to the government-wide email and document management systems.
• Continue to strengthen external communications and outreach efforts, making greater use of its updated website and consider new tools to offer increased and improved information to clients about CanNor’s programs and services, and about economic development in the North.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

• The CRTC will pursue a redesign of its website to enable Canadians to find information more easily and communicate more effectively with the Commission.
• 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 CSA will implement its three-year information management and information technology strategy. This strategy aims to manage effectively and efficiently all operational information assets, and the organization’s IT applications, according to their life cycle, to support all employees as part of their duties.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

• Continue to upgrade departmental information technology applications to adapt to new service delivery models and better manage information.

Department of Finance Canada

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

Department of Justice Canada

• The Department will continue to implement its Information@Justice Strategy to modernize information practices, adopting a digital standard and supporting business transformation through innovative ways to manage information. The Department will also work closely with partners, such as the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada and Shared Services Canada (SSC) in implementing the Government of Canada Information Management /Information Technology Modernization Agenda to improve efficiency in areas including cyber security, Email Transformation Initiative, telecommunications transformation, the adoption of common systems, including case management, and the migration of responsibilities to SSC for the provision of end-user software and hardware (workplace technology devices).

Environment Canada

• Develop a departmental action plan on Open Government while continuing work underway to strengthen data management and recordkeeping practices and capacity.
• Lead the development of the “Environment and Natural Resources” theme on Canada.ca in support of the Government-wide directive on web renewal, which will make the Government of Canada more efficient and responsive to Canadians.

Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre

• Continue to enhance personnel, physical, and information security programs in order to protect information, assets, and services against compromise.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

• Implementing the Email Transformation Initiative and migrating to consolidated Government of Canada websites;
• Continue to effectively manage the Department’s web 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

• Implement the Government of Canada’s Web Renewal Action Plan, which includes alignment and consolidation of internet content and external web applications to Canada.ca templates.

Immigration and Refugee Board

• The Board will ensure that information technology and information management practices are aligned with Treasury Board policies, to the extent practicable and appropriate given the IRB’s status as a quasi-judicial tribunal.

Industry Canada

• Another focus for the Department in 2015–16 will be the continuing implementation of Government of Canada transformation initiatives in information technology and information management through participation in initiatives such as Open Government, GCDocs and the Email Transformation Initiative.

Infrastructure Canada

• Continue to improve and update our public website with information for Canadians and stakeholders
• Invest in the direct support of the activities of its programs. These investments will largely focus on enhancing the Program Information Management System (PIMS) to support the delivery of the new infrastructure programs such as the New Building Canada Fund and the renewed Gas Tax Fund.
• Continue to support whole-of-government initiatives related to information technology (IT) modernization in areas such as policy renewal and changes in the provision of services for email, telephones, documents management, end user devices and software.

Library and Archives Canada

• Development of regulatory instruments and recordkeeping tools
  • Expedite the issuance of disposition instruments to federal institutions that are subject to the Library and Archives of Canada Act to give them comprehensive disposition coverage.
  • Continue negotiations with federal institutions that are not subject to the Library and Archives of Canada Act to ensure sound recordkeeping.
• Collaboration in the management of government records
  • Continue to support Government of Canada departments and agencies by developing recordkeeping tools and by providing advice and guidance to federal institutions on sound disposition and recordkeeping practices.
  • Continue to collaborate with Government of Canada departments and agencies and with central agencies to plan for the increase in digital volume and to establish LAC’s needs.
  • Continue to implement the new storage model for government information resources, according to which LAC collaborates with departments and agencies to help them dispose of their records of business value that are stored in regional centres.
  • Develop and implement a directive that will include detailed requirements to support government institutions. This commitment is in line with the initiatives of an open government, which recommends that federal government institutions minimize access restrictions to their information resources of enduring value before transferring them to LAC.
  • Provide leadership in government-wide recordkeeping and information management initiatives as follows:
    • LAC will continue to participate in the Arctic Council’s activities to establish policies and training tools for the archival system for standard records, which will improve the management of and access to these records. (The Arctic Council is an international organization composed of eight countries, including Canada which has assumed the chairmanship from 2013 to 2015; the Council’s chairmanship will be transferred to the United States in 2015.)
    • LAC will play an active role in revising the ISO 15489 standard on records management.
    • LAC will co-chair, in partnership with the Treasury Board Secretariat, symposiums, training sessions and discussions on recordkeeping and information management.
• Documentation of Canadian society
  • Continue acquiring documentary heritage that is relevant to Canadians.
  • Finish, by the end of 2015, processing the backlog of government records that have accumulated since being transferred by other departments and agencies, and take the necessary measures to prevent this type of situation from recurring. The elimination of the backlog will enable Canadians to research government records of national interest.
  • Clear the private archives processing backlog to make those archives discoverable.
  • Continue with web harvesting so that key events and topics of interest to Canadians are documented for current and future generations.
  • Develop and implement an action plan to acquire records from parliamentarians following the 2015 federal election.
  • Continue developing and renewing all evaluation and acquisition framework policies.

