Highlights from the 2016-17 Reports on Plans and Priorities

March 28, 2016

On March 7, Treasury Board President Scott Brison tabled the 2016-17 Reports on Plans and Priorities on behalf of 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 some highlights of interest to the Canadian library and information management community as identified by individual departments and agencies.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Internal Services

Leverage information and technology capacity to improve business practices

Information management and information technology solutions and investments will continue to be aligned with departmental and Government of Canada priorities. Some key areas of focus will be: the protection and security of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s information against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats; collaboration with Shared Services Canada on solutions supporting science; the migration of applications to enterprise data centres; the adoption of enterprise-wide human resources systems; and promotion of Open Government by optimizing the value and reusability of departmental data and information.

The Department’s Service Modernization Strategy will focus on delivering timely, client-centric, user-friendly digitally-enabled services by:

• increasing engagement of external clients to inform program policy, design and delivery through a greater variety of client-feedback tools;
• leveraging digital technology to further improve ease of access and increase use of services across service channels (phone, web);
• implementing process improvements to ensure timely delivery of information, programs and services; and
• exploring opportunities to use business intelligence tools that will enhance internal business decision making and support innovation and competiveness in Canada’s agricultural sector.

To ensure the healthy workforce needed to deliver these service results and other business priorities, a Wellness Strategy will be implemented that places a focus on mental health, within a holistic range of workplace resources to support employees’ physical, psycho-social and personal health. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will also implement a new Organisational Design and Classification Strategy to ensure its organizational structure reflects the work and skills needed to achieve organizational objectives and priorities.

Advance the Blueprint 2020 commitment

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to make progress on realizing the Blueprint 2020 vision of modernization and transformation with further concrete improvements in the workplace. The Department will focus on its thematic outcomes of leadership, collaboration, and open communication and information flow to realize its goals and fulfil the priorities identified in the Clerk’s Twenty-Second Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Internal Services

ACOA will support the Government of Canada’s plan for an open and fair government by implementing Year 1 measures outlined in its Open Government Implementation Plan and by seeking employee engagement in effective information management practices.

Canada Revenue Agency

Internal Services

Openness and transparency

The CRA works to build and maintain taxpayers’ trust by being as open and transparent as possible about how it administers taxes and benefits. The Agency also builds trust by continually improving client service, by simplifying and streamlining the filing and payment process, and by proactively communicating news about taxes and benefits to clients.

The Agency reports to Canadians on its plans through this document, and on its performance and expenditures through its performance reports. These plans and reports are tabled in Parliament and published online to provide full transparency about the Agency’s strategies, operations, results and spending.

The Agency regularly consults with taxpayers to help identify opportunities for service improvements, and to explain its initiatives. For example, the CRA held cross-country consultations with small businesses and their tax representatives in 2014 to identify priorities for reducing the compliance burden. The Agency will be implementing initiatives identified through the consultations—such as increasing its range of digital services—throughout the planning period.

The CRA proactively communicates information to help taxpayers meet their obligations, and help benefit recipients receive their entitlements. The Agency regularly offers webinars and publishes online videos and publications anticipating and responding to client questions about taxes and benefits. The CRA actively promotes this information through traditional and social media. The CRA also analyses the millions of enquiries it receives annually to identify recurring issues and opportunities to improve its services and information accordingly.

The CRA also engages with stakeholder groups representing various segments of its client population. For example, the CRA works closely with numerous professional, industry and civil society groups such as the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation to draw on their expertise and insights. The Agency also supports community groups providing tax assistance to those with lower and fixed incomes through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program.

The CRA supports the Open Government initiative which makes government data and information freely available to the public in a way that makes it easy to search, discover and reuse. To date, the CRA has released 44 information tables and datasets on the Government of Canada’s Open Data portal at http://www.open.canada.ca/. The CRA datasets are among the 25 most downloaded from the portal, confirming their high value. The CRA will complete its data inventory by October 2016 and continue publishing data sets on the portal throughout the planning period. In doing so, the CRA will maximize the release of data and information of business value, subject to restrictions for privacy, confidentiality and security.

Access to Information and Privacy

The CRA protects and manage the confidentiality of taxpayers’ personal and financial information in accordance with the laws it administers, such as the Income Tax Act, the Excise Tax Act, and the Excise Act, 2001. The Agency also complies with the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

Planning highlights

The CRA will:

• enhance privacy oversight through the continued monitoring and reporting of the Agency’s privacy management framework by the CRA Chief Privacy Officer. The CRA will continue monitoring completion of key indicators such as the CRA privacy impact assessment plan; privacy breach management, and communications related to integrity and privacy.
• implement recommendations from audits by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Six of the nine recommendations will be implemented by December 2016. The remaining recommendations require the implementation of more complex IT system and control measures in the CRA, and will be completed by April 2017.
• implement all recommendations from the third-party review of the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Directorate’s privacy management framework. The effectiveness of these measures will be evaluated in 2016-2017.

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

Internal Services

To support achievement of the Agency’s expected results including modernizing business and information management practices in alignment with Government of Canada policy direction including common systems, the Agency plans to:

• Increase the Agency’s ability to be “digital by default” in the way it communicates with Canadians by making important progress in the area of strategic communications to increase transparency and modernize communications processes;
• Grow the Agency’s digital presence and create shareable information and tools that engage Canadians and Indigenous Peoples in the EA process;
• Focus on Web Renewal, including the Agency’s transition to Canada.ca and migrating the Agency’s Intranet site onto a new, standardized and interactive platform that facilitates employee engagement;
• Migrate the operational system for the management of access to information and privacy to the new Government of Canada standard once it is available for implementation;
• Provide training to employees on the new Information Management classification plan for the Agency in preparation for the eventual integration into the Government of Canada’s shared Information Management System (GCDOCS);
• Complete the migration of end users to YES (Your E-mail System) in order to be in-line with government wide e-mail solution;
• Continue to harness the power of Blueprint 2020, turning employees’ ideas into action; and

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Internal Services

Enhancing Privacy Protection

The CFIA will continue to strengthen the Agency’s privacy protection practices and mitigate risks. In 2014-15, the CFIA developed a three-year Agency plan aimed at increasing internal awareness about privacy protection and developing a suite of policy tools to assist managers and staff in their day-to-day activities. In 2016-17, the CFIA will implement various components identified in the second year of the three-year plan to ensure continued protection of privacy for both employees and our stakeholders. These components include the privacy oversight function and Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) policy tools.

Web Renewal

The Web Renewal Initiative is a Government-wide priority that will see all departmental and agency web sites consolidated into fewer than six Government of Canada web sites. The flagship Canada.ca website was launched in December 2013, and the deadline for content migration of all website information is December 2016.

Throughout 2016-2017, in order to make it easier for Canadians to find and access information while its website is being migrated to Canada.ca, the CFIA will continue to create, update, and maintain its web content, including web information for consumers and regulated parties.

Digital Communications

Canadians are increasingly receiving and sharing information in digital formats using online and mobile technologies. For this reason, moving to a “digital by default” approach to communicating with Canadians is a Government of Canada and a CFIA priority.

During 2016-2017, the CFIA will continue to execute its digital communications implementation plan to make the digital communications vision a reality. This includes putting in place the requirements to deliver on visually appealing social media messages, compelling content, detailed infographics, multimedia projects, and social media pilots. By adopting web and social media engagement strategies, CFIA will be able to reach new audiences and interact with them in almost real time.

Canadian Heritage

Organizational Priorities

Priority 1 – Canada 150

In 2017, Canada will mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Canada 150 is an opportunity to strengthen Canadians’ sense of pride and belonging, invite the world to Canada and showcase Canadian achievements at home and abroad, as well as support exciting and innovative projects that will leave a lasting legacy.

The Minister of Canadian Heritage, through the Canada 150 Federal Secretariat, will lead a whole-of-government approach* to celebrations that will maximize the impact of Canada 150 through collaboration with federal, provincial, territorial and municipal partners and the private and not-for-profit sectors. Marketing and promotional activities undertaken at home and abroad will bolster this effort by giving the initiative a domestic and international profile that will support tourism and economic growth.