• Stewardship of documentary heritage
  • Continue to advance the strategy for migrating audiovisual content and digital media stored on obsolete formats to current digital formats to ensure content preservation and accessibility.
  • Pursue mass digitization projects, in collaboration with partners, for microfilms and content related to the First World War.
  • Increase efforts to restore, preserve and digitize the collection in analogue format.
  • Continue to develop and implement the long-term infrastructure plan to meet the institution’s future needs for preservation space.
  • Continue to renew the stewardship policy suite and develop a directive on digitization.

• Access to documentary heritage
  • Provide greater access to documentary heritage through digitization initiatives, an increase in online content and in the number of online search aids, joint exhibitions, and quality services facilitating access to information resources.
  • Enhance the visibility of the collection by holding public events in collaboration with other memory institutions that share LAC’s vision.
  • Contribute to events such as the commemoration of the centenary of the First World War and the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation in 2017.
  • Continue to share content on LAC’s social networks, namely through the blog, podcasts, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to reach as many clients as possible and to make the collection discoverable through a wide range of distribution channels.
  • Renew the national database, which contains over 25 million bibliographic records, so that it can leverage new technological advances and better meet the needs of clients and the Canadian library community.
  • Contribute to Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government by providing open data sets, by ensuring that access restrictions to records in its collection are lifted, and by helping to develop the Government of Canada’s virtual library.

• Internal services
  • Develop a digital strategy for the entire institution to facilitate the transition to an integrated digital environment, which will ensure the continuity of the digital collection and make it easier to access.
  • Develop and implement a long-term infrastructure strategy that meets space requirements for preservation and services. This strategy will show LAC’s desire to consolidate and streamline its record storage spaces.
  • Provide the support and guidance needed to develop skills that will enable LAC to be a leading institution in documentary heritage management.
  • Review all of LAC’s organizational functions to simplify rules and optimize processes in order to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Develop LAC’s 2016–19 business plan, taking into account consultations with its partners.

Military Police Complaints Commission

• The MPCC’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 MPCC plans to review and incorporate the Blueprint 2020 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 Process, greening opportunities, etc.

National Defence

• Defence will comply with the Treasury Board Secretariat Record Keeping Directive.

National Energy Board

• Support Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government
• Modernize NEB’s record keeping practices and systems

National Research Council

• NRC will develop and implement a knowledge management strategy that will facilitate the increased research and business value of NRC’s knowledge and information assets.

Natural Resources Canada

• The Department will identify opportunities for the integration of requirements from the Open Government Directive into NRCan’s S&T policies and reporting.
• The Access to Information and Privacy program (ATIP) secretariat will continue to develop and implement renewed procedures to transition to increased electronic processes for ATIP requests, making full use of electronic repositories, such as the GCDOCS information management system.
• NRCan will continue to implement the Government of Canada’s Web Renewal Initiative in accordance with direction from the Treasury Board Secretariat.
• As the department continues to implement key government-wide initiatives such as the Performance Management program for employees and GCDOCS, it will focus its first full year post implementation on change management and improving performance.

Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada

• Develop and implement an IM Plan, which includes an IM file structure, a document management tool, and retention and disposition procedures and schedules.

Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying

• Finalize and implement an information management strategy for the organization.

Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

• Explore opportunities to further streamline or simplify business processes. Possible areas of process review may include staff arrival and departure, budget management, information management system, as well as management and oversight.
• Integrate government-approved case management software into OCOL’s enterprise information management platform and adopt technology tools to help employees work more effectively, as the organization’s needs evolve.

Office of the Communications Security Establishment Commissioner

• focus on supporting the office’s transformation efforts in response to government-wide initiatives addressing email, recordkeeping and web renewal

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Complete the implementation of mitigation strategies to improve the safeguarding of key assets (people, information and goods) through innovative and sound approaches.
• Implement the recommendations from the internal audit of the governance of IM/IT;
• Make enhancements to the Office’s new research tool (i.e., the Knowledge Centre); and,
• Design a tool that will enable secure electronic collaboration and file-sharing between the OPC and external partners as well as investigation complainants and respondents.

Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions

• Assessing the Government of Canada’s (GoC) Shared IT Services programs and services and integrating them with OSFI’s information management and technology (IM/IT) requirements and plans.
• Pursuing the implementation of the Enterprise Information Management program to enhance the management of OSFI’s information assets and comply with applicable legislation and GoC policies and directives.
• Continuing to improve the governance of data provided by FRFIs and pension plans as well as data management processes to ensure accurate and timely analysis for FISC partners, while minimizing burden on filers and OSFI.

Parks Canada Agency

• identify information resources of business value and required controls for the effective management, sharing and use of information, and develop Recordkeeping action plans for each Parks Canada business unit that address specific Recordkeeping compliance activities, such as the clean-up of legacy information resources;

Privy Council Office

• enhance digital recordkeeping and information use and sharing practices across the department, and support ongoing compliance with the Government of Canada policy framework and strategy for information management;
• support the Government of Canada’s efforts to modernize information technology through: enhancements to end user services; the Email Transformation Initiative; the establishment of government-wide secure network connectivity; and the consolidation of data centres, which include enterprise applications;

Public Service Commission

• Continuing to support corporate projects such as the Integration of IT services to Shared Services Canada, rationalization of business applications, implementation of a common e-mail system, a Performance Management initiative and Government of Canada Web Renewal.