Programming to support this priority will extend across the Department to support key populations, promote core values and support community building. Through Canada 150, the Department will tap into the energy and creativity of all Canadians by supporting projects brought forward by Canadians and their communities in such areas as arts and heritage, recreation and sport programming and cultural exchanges. Four thematic priority areas that embrace a spirit of hope and optimism – promoting diversity and inclusion, engaging and inspiring youth, promoting national reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and connecting Canadians with their natural environment – will be reflected in the selection of projects that support the initiative.

Canada 150 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Canadians to celebrate our shared values, accomplishments, and our place in the world. The Department will advance projects and initiatives that help form a foundation for strong civic engagement as well as help build and share common experiences within and across vibrant and diverse communities.

Planned Initiatives:

• Engaging PCH and portfolio organizations to support relevant Canada 150 activities.
• Identifying and supporting lasting legacy initiatives.
• Working with Global Affairs Canada to extend the reach of Canada 150 abroad.
• Working with various departments and other levels of governments to engage youth, Indigenous Peoples and ethno‑cultural communities.
• Strategically using social media to cross‑promote Canada 150.
• Initiating Countdown to 150, and launching official Canada 150 activities December 31st, 2016 across Canada.
• Implementing Canada 150 activities in Canada’s Capital Region.

* Whole-of-government information about the Canada 150 Initiative is available in the Canada 150 Horizontal Initiative Table, in Section III of the 2016–17 Report on Plans and Priorities under Supplementary Information Tables.

Priority 2 – Engage and Innovate: Canada’s Creative and Cultural Industries Drive Canada’s Economic Growth

Canada’s arts, culture and heritage industries are significant drivers of the Canadian economy, adding almost $48 billion to the economy annually, while supporting over 642,000 highly skilled and innovative jobs across the country. Supporting the creative and cultural industries as they adapt to the digital shift will create new opportunities to improve Canada’s performance at home and support growth in international markets. Canada’s creative and cultural industries ensure the creation of and access to Canada’s diverse stories, and they provide opportunities to connect, collaborate and share experiences. These stories are shared through various forms, such as books, films, and the performing arts, fostering greater inclusion, belonging and diversity, and ultimately strengthening our national identity.

The Department will assist the cultural and creative industries to adapt to the digital shift, ease disruption where possible, and support Canadian content development. The Department will assist creators, entrepreneurs and organizations from the arts, culture and heritage sectors to harness the opportunities presented by digital technologies and to take full advantage of their benefits. Digital engagement and innovation will provide a new level of access to Canadian arts, culture and heritage products, which will create opportunities for new experiences in a variety of formats and platforms, and will lead in Canada’s contribution to the digital economy. At the same time, the Department will continue to ensure that the rights of creators are respected.

In collaboration with other departments, the Department will support the Government’s commitment to make significant new investments in cultural and recreational infrastructure. Participation in cultural, sport and recreational activities contribute to the well-being of individual Canadians, communities and the country. Investments in cultural and recreational infrastructure support stronger community identities, provide participation opportunities for youth and create economic growth.

To strengthen the promotion of Canada’s cultural and creative industries on the world stage, the Department, in collaboration with key portfolio organizations and Global Affairs Canada, will implement new measures in support of international cultural promotion. The global marketplace offers opportunities for significant economic growth in Canada’s cultural sector. The new measures will enable our cultural entrepreneurs and artists to better reach foreign markets and global audiences, with a view to enhancing the discoverability of Canadian cultural content and products among increasingly crowded global cultural offerings.

Planned Initiatives

• Supporting the Government’s commitment to make significant new investments in cultural infrastructure as part of the investment in social infrastructure.
• Implementing new measures in support of international cultural promotion.
• Increasing the funding for the Young Canada Works program to help prepare the next generation of Canadians working in the heritage sector.
• In response to a rapidly changing environment, explore innovative avenues to help cultural industries maintain their competitiveness.
• Supporting investments in key federal institutions, such as CBC/Radio-Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada and the National Film Board of Canada.

Priority 5 – An Open and Modern Government for all Canadians

The modernization agenda at Canadian Heritage is focused on achieving an open, transparent and efficient government in order to better serve the Department’s clients, employees, and Canadians more broadly. The expectations of clients and Canadians for modern programs and service delivery are increasing. Clients want their business with government to be digital, user-friendly, timely and efficient. Canadians want programs that achieve results, and that are fair and transparent. Employees want modern tools and processes to better serve their clients. At Canadian Heritage our modernization agenda is focused on achieving these outcomes.

The Department will continue to uphold our public commitment to service excellence for our clients as outlined in our Client Service Charter. Business processes will be further standardized and automated to achieve efficiencies for our employees and to reduce the administrative burden on our clients. The Department has taken important first steps to becoming a modern, digital delivery organization by piloting a simple on-line tool that makes it easier for clients to apply for funding and manage their file with us, which speeds up processing times. This on-line tool is being phased in across programs over the next two years. It will allow clients to receive timely status updates, including decisions, and will further reduce administrative burden.

The Department is committed to continuous improvement and will continue to explore further improvements such as: expand digital tools and supports; develop new digital tools to allow timely capture of client feedback and to facilitate collaboration and engagement with Canadians and organizations; and develop simpler, more user friendly forms. Program experimentation will provide managers with opportunities to identify desired results, and to explore select approaches for achieve these results.

Planned Initiatives

• Implement our Client Service Charter to achieve our public commitment to service excellence for our clients.
• Continue to develop and implement on-line tools that will provide clients with digital and user-friendly access to the grants and contributions funding application processes.
• Support new and innovative approaches in policy making, program design and delivery, from experimentation to implementation, through initiatives such as the Department’s Innovation fund.
• Develop an initiative and monitoring process that will devote a percentage of select program budgets to program experimentation.
• Revise the alignment of the Department’s programs in relation to one another in order to support innovation and experimentation that will address new and existing challenges in the arts, heritage, culture and sport.
• Support the Open Government initiative by providing opportunities for innovative and creative engagement.
• Continue to improve how the Department reports its impacts and results to Canadians.

Program 1.2: Cultural Industries > Sub-Program 1.2.8: Copyright and International Trade Policy

The Copyright and International Trade Policy Sub-Program will contribute to the organizational priority Engage and Innovate: Canada’s Creative and Cultural Industries Drive Canada’s Economic Growth by participating in trade-and norm-setting negotiations and by informing domestic copyright policy development to reflect Canada’s cultural interests.

In 2016–17, the Copyright and International Trade Policy Sub-Program will undertake the following key initiatives:

• Prepare for the 2017 Parliamentary review of the Copyright Act (in collaboration with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) by engaging stakeholders and by supporting Canada’s position on copyright and cultural trade issues at various international fora (e.g.: World Intellectual Property Organization);
• Implement new measures in support of international cultural promotion, in collaboration with portfolio organizations, Global Affairs Canada and other federal partners, cultural stakeholders, and provinces and territories, as appropriate; and
• Lead the preparation and tabling of Canada’s second quadrennial periodic report to the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. This report will highlight the measures implemented by Canada to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions at home and abroad.

Program 1.3: Heritage > Sub-Program 1.3.1: Museums Assistance Program

As we approach the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Museums Assistance Sub-Program will contribute to the organizational priority Canada 150 by giving funding priority to exhibitions that touch on the many events and people that have defined our country. Examples include the 175th anniversary of Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s birth and the Centennial of women’s suffrage.

In 2015–16, a program evaluation confirmed that Museums Assistance Sub-Program remains critical to support museums’ and heritage institutions’ activities. In 2016–17, the Museums Assistance Sub-Program will undertake a review, based on a 2015–16 environmental scan, to ensure the program’s priorities are aligned with the most important challenges facing the museum community.

Program 1.3: Heritage > Sub-Program 1.3.3: Canadian Heritage Information Network

The Canadian Heritage Information Network will continue to enable museums and other not-for-profit heritage organizations to take full advantage of digital technologies by undertaking research in standards development and related fields; disseminating knowledge through the provision of technical advice, training and online publications; and delivering reference and data-sharing tools. This Sub-Program also oversees Artefacts Canada, the national, online inventory of museum objects, which provides access to records and images from more than 500 heritage organizations across Canada.

The Canadian Heritage Information Network will contribute to the organizational priority Engage and Innovate: Canada’s Creative and Cultural Industries Drive Canada’s Economic Growth by undertaking the following key initiatives in 2016–17:

• Launch for public use the product to emerge from its experimentation with Linked Open Data, an initiative to modernize Artefacts Canada. Drawing from lessons learned, the Canadian Heritage Information Network will also begin to scale up the modernization to Artefacts Canada as a whole;
• Undertake research into collections management software to inform the guidance it provides to museums; and
• Commence the development of an application which provides museums with online access to the most current standard for the classification of cultural collections.

Program 1.3: Heritage > Sub-Program 1.3.4: Canadian Conservation Institute

The Canadian Conservation Institute Sub-Program will continue offering its unique expertise, skills and services to continuously improve conservation knowledge and practices in order to meet the needs of the heritage community and to contribute to the preservation, celebration and accessibility of Canadian heritage. The Sub-Program will continue providing its support through research, expert services, professional development and information to Canada’s heritage institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries and historic sites, as well as public authorities responsible for heritage collections.

The Canadian Conservation Institute will contribute to the Canada 150 organizational priority by giving priority to conservation treatments of artefacts that support the 2017 celebrations.

In 2016–17, the Canadian Conservation Institute will continue implementing its 2015–2020 Strategic Plan by prioritizing the following key initiatives:

• Develop an integrated research and development plan on modern materials and digital collections;
• Enhance the preventive conservation program through new tools to protect cultural assets during events or exhibitions at non-traditional sites; and
• Modernize and diversify professional development activities while ensuring that the new online learning resources are accessible after the web transition to canada.ca.

Internal Services

Internal Services will support the government’s goal of governing for all Canadians in an open and transparent manner by supporting the development of communication and collaboration initiatives for the development and delivery of Departmental programs and activities. The Department is committed to supporting a capable and innovative workforce that is committed to achieving organizational priorities and that is devoted to service excellence.

In 2016–17, the Internal Services will undertake the following key initiatives:

• Better serve Canadians and offer greater value to taxpayers through the Grants and Contributions initiative that will enhance PCH digital services and making it easier for clients to access our programs and services;
• Carry out the Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP) and consolidate our departmental information management system in order to contribute to an open and modern government;

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Internal Services

• Leverage technology to maximize organizational performance
  • enhance digital recordkeeping and information use and sharing practices across the CNSC
• Enhance IT security to ensure effective safeguarding of CNSC information

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Internal Services

The CRTC will enhance its website and digital presence to ensure that it continues to engage with Canadians and meet their information needs. The CRTC will also continue to modernize its outreach efforts with Canadians and collaborate with external partners. For example, the CRTC will seek to enhance collaborations with university partners to promote policy research and enhance its evidence base. In support of the Government of Canada’s Directive on Open Government, the CRTC will continue to provide greater public access to its data via the Government of Canada’s Open Data Portal.

Canadian Space Agency

Internal Services

The CSA will continue with the implementation of its three-year information management and information technology strategy including the governmental transformation initiatives and projects. This strategy aims to manage effectively and efficiently all information resources of business value, and the organization’s IT applications according to their criticality and their life cycle in order to support the CSA’s mandate.

Courts Administration Service

Organizational Priorities

PRIORITY 1: Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT)

Provide an enabling, modern and fully integrated Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT) environment supportive of the requirements of the courts and robust access to justice.

Planned Initiatives

Information Management – To ensure proper alignment of information management with modern principles, practices and standards, CAS must adopt and implement a document management system which will act as a central repository to create, store and manage information resources of business value. The system will support program and service delivery; inform decision making; ensure accountability, transparency and collaboration; and facilitate access to information and records. In 2016 17, CAS will invest in a document management system in a phased approach beginning with a pilot project to assess the effectiveness of the system.

Internal Services

During the period covered by this report, CAS will continue to adapt its document classification system and retention schedule, which will serve as a comprehensive guide for creating, storing, maintaining, managing and disposing information resources of business value. Ongoing training will emphasize best practices for the proper handling and safeguarding of designated and classified information and assets.

Department of Finance Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Information Management and Information Technology Management

The Department of Finance Canada will ensure a secure and reliable information technology (IT) infrastructure and implement a collaborative, client-focused approach for information management (IM).

Planned Initiatives:

• Support the implementation of government-wide modernization and transformation activities in the areas of IM and IT. Continue to implement the departmental action plan on Open Government.
• Continue to strengthen IM by building on existing tools and leveraging government-wide electronic systems.

Department of Justice

Internal Services

Through the realization of its Information@Justice Strategy, the Department will continue to transform its information management practices through the adoption of a digital standard and improved information sharing through the implementation of the department-wide Digital Workspace.

Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces

Internal Services

National Defence will continue to implement the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Directive on Recordkeeping and participation in the Open Government initiative. The Department will implement GCDocs at its new Carling Campus headquarters and will continue to deliver and implement its IM Plan to ensure information is managed as a core business service as a multi-year initiative to address Government of Canada Recordkeeping direction. Furthermore, the Department will continue to upload additional data sets in support of National Defence’s Open Government Implementation Plan.

Employment and Social Development Canada

Program 1.1: Service Network Supporting Government Departments

Planning Highlights

In 2016-17, to help Canadians access information on Government of Canada programs and services in the most accessible and convenient way, the Department will:

• advance the Web Renewal Initiative by deploying iterative releases of the Canada.ca website to enhance user experience. The Web Renewal Initiative is a Government of Canada (GC) initiative to enhance the effectiveness and usability of GC websites, improve social media account management across the GC and optimize the website for mobile use;

Sub-Program 1.1.2: Government of Canada Internet Presence

Planning Highlights

• To ensure that Canadians have easy, fast and convenient access to information and services online, the Department will:
• advance the Web Renewal Initiative by deploying iterative releases of the Canada.ca website to enhance user experience;
• complete the move of its online presence to Canada.ca and decommission its departmental websites;
• further align ESDC web content to cross-cutting Canada.ca themes and to other service delivery channels;
• increase the number of services available online; and
• provide support to the existing secure online portal functionality and implement enhancements.

Internal Services

Priority 11: Manage information and data to ensure they are usable and accessible to all areas of ESDC as appropriate and establish a systematic process for converting raw data into usable information and, ultimately, valuable knowledge:

• integrate Open Government considerations, including open data, open information and open dialogue, into policy, program and service delivery design;
• develop policies to strengthen the Privacy Management Framework and integrate privacy considerations into policy, program and service delivery design;
• establish a Chief Data Officer function to maximize the use of the Department’s data assets in analysis of programs, policies and services and enhance interoperability across the organization;
• complete the move of all ESDC content to Canada.ca and work with departmental partners to improve content and methods of access;
• implement the Departmental Electronic Documents and Records Management system (EDRMS); and
• constantly reassess the security and effectiveness of protection mechanisms guarding the Department’s information holdings through an integrated Security program.

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority 4: Management Priority

Enhance service delivery to support the Department’s mandate.

Why this is a priority
Environment and Climate Change Canada will continue its work to ensure that internal services, including human and financial resources management, communication, information management and technology, are aligned to best support and enable the achievement of results.

Planned Initiatives

We will support Canada’s Open Government Agenda by ensuring that strong systems are in place to gather, collect, communicate and disseminate information, and work to strengthen data management and recordkeeping capacities.

Internal Services

Align its internal services–including human and financial resources management, communication, information management and technology–to best support and enable the achievement of results.

Strengthen reporting and integration of financial and non-financial information to support decision-making and efficiency.

Continue to maximize capacity through improved reporting and data warehousing and by standardizing and integrating financial, materiel and asset business processes.

Support Canada’s Open Government Agenda by ensuring that strong systems are in place to gather, collect, communicate and disseminate information, and work to strengthen data management and recordkeeping capacities.

Continue to streamline the Department’s software applications inventory to reduce redundant or obsolete information technology solutions.

Continue to lead the development of the Environment and Natural Resources theme on Canada.ca and leverage evolving trends in digital communications to enhance ECCC’s ability to inform and engage Canadians.

Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Strengthen internal operations

Efficient and effective internal operations are essential for ensuring continued support for FedDev Ontario’s program delivery and external engagement activities. To help support the Agency’s objectives, the following activities will be undertaken: ongoing focus on research, policy development and evaluation to ensure activities respond to regional needs; the continued use of new and innovative communication tools to bring greater awareness of the Agency’s activities; and back office improvements through enterprise systems, streamlined processes and effective talent management to ensure ongoing client service excellence.