Public Works and Government Services Canada

• Implement electronic revision of texts for publication in The Canada Gazette.
• Launch the new Research Information Management System to provide government departments and agencies with access to an updated database of contracted public opinion research projects.
• Develop tools and services to enable client departments and agencies to seamlessly transition to the new Government of Canada media planning and buying services model established by the Department.
• Maintain its focus on improving Document Imaging Services in order to increase cost-efficiency and help client departments and agencies reduce the need to store large volumes of paper documents and decrease their operational costs.
• Continue to pursue the integration of GCDOCS, the Government of Canada enterprise record management solution, with our document imaging solutions.
• Explore options for leveraging private-sector capacity to consolidate federal government requirements for document imaging services, such that government can obtain volume pricing advantages and ensure consistent compliance with privacy, security, quality and information management requirements.
• Continue to partner with client organizations to facilitate the roll-out of GCDOCS throughout the Government of Canada.
• Continue to align Government of Canada initiatives using a common platform whereby departments and agencies benefit from horizontal direction and ongoing application support (e.g., Shared Case Management System).
• Develop a new Directive on Privacy Practices, including a new Privacy Breach Protocol consistent with related Treasury Board policies.
• Develop an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Monitoring Program, with the objective to increase quality control over the entire ATIP process, including interpretation of legislation and application of exemptions.
• Enhance information management by continuing the deployment of GCDOCS (an Electronic Documents and Records Management system), updating the Record Disposition Authority for all Program Activities, and initiating projects to increasingly move from paper to digital.
• Support Open Government through the development of the Departmental Open Government Implementation Plan and the release of additional datasets on the Open Data portal.
• Work collaboratively with partners to maximize the value of technology in support of departmental and Government of Canada modernization initiatives, by leveraging new and emerging information technologies (IT) and strategic sourcing for service improvement. Examples of Government of Canada modernization initiatives include PWGSC’s leadership in establishing and managing common business applications such as My GCHR for personnel management and GCDOCS for document and records management.

Security Intelligence Review Committee

• SIRC relies heavily on its information resources to effectively fulfill its mandate. The 2015-16 fiscal year will see the organization’s first full year with its new information management system. SIRC will be assessing how the implementation of this new system and corresponding changes in procedures impact on operational effectiveness.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

• Implementation of Phase 1 Directive on Open Government: In 2015-16, SHHRC will identify and inventory all internal data sets. This will assist in enabling the Government of Canada to respond in a phased approach to the challenges of making government information more open.

Statistics Canada

• Responding to the Treasury Board directive on recordkeeping, Statistics Canada is progressing on its five-year project to implement GCDOCS as a corporate electronic document and records management system.

Supreme Court of Canada

• Continuing the implementation of GCDOCS across the organization to manage documents and records of business value, including closed case-related records.  Re-aligning business processes in the Records Centre to support clients and their information needs.
• Ensuring that the Office of the Registrar is able to meet its obligations under the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Directive on Recordkeeping and the Directive on Open Government.

Transport Canada

• Support the Government of Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government by developing a departmental plan that will enable Transport Canada to proactively gather data/information and to make it available to Canadian citizens in usable and accessible formats;
• Enhance the efficiency and capacity of information management systems to ensure completeness, consistency, reliability and”shareability” of data via the implementation of an integrated Information Management (IM)/Information Technology (IT) strategy that better supports the delivery of our programs and services;

Transportation Safety Board of Canada

• Reviewing options to expedite the processing of requests under the Access to Information Act in the face of significant increases in the volume of requests, and the volume and complexity of the information covered by the requests. The TSB has temporarily increased the resources dedicated to processing requests in order to assist in this priority area.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

• Engage Government of Canada information and technology leaders to ensure strategic use of information management (IM) and information technology (IT) in enabling more secure, efficient, and effective enterprise-wide transformation and delivery of government programs and services (ongoing).
• Modernize the IM and IT portfolio and lead effective execution of strategies to enable efficient, interoperable, accountable, transparent and secure government operations and services in support of the transformation agenda (ongoing).
• Modernize the administration of the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) program by developing a government-wide approach to increase efficiency and accessibility by implementing a request and pay online system available through Open.Canada.ca with searchable ATIP summaries (ongoing).
• Lead Open Government activities by implementing Canada’s second Action Plan on Open Government. This includes providing an Open Government secretariat; working inter-jurisdictionally with provinces and territories; and identifying new initiatives to foster openness, innovation and greater citizen engagement (ongoing).
• Provide increased access to government data, services and citizen engagement online through a single point of entry, Canada.ca. This web portal has been optimized for mobile use and designed to enhance the user experience. It is also supported by more efficient web publishing (ongoing).
• Implement initiatives to streamline and automate internal processes, significantly reduce paper usage, and improve efficiencies by using new technologies (ongoing).
• Introduce new technology, tools and practices for managing information to increase productivity and collaboration and enhance the security of the Secretariat’s information (ongoing).