Planned Initiatives:

• Strengthen open and transparent government through the implementation of an Open Data initiative while effectively balancing privacy, confidentiality and security of information
• Develop and implement technological solutions, including enterprise-wide systems, tools and training, to support the government’s priority of business transformation

Internal Services

In 2016–17, FedDev Ontario will be committed to achieving the Open Government objectives of transparency, accountability and citizen engagement and to meeting the Government of Canada’s goal to maximize the release of information and data of business value, provide Canadians with more opportunities to learn about and participate in government, and drive innovation and economic opportunities for all Canadians. FedDev Ontario is also committed to optimizing the protection of its data and information through increased awareness of ownership, privacy, confidentiality and security considerations.

Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Continue to strengthen the Centre’s approach to its security posture to ensure a high level of assurance that information, assets, and services are protected against compromise

In accordance with the PCMLTFA, the safeguarding of information entrusted to FINTRAC is an overarching and fundamental consideration in all aspects of the Centre’s operations. The protection of information, assets, and services against compromise is critical to maintaining Canadians’ confidence in FINTRAC and the broader AML/ATF regime.

Planned Initiatives

• Continue to implement measures to strengthen personnel, physical, information and information technology security programs that support establishing a high level of assurance that information, assets, and services are effectively protected against compromise.
• Continue to collaborate closely with Shared Services Canada to evaluate and implement targeted security enhancements that will align with FINTRAC operational and security requirements.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Advancing management and operational excellence to modernize and improve the design and delivery of programs and services

This is in support of developing an innovative, strong and committed public service that ensures efficient use of resources and provides better results for Canadians.

Planned Initiatives

• Implement the Government of Canada’s IM/IT and Services Consolidation and Transformation Strategy, including:
  • implementing the Directive on Open Government and preparing for the implementation of the Government of Canada Electronic Document Records Management Enterprise Solution (GCDocs) in 2017-18;
  • migrating Departmental content to consolidated Government of Canada websites.

Internal Services

Implement the Government of Canada’s IM/IT and Services Consolidation and Transformation Strategy, including:

• implementing the Directive on Open Government and prepare for the implementation of the Government of Canada Electronic Document Records Management Enterprise Solution (GCDocs) in 2017-18;
• migrating Departmental content to consolidated Government of Canada websites.

Global Affairs Canada

Program 4.1: Mission Network Governance, Strategic Direction and Common Services >  Sub-Program 4.1.4: Information Management/Information Technology

Strategic partnerships with Global Affairs Canada business leads, Shared Services Canada and other government departments will be reinforced to improve IM/IT service delivery and security, put in place more efficient IM/IT processes and increase governance and oversight of projects and investments. Through its new Digital Department 2020 transformation roadmap, the department will identify opportunities for improvement and modernization of its IM/IT functions to ensure IM/IT is an essential partner and catalyst for effective international program delivery. Innovative and effective IM/IT-supported solutions will be introduced to leverage fully the emerging digital reality, including mobility, data analytics and social technologies.

Employees will be better equipped to harness the power of information as a business asset through continued implementation of Global Affairs Canada’s 2014-17 Information Management Strategy, including the deployment of enhanced IM tools, such as the eDocs Platform and the GCDocs Pilot, at select missions abroad.

Health Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority IV: Recruit, maintain and foster an engaged, high performing and diverse workforce within a healthy workplace.

Health Canada’s greatest strength is an engaged, empowered and well-equipped workforce with employees that have the competencies, tools and opportunities to succeed in the pursuit of excellence in program and service delivery.

Two of the key priorities for the Government of Canada for 2016-17, as referenced in the Clerk’s 22nd Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada, are recruitment and mental health. Health Canada is achieving this by developing an engaged, high-performing and diverse workforce across Canada and building a healthy, respectful and supportive work environment.

Planned Initiatives

• Modernize the workplace through initiatives including Workplace 2.0, GCDOCS and Pay Modernization.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Organizational Priorities

Enhancing Service Excellence

Continuous innovation in service excellence allows IRCC to improve services in all of its business lines while adding value for money for Canadians. An enhanced client service experience, among many other factors, improves Canada’s international competiveness in attracting the best and brightest to Canada. The Department will strive to provide easy, efficient and timely services to those wishing to come to Canada for the purposes of immigration, work, study or travel, and for those applying for Canadian travel documents such as passports

Planned Initiatives

• The Department will progressively move toward delivering more online and accessible services through a number of electronic platforms (smart phones, tablets and computers). With these tools, clients will be given straightforward, plain language instructions on the requirements for the services they are seeking.
• To the greatest extent possible, file processing will be simplified and automated, and the management of working inventories will be optimized through online rather than paper-based processing. The Department will move to implement an integrated network that will facilitate distributing the workload across the Department’s global work force, which will enable files received to be processed, regardless of whether they were submitted in Canada or abroad, based on where capacity is available in the Department. This will contribute to improved processing times for clients and support the Department in meeting its service standards for even more applications.

Internal Services

Implement a privacy framework in order to meet privacy obligations and to promote a coherent and effective departmental approach for privacy protection. The privacy framework sets out key responsibilities for privacy and the protection of personal information at IRCC, establishes a common set of standards and practices for the handling of personal information across the Department, and identifies core privacy risk management practices.

Infrastructure Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority 4: Implement government-wide and departmental transformation initiatives that contribute to efficiencies

Infrastructure Canada and the Public Service are undergoing continuous change. Continuing to identify operational efficiencies and improve processes will provide ongoing value for Canadians. Better data collection will help Infrastructure Canada make better decisions and improve service delivery. The Department is also on track to deliver on its open government agenda and is making considerable progress in adopting government-wide transformation initiatives through Blueprint 2020 and by embracing Lean. Continuous improvement through transformation initiatives and by identifying efficiencies is an ongoing priority for Infrastructure Canada.

Planned Initiatives

• Support the significant IMIT change agenda to provide employees with better tools for their day-to-day work, and continue to make progress on improving the management and use of our information holdings to support decision-making within the Department.
• Support the Department in its drive for open and transparent government by delivering on the INFC Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP).

Internal Services

Communications:

During the planning period, the Department will:

• Continue to make key information readily available to local and national media through announcements and other activities;
• Continue to improve and update our public web content with information for Canadians and stakeholders;

Information Management:

During the planning period, the Department will:

• Directly support program activities. These investments will largely focus on enhancing the Program Information Management System (PIMS) to support the delivery of the new infrastructure programs and existing programs like the New Building Canada Fund and the renewed Gas Tax Fund, and continued support of the New Champlain Bridge Corridor project IMIT requirements.

Access to Information and Privacy Services:

During the planning period, the Department will:

• Ensure timely responses to Access to Information and Privacy Act (ATIP) inquiries; and
  Provide ongoing training for employees.

Information Technology:

During the planning period, the Department will:

• 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, telephone, document management, end-user devices and software; and
• Complete the integration of IT Security with Corporate Security/Occupational Health and Safety to improve our ability to coordinate, respond to and investigate incidents, as well as provide a secure and healthy workplace.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Program: Marketplace Frameworks and Regulation > Sub-Program: Intellectual Property

For 2016–17, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada will continue to implement amendments to intellectual property laws and their related regulations, including the Patent Act and Patent Rules, the Industrial Design Act and Regulations, and the Trade-marks Regulations. These amendments enable Canada’s accession to various international IP treaties, within the existing Canadian IP framework. The Department will also work to reduce red tape by continuing to improve its operations and decreasing the overall turnaround time for issuing IP rights.

In 2016–17, CIPO will continue to develop new business tools and services and expand its outreach activities to increase awareness of the importance of IP for innovation and economic development. These activities will include IP information sessions and one-on-one meetings with small- and medium-sized enterprises to educate businesses and other key stakeholders about IP and available government support.

The Department will advance work related to the pharmaceutical intellectual property provisions of the Canada and European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

The Department will provide advice and analysis of the copyright, trade-marks, geographic indications and patent provisions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.

The increase in Planned Spending for 2017–18 reflects planned investments in information management and information technology projects to modernize CIPO’s operations. The decrease in Planned Spending for 2018–19 reflects a decrease in information technology spending as projects near completion. This sub-program’s activities are funded by revenues for services provided to those seeking intellectual property rights, to meet the operating expenditures of CIPO. The Planned Spending above reflects only the portion of funding approved by appropriations.

The increase in FTEs for 2017–18 and 2018–19 reflects planned staffing as CIPO continues to develop new business tools and services to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and innovators.

Program: Community Economic Development > Sub-program: Computer and Internet Access

In 2016–17, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada will continue to implement the five-year, $305-million Connecting Canadians program to enhance broadband Internet access for 280,000 households in rural and northern communities across the country. Further program intake is planned for 2016.

ISED will continue to enhance access to computer equipment for Canadian learners. Starting in 2016–17, the Computers for Schools (CFS) program received an additional $2 million over two years to expand the program and to extend access to refurbished computer equipment to non-profit organizations such as those that support low-income Canadians, seniors, indigenous communities, and new Canadians. In addition, ISED has committed to support the Government of Canada’s efforts to resettle up to 50,000 Syrian refugees by providing refurbished computers and computer training through CFS. An anticipated 7,500 computers will be channelled through the CFS distribution network to refugees and resettlement organizations. Funding for this initiative totals $1,250,000 over two years ($850,000 2015–16 and $400,000 2016–17).

The decrease in Planned Spending from 2017–18 to 2018–19 is mainly due to the end of currently approved funding for the Computers for Schools program and its youth component, as well as a change in the funding for the Connecting Canadians Program.

Internal Services

Operating as One

ISED will focus on activities to strengthen its approach to managing horizontal priorities in 2016–17. The Department will deploy tools including the Service Lab and GCDOCS – which will be open by default. The Department will also emphasize common employee objectives of serving Canadians through the ISED mandate.

Library and Archives Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority 1: To be an institution fully dedicated to serving its clients, all its clients: government institutions, donors, academics, researchers, archivists, librarians, students, genealogists and the general public.

Access to LAC’s collection is central to its mandate. In the current context of rapidly evolving technologies, LAC continues to adapt and leverage the new means at its disposal in order to meet the needs of Canadians, who expect to quickly find what they are interested in online.

LAC also plans to offer quality services by focusing on a diversified approach that provides users with general and specialized reference services that meet their needs.

Planned Initiatives

• Provide greater access to documentary heritage through digitization initiatives and by increasing online content and the number of online research aids.
• Maintain LAC’s contribution to the federal open government initiative by making more government documents available faster and continuing to develop its policies and procedures in that regard.
• Adopt a new integrated library management system to better address the needs of users and the Canadian library community.

Priority 2: To be an institution that, drawing on the strength of its entire staff, is at the leading edge of archival and library science and new technologies.

LAC’s collections contain a variety of information resources in analogue and digital format, including books, government publications, maps, works of art, photographs, and audio and video recordings.

LAC is responsible for preserving its collection so that it stands the test of time and remains accessible. The institution meets this responsibility by relying on the expertise and know-how of its specialists and by optimizing the physical and digital infrastructure that prevents the deterioration of records and preserves their integrity.

Planned Initiatives

• Implement LAC’s Digital Strategy, particularly the adoption of a Digital Curation Platform.
• Play a key role in the development of descriptive standards to support the discoverability of documentary heritage.​
• ​Implement its long-term infrastructure plan, including planning for the construction of a new state-of-the-art preservation facility, while administering its special-purpose facilities.

Priority 3: To be an institution proactively engaged with national and international networks, in an open and inclusive way.

LAC and documentary heritage institutions, such as libraries, archives, museums and professional organizations, can take advantage of increased collaboration to facilitate access to Canada’s documentary heritage.

Planned Initiatives

• Establish a National Digitization Strategy with key partners in order to preserve Canada’s documentary heritage as a whole and make it accessible.
• Develop a National Acquisition Strategy with key partners in order to foster greater coordination of acquisitions across the country.​
• Continue the Documentary Heritage Communities Program to enable eligible organizations to preserve and promote their collections.

Priority 4: To be an institution with greater public visibility highlighting the value of its collection and services.

LAC will increase the visibility of its collection by organizing exhibitions and using the Web and social networks. LAC will also hold events commemorating important moments in Canadian history. In addition, LAC will showcase its collection by loaning items to other institutions, thereby enhancing its visibility across the country.

Planned Initiatives

• Contribute to major events and to the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.
• Increase access to documentary heritage by holding exhibitions at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa and at its partners’ sites.​
• Loan items to other organizations for exhibitions and establish partnerships to allow a broader audience to access the originals.
• Maintain a strong, active presence by renewing the service offering in the regions.
• Increase the visibility of LAC’s collections through the Internet and social networks.

Program 1.1: Development of disposition authorizations

Planning Highlights

As part of its legislative mandate, LAC must acquire, preserve and facilitate access to governmental documentary heritage. LAC is therefore continuing its efforts to update the disposition authorizations issued to federal institutions that are subject to the Library and Archives of Canada Act. These measures, which are in response to recommendations made by the Office of the Auditor General, help ensure better management of government records. In accordance with the disposition authorizations that define how records are to be processed, government institutions dispose of records that no longer have business value at the end of their period of use, either through transfer to the LAC collection (for records with historical value) or through their destruction (for records that no longer have business value).

Planned Key Activities for 2016–17

• Continue the issuance of disposition authorizations and the development of recordkeeping tools for federal institutions that are subject to the Library and Archives of Canada Act.
• Continue negotiations with federal institutions that are not subject to the Library and Archives of Canada Act to ensure sound recordkeeping.

Program 1.2: Collaboration in the Management of Government Records

Planning Highlights

In 2016–17, LAC will support recordkeeping and information management activities for the entire Government of Canada. LAC will also continue its involvement in the Open Government Strategy to maximize access to government records, which will promote transparency and accountability.

LAC will work closely with the Canadian Federal Libraries Strategic Network in order to support and develop efficient relations with this professional community.

Planned Key Activities for 2016–17

• Continue to support Government of Canada departments and agencies by offering advice, guidance, training and awareness activities on information management.
• Continue to collaborate with Government of Canada departments and agencies on the management and disposition of records stored in regional centres.
• Support government institutions in the open government initiative by promoting sound disposition and recordkeeping practices and minimizing access restrictions to historical documentary resources before transferring them to LAC.

Program 2.1: Documentation of Canadian society

Planning Highlights

In 2016–17, LAC will proceed with the acquisition of documentary heritage through legal deposit, deposits by Government of Canada departments and agencies, private donations and purchases.

LAC will also work to minimize backlogs in acquiring the documentary heritage of Government of Canada departments and agencies. The institution will continue acquiring material created on the Web in order to build a heritage collection that reflects new methods of documentary production.

Planned Key Activities for 2016–17

• Continue acquiring relevant documentary heritage material.
• Implement the National Acquisition Strategy to facilitate collaboration and the management of archives across Canada.
• Ensure the management of government records to keep backlogs to a minimum.
• Acquire documents of historical value from parliamentarians following the change in government.
• Use Web harvesting to document key events and subjects of interest to Canadians.

Program 2.2: Preservation of Documentary Heritage

Planning Highlights

LAC is continuing to carry out the primary activities related to preserving its collection in analogue form, including the management of storage conditions, circulation, preservation, restoration and digitization.

Regarding its digital holdings, LAC has developed a strategy to facilitate its migration to an integrated digital environment, which will guarantee the sustainability and accessibility of its digital collection. Regarding the management of its digital holdings, LAC is continuing to work towards the comprehensive management of the digital documentary heritage. To this end, LAC is optimizing the management of its storage space by putting in place a digital curation platform.

LAC is continuing to migrate from audiovisual content and digital media recorded on obsolete formats to current digital formats in order to ensure preservation and long-term access.

Planned Key Activities for 2016–17

• Continue to implement the long-term infrastructure strategy to meet needs related to space set aside for preservation and services. This strategy includes the addition of a new, technologically advanced facility to preserve archival documents.
• Implement the Digital Strategy in order to acquire, preserve and make available the digital collection. More specifically, begin the development of a digital curation platform.
• Continue working to create the digital repository and the related policies aimed at ensuring a comprehensive and integrated management of the digital documentary heritage.
• Establish a national digitization strategy with our key partners in order to preserve the most frequently requested documentary heritage.
• Continue to advance the strategy for migrating audiovisual content and digital media stored on obsolete formats to digital formats that will ensure content preservation and accessibility.

Program 2.3: Access to Documentary Heritage

Planning Highlights

In an era of rapid technological and social change, more and more Canadians are accessing the content that interests them through the Web and information technologies. As a result, the institution will reorganize its website to make it more attractive and user-friendly and include search tools to facilitate the discovery of relevant information, in addition to taking an approach that will increase the amount of material available on its site.

Similarly, LAC will continue to make use of social media and encourage contributions from the public in order to enrich the understanding of Canada’s documentary heritage.

LAC will also continue its new Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP), whose purpose is to support communities, making it easy to access their collections and raising their visibility. In addition, LAC will continue to implement its new regional storage service model by focusing its regional services on issues directly linked to its mandate, namely: documentary resources of historical value. This new service model will allow LAC to offer users quality services.

Key activities planned for 2016–17

• Increase access to documentary heritage through digitization initiatives and increasing online content and search tools.
• Develop dynamic public programming and quality services that facilitate access to documentary resources.
• Enhance the visibility of the collection by making loans to other organizations for exhibition purposes and establishing partnerships to allow a broader audience to have access to the originals.
• Contribute to the commemoration of the centennial of the First World War and the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
• Continue the Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP), intended to enable private documentary heritage organizations to preserve and showcase their collections.
• Continue to provide access to as much content as possible on LAC’s social networks: blogs, Podcasts, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, to reach a maximum number of clients and make the collection known.
• Adopt a new integrated library management system which will meet our objectives in terms of modernity and efficiency and will include a uniform search solution using the latest technological advances.
• Renew our service offering in the regions in order to provide Canadians with access to LAC’s rich documentary heritage.
• In collaboration with LAC partners, continue digitizing content related to the First World War, the records of members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and newspaper collections.
• Contribute to Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government by providing open data sets, ensuring that access restrictions to records in its collection are lifted and developing the Government of Canada’s virtual library.
  Ensure systematic access to federal government documents through block review of holdings to determine whether they can be opened for public access.
• Participate in Government of Canada horizontal initiatives to renew copyright and access to information legislations.

Internal Services

Planning highlights

Internal services enable the institution to fulfill its mandate.

To be at the forefront of innovation, LAC will implement its digital strategy, which will ensure the renewal of technological infrastructure.

LAC will implement its Long-Term Infrastructure Strategy, which includes the addition of a new facility and renewal of its real property portfolio. This will provide the institution with a physical facility to support its program activities, growing collections and preservation activities.

LAC will implement the Destination 2020 Action Plan through the engagement and participation of its employees to redefine the ways of working.

Planned key activities for 2016–17

• Support the government-wide Destination 2020 Initiative by developing and implementing an action plan to promote the public service of the future.
• Enhance the space at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa to make the institution more visible, to offer an environment adapted to the needs of users of our reference and consultation rooms and to promote knowledge sharing and expertise.

Military Grievances External Review Committee

Organizational Priorities

Priority #1 – Operational Performance – Ensure optimum productivity and excellence.

To ensure high quality and timely Findings and Recommendations (F&R) thereby contributing to the fairness and efficiency of the grievance process.

Planned Initiatives

• Preparing for the introduction of an improved Case Management System; maintaining a comprehensive implementation plan for the case management system, including business process mapping, identifying user needs, and upgrading systems.

Priority #2 – Communicate the Committee’s role, results and activities.

To ensure that stakeholders have a better awareness and understanding of the Committee’s role, results and activities. To share the Committee’s perspective on significant issues arising from our review of grievances.

Planned Initiatives

• Web Renewal Initiative: Content migration and automation process to Canada.ca

Priority #3 – Exercise leadership and maintain overall effective management of the Committee.

The Committee has engaged skilled and knowledgeable employees who are supported by effective and efficient systems and services.

Planned Initiatives

• Implement a strategy for knowledge transfer related to the succession of key positions to ensure that the Committee maintains business-critical expertise.
• Implement the MGERC Open Government Plan.

Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada

Internal Services

The MPCC will publish its Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP) on the open Canada.ca website designated by TBS as well as publish its first annual update on the OGIP. In line with year two deliverables, the MPCC will begin developing an information inventory which lists all of its information assets.

National Film Board

Internal Services

Forging technology partnerships
The NFB wishes to continue to serve as a reference for the digitization of audiovisual collections at the federal, provincial and municipal levels, in Canada and internationally. It will continue to forge partnerships this year with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in the audiovisual sector. Our objectives: share expertise and services, and diversify sources of revenue.

National Research Council

Internal Services

NRC will continue to structure its information management practices and activities to optimize the balance between access and protection of proprietary information, all within the broader context of federal access and privacy laws, and the Government of Canada information management framework.

Natural Resources Canada

Internal Services

Openness and transparency – NRCan will take steps to increase its capacity to engage with stakeholders, share its knowledge and report on its performance. It will:

• Support the Open Government Initiative by: 1) proceeding with Federal Science Library integration; 2) implementing the Federal Geospatial Platform‘s interface with the Open Government portal; 3) increasing access to its scientists;

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Internal Services

In 2016-17, NSERC will continue to support the Government’s Open Data initiative. NSERC will be reviewing its data and information resources to increase the number of data sets published in accessible and open formats via federal Open Government websites.

Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Information management.

The management, retention and findability of FJA information used in support of the delivery of services to the Canadian judiciary.

Planned Initiatives

• Finalize the implementation of an electronic content management tool which supports the updated file structure, retention periods, and security requirements for all Information Resources of Business Value.
• Develop an Information Management Framework.

Priority: Modernization of FJA processes and tools.

Streamline and modernize FJA business practices, processes and technologies as part of an overall modernization plan spanning the next three years and beyond.

Planned Initiatives

• Implement modern Information Management and Recordkeeping practices

Internal Services

FJA will strive to meet the expectations of managers and employees with respect to human resources, financial management, procurement, information technology and information management.  Results on the achievement of the employee satisfaction target will be obtained from the results of the 2014 Public Service Employee Survey.  Service responsiveness will be monitored through the achievement of service standards.  The main improvement areas to be pursued during 2016-17 are all closely related to overall FJA priorities.

Information management. Develop an Information Management Framework and finalize the implementation of an electronic content management tool which supports the updated file structure, retention periods, and security requirements for all Information Resources of Business Value.

Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Implement the Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) strategy by migrating the rest of the OCL’s IT infrastructure to the same service provider as for the LRS.

Strong information management and information technology helps the OCL deliver on its mandate efficiently and effectively.

Greater integration of the OCL’s systems will streamline information management and business processes, and allow for the integration of compliance verification activities across the organization.

Internal Services

The OCL will continue to collaborate with counterparts in other Agents of Parliament. In particular, the OCL will expand its service agreement with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner with respect to hosting IT services. As the OCL continues to implement its IM/IT strategy, it will aim to achieve greater integration of its IT systems, which will streamline information management and business processes. Activities include:

• Finalizing a service agreement with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner to host the rest of the OCL’s IM/IT infrastructure.
• Migrating the OCL’s IM/IT systems to the new service provider.
• Once this has occurred, securing the services of a platform analyst to migrate the OCL’s case management system and to integrate document management with the rest of the OCL’s systems.

Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Ensure that the organization is managed effectively during the transition period.

For OCOL, the arrival of a new commissioner in October marks a major change that will inevitably affect the organization’s management and priorities. The implementation of a new system to manage Protection program activities will also result in a demanding transition period in terms of operations and human resources. Consequently, we will have to optimize our processes, manage our resources effectively and provide services as efficiently as possible to Canadians.

It is imperative that the new commissioner be surrounded by efficient, informed staff to ease the transition. It is important that the new commissioner be informed of all important issues across Canada.

Planned Initiatives

• Finish implementing the new information management system for the Protection program.

Internal Services

While continuing to deliver internal services that support its operations, OCOL will focus on the following initiatives in 2016–17 in response to its second organizational priority (Ensure that the organization is managed effectively during the transition period) and key commitments described in Section I:

• Develop an investment plan covering future developments in the information management system;

Office of the Communications Security Establishment Commissioner

Internal Services

In 2016-17, Internal Services will continue to support the Commissioner, the Executive Director and the review program across the full range of internal services. This support will include the following:

• upgrade office processes to comply with new government-wide service delivery models (email, recordkeeping and web renewal) to better manage information;

Office of the Correctional Investigator

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Information Management

As per law and policy, the effective governance of informational assets is paramount to the delivery of the organization’s important mandate.

Planned Initiatives

• Resources will be directed for the effective testing and roll out of the Shared Case Management System – Microsoft CRM.

Office of the Information Commissioner

Program: Compliance with access to information obligations

The OIC’s information technology (IT) group will continue to support the program by, for example, upgrading the OIC’s case management system. The improved system will better serve investigations and enhance the collection and analysis of statistical data related to complaints.

The OIC will introduce an online complaint form in 2016–17. This will make it easier for complainants to submit material and save time at the beginning of the investigation process.

The Commissioner will pursue the next stages of her Charter challenge of certain provisions of the Ending the Long-gun Registry Act that came into effect in 2015. Hearings are scheduled for November 2016.

Modernizing the Access to Information Act could be a priority in 2016–17. The Prime Minister signalled in Cabinet ministers’ mandate letters that the government would initiate a review of the Act and amend this law to, among other things, give the Commissioner order-making power. The Commissioner stands ready to provide advice—based on her research and the OIC’s more than 30 years’ experience investigating complaints—to parliamentarians and the government as part of the review and amendment process.

Internal Services

The ongoing implementation of projects inspired by Blueprint 2020 principles, such as the Financial Management Transformation, Human Resources Transformation and GCDOCS, will help ensure the OIC continues to lead in excellence and performance.

Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Disclosure and reprisal management function that is timely, rigorous, independent and accessible

An effective and appropriate response to those individuals who approach or interact with the Office is the cornerstone of creating trust in the organization and assuring Canadians this important mechanism is supporting an environment of accountability.

Planned Initiatives

• In 2015 a cross functional working group was established to identify and prioritize emerging issues of importance and to contribute to the development of policy instruments. This initiative will continue in 2016-17 by formalizing and harmonizing access to legal opinions and policy guidance from case histories by sharing and utilizing the information management system to provide relevant and timely information.

Internal Services

• Continue to assess and implement continuous improvement initiatives for Information Management and Information Technology necessary to support operations plans.

Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions

Organizational Priorities

Priority E: Set and meet high standards for managing our own resources

OSFI will set the benchmark. To remain a world-leading prudential regulator and supervisor, OSFI must set high standards for itself, and verify that it is meeting those standards.

Planned Initiatives

E2. Continue to build OSFI’s information management capacity and further enhance regulatory data management while ensuring information is well protected from external and internal threats.

Internal Services

OSFI will plan for and support the transition to new or updated corporate systems, including those related to the Government of Canada’s (GoC) shared services initiatives. The implementation of planned systems and organizational changes will be supported with timely and effective change management practices. In addition, OSFI will continue the implementation of a new Enterprise Information Management program to enhance the management and protection of OSFI’s information assets and comply with applicable legislation and GoC policies and directives.

OSFI will continue to advance the governance of data provided by FRFIs and private pension plans and data management processes to ensure its accurate and timely analysis, while minimizing burden on filers and OSFI. Furthermore, OSFI will continue the implementation of a multi-year strategy to enhance cyber security controls and governance processes to ensure that OSFI remains proactive in protecting the information and IT infrastructure assets in its possession.

Parks Canada

Internal Services

Information Management Services

• complete the identification of information resources of business value including required controls for the effective management, sharing and use of information. Finalize record-keeping action plans for each business unit that address specific compliance activities, such as the clean-up of legacy information resources; and
• commence the planning and implementation of the required controls and tools, such as GCDOCS, for the effective management, sharing and use of information.

Parole Board of Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Strengthening the engagement of and support to the staff and Board members

The PBC will manage its Board members and employees in an open and equitable manner to help them respond to new ways of doing business and to meet future challenges. This includes facilitating ongoing, open and timely dialogue, and mentoring between managers and their staff, as well as providing cross-training and skills development to keep staff engaged and increase retention. The Board will integrate into the operational practices of all divisions the need to cross-train their staff, through things such as rotational assignments within and across sections and divisions, to allow employees to further expand their knowledge of the various PBC functions and different areas of specialization.

Board member training is a priority as Board decisions must be based on sound and consistent decision-making. As such there will be a review of the orientation training for new Board members to determine the knowledge, tools and the skills that are required of Board members and offer training accordingly. In addition, the Board will be taking the required steps to formalize cross-regional exchanges that will allow Board members to expand their knowledge and experiences, while allowing for sharing of best practices and lessons learned with Board members and staff from other regional offices.

Planned Initiatives

• Improve activities related to knowledge management, learning and development, systems and tools, and to address organizational needs in a timely and effective manner.
• Enhance corporate capacity to ensure sufficient service in areas such as HR planning, security and information management.

Priority: Enhancing and implementing efficiency and effectiveness measures

A strong and strategically focused governance structure ensures an integrated corporate system of decision-making, and enables effective allocation of resources to priorities, alignment of programs to outcomes and management of accountabilities.

The PBC works in a demanding environment that requires effective support for government priorities, careful assessment of criminal justice issues and community concerns. The Board is expected to rigorously pursue innovation and improvements to meet heavy workload pressures, with limited resources.

Public safety remains the Board’s primary concern in all aspects of decision-making policy, training, and operations.

In an effort to achieve a more cost-effective and efficient organization, the Board is pursuing its review of current decision processes and support structures to identify where and how improvements or updates may be required.

There is also the recognition that effective information/technology management is essential for the PBC to be able to execute its corporate strategy and fulfil its mandate.

Planned Initiatives

• Provide enterprise-wide support services (i.e., human resources (HR), information technology (IT), information management (IM), and security and accommodation).

Internal Services

Continue to:

• improve staff and Board member awareness and training of access to information and privacy legislation to ensure compliance with legislated timeframes for each;

Polar Knowledge Canada

Program 1.2: Polar Knowledge Application > Sub-Program 1.2.1: Knowledge Management

POLAR will synthesize scientific information, assess the policy implications and publish knowledge products to enable decision-makers to use this knowledge. This will involve:

• Managing POLAR collected and generated knowledge, so that POLAR becomes the source where people go for scientific knowledge (not just data and information), and science reports that translate the results of science activities into a language that is amenable for public consumption. Examples of current reports on the POLAR website include Reports on the State of Northern Knowledge in Canada and the State of Environmental Monitoring in Northern Canada.
• Synthesis of scientific information and data on the Arctic and Antarctica to identify the relevant and contextual value-added, through research, information gathering, and tailoring the reports for various target audiences.
• Sharing the results through social media (e.g., Polar Knowledge App, Polar Blog).

Information and knowledge on polar themes will be more discoverable, accessible, disseminated strategically (timing and channels), and meet the needs of stakeholders and indigenous communities. Improved knowledge will be available to inform policy and evidence-based decision-making.

Indicators of success will be the extent to which stakeholders access POLAR knowledge products; and policy and government decision-makers use the information for decision-making.

Internal Services

A key challenge for POLAR will be the ability to attract and retain staff with the required competencies in a timely manner given the remote location in Cambridge Bay, the highly specialized nature of functions and positions, and the learning time required to become fully operational. As a new organization, POLAR will also need to establish a suite of management policies and processes specific to its requirements and that are consistent with Canada’s obligations under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement; and seek permanent funding beginning in 2017-2018. Key plans and priorities will therefore be:

• Develop human resource/succession planning strategies to transfer knowledge to new staff, with a focus on functions and positions where the organization is most at risk.
• Establish an information management classification structure based upon a common classification schema supported by a document management tool.

Privy Council Office

Internal Services

As part of this sub-program, PCO will undertake the following key initiatives in 2016–17:

• Support PCO’s compliance with the Government of Canada information management priorities and policies, including enhanced digital recordkeeping, information use and sharing practices across the department.

Public Health Agency of Canada

Internal Services

Health Canada and the Agency continue to participate in the Shared Services Partnership in which each organization retains responsibility for different internal services and corporate functions while working to deliver equitable services to both organizations. The Partnership will undertake the following key activities and initiatives in 2016–17:

• Take a “digital first” approach to the development of communications advice, products, and services that reflect Canadians’ interest in online access to health and safety information.
• Manage the business intelligence gathered from sources such as media statistics and social media trends to communicate more strategically with clients, stakeholders, and Canadians on matters affecting them.
• Implement government-wide workplace technology initiatives including Workplace 2.0, GCDOCS, Pay Modernization and My GCHR.

Public Service Commission

Internal Services

As part of the work to advance efforts for continuous improvement of internal services, the PSC will focus on:

• Enabling the IM/IT business and corporate priorities, including Government of Canada enterprise-wide projects, as well ongoing support of operations in the IM and IT domains.

Public Services and Procurement Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority 1: Service excellence

Manage the delivery of our programs and services to ensure excellence and integrity while managing our clients’ and Canadians’ expectations.

Planned initiatives

• Acquisitions
  • Move forward on transparency by making government information more accessible digitally and more open data available to suppliers and industry.
• Specialized programs and services
  • Continue to expand Document Imaging Services to support federal government departments and agencies in meeting information management policy requirements. This will be achieved by reducing the need to store large volumes of paper documents, thus enabling departments to improve their client service and reduce their operational costs.
  • Partner with client organizations to facilitate the roll-out, throughout the Government of Canada, of back-office systems such as:
    • GCDOCS
• Internal services
  • Develop a stand-alone privacy program, distinct from the access to information component, to provide enhanced support to senior management on proactively managing privacy-related risks.

Priority 2: Innovation and modernization

Implement new forms of program and service delivery to respond to changing needs of clients and Canadians.

Planned initiatives

• Specialized programs and services
  • Implement a workflow management system which will allow the seamless tracking of documents throughout the Canada Gazette publication process.
  • Continue to rollout the new Government of Canada Enterprise solution for document imaging by onboarding more client departments.
• Internal services
  • Transition the external PSPC website content to Canada.ca to meet the Government of Canada web renewal goal and improve overall web usability for Canadians.
  • Continue our efforts in modernizing Government of Canada administrative services and IT systems with the continuous transformation of our back office IM/IT applications to provide increased functionality, scalability and flexibility.
  • Continue to use enabling technologies to allow for increased mobility of our workforce to improve client service and delivery of our departmental programs and services.

Priority 3: Value for money

Implement initiatives to increase efficiency and effectiveness of our programs and services.

Planned initiatives

• Specialized programs and services
  • Enhance the efficiency of administrative services within the Government of Canada by taking advantage of economies of scale through common back-office systems [GCDOCS, My GCHR, Shared Case Management System (SCMS), and Shared Travel Services (STS)].

Program 1.7: Specialized programs and services > Sub-program 1.7.3: Government information services

PSPC will:

• Through the Publishing and Depository Services Directorate (PDSD), participate with key partners from Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Statistics Canada to bring open government to Canadians by enhancing the Open Information Portal.
• Through the Public Opinion Research Directorate (PORD), contribute to the government’s commitment to base its decisions on the most reliable data available by ensuring that all public opinion research conducted by or for federal institutions comply with the standards and best practices of the PORD.
• Through the PDSD, continue to actively collaborate and support the government’s effort to make publications and other government data more easily accessible to Canadians, notably in the Virtual Library Initiative in which PDSD is one of the primary partners.
• Through the Advertising Coordination and Partnerships Directorate, be a major partner in carrying out the government-wide commitment to strengthen oversight of government advertising, to ensure not to use it for partisan purposes, and to modernize the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada.

Program 1.7: Specialized programs and services > Sub-program 1.7.4: Document imaging services

PSPC will:

• 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.
• Continue the roll out of the Enterprise Solution as part of the Document Imaging Solutions Centre total solution services.

Program 1.7: Specialized programs and services > Sub-program 1.7.7: Government of Canada administrative services

PSPC will:

• Develop the GCDOCS on-boarding schedule beyond pilot year (2015–16) while defining service offering by PSPC.

Internal Services

In 2016–17, PSPC will:

• Develop a stand-alone privacy program, distinct from the access to information component, to provide enhanced support to senior management on proactively managing privacy-related risks.
• Transition the external Public Services and Procurement Canada website content to Canada.ca to meet the Government of Canada web renewal goal and improve overall web usability for Canadians.
• Continue our efforts in modernizing Government of Canada administrative services and IT systems with the continuous transformation of our back office IM/IT applications to provide increased functionality, scalability and flexibility.
• Continue a departmental-wide approach to the management of IM/IT to ensure cost-effective and efficient IM/IT solutions and services are in place and where IM/IT investment decisions are aligned with departmental and Government of Canada priorities.
• 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.

Communications

PSPC will:

• Transition the external Public Services and Procurement Canada website content to Canada.ca to meet the Government of Canada web renewal goal and improve overall web usability for Canadians.

Information Management

PSPC will:

• Enable a digital environment which makes smart use of new technologies that will increase standardization in the management of our departmental information. This will improve access to information and reduce paper consumption while supporting improved communication, collaboration, information sharing, and service delivery.
• Strengthen PSPC’s enterprise approach to information and data management for a common integrated approach to access its services.
• Pursue with the Departmental Open Government Implementation Plan in support of increased openness and transparency through open data and open information; use emerging technologies to enhance accessibility, knowledge and sharing by releasing additional datasets on the Open Data portal.
• Develop a stand-alone privacy program, distinct from the access to information component, to provide enhanced support to senior management on proactively managing privacy-related risks. This initiative supports PSPC priority of Service Excellence as it will ensure that the needs of our internal and external clients, with respect to privacy, are effectively met.

Information technology

PSPC will:

• 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 for service improvement. Examples of Government of Canada modernization initiatives include PSPC’s leadership in establishing and managing common business applications such as My GCHR for personnel management, GCDOCS for document and records management and GC SCMS (Shared Case Management System) for case management and client management.
• Continue with the departmental IM/IT transformation agenda to enable effective IM/IT decision making through a standards-based, transparent, and department-wide approach to the management of IM/IT that ensures cost-effective and efficient solutions, and investment decisions that are aligned with departmental and Government of Canada priorities.

Security Intelligence Review Committee

Internal Services

SIRC relies heavily on its information resources to effectively fulfill its mandate. The 2015-16 fiscal year has been the organization’s first full year with its new information management system. SIRC can now assess how the implementation of this new system and corresponding changes in procedures impact on operational effectiveness. SIRC will now be working on improving the changes brought with this implementation and will initiate the digitalization of paper documents and easier access to information.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Enable excellence in a changing research landscape

Through grants, fellowships and scholarships, SSHRC helps Canada’s researchers and research institutions do what they do best: train the next generation of talented, creative thinkers and doers; build knowledge and understanding about people, cultures and societies; and drive the innovations that address the most pressing challenges of today and tomorrow. SSHRC’s role is to recognize and facilitate research excellence—quality and impact—working in collaboration with postsecondary institutions, scholarly associations and other organizations.

Planned Initiatives

• Once the Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management is approved, promote readiness for data management within the research community and identify and implement an approach to renewed data management requirements for grantees.

Internal Services

Planning Highlights

• Activities related to open government: Implement SSHRC’s Open Government Implementation Plan.

Statistics Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Respond to the emerging and evolving information needs of data users and stakeholders.

Why is this a priority? To maintain the relevance of its programs, Statistics Canada must respond to the evolving information needs of its data users and other stakeholders.

Planned Initiatives

• Introduce or pilot new surveys and studies in areas such as children’s health and global value chains.
• Enhance the coordination and documentation of consultations with users and stakeholders.
• Redesign major survey programs to ensure their continued relevance and effectiveness.
• Continue to introduce and implement relevant standards, such as the new versions of the North American Industry Classification System and the North American Product Classification System.

Priority: Operate a responsive program that effectively satisfies ad hoc statistical requests on a cost-recovery basis.

Description: Why is this a priority? By undertaking cost-recovery work, Statistics Canada can meet the needs of users (federal, provincial and territorial institutions and other clients) where the data are not provided as part of a core program. In so doing, Statistics Canada can also fulfill its second strategic outcome—namely, that specific client needs for high-quality and timely statistical services are met.

Planned Initiatives

• Ensure that Statistics Canada’s Centre for Special Business Projects and Special Surveys Division continue to be centres of expertise and coordination in providing cost-recovery services related to business statistics and social statistics.
• Continue to increase the number and expand the types of data files available through the Data Liberation Initiative, Real Time Remote Access, the Canadian Centre for Data Development and Economic Research, and the research data centres.

Priority: Enhance the efficiency, responsiveness and robustness of the Agency’s operations.

Why is this a priority? Statistics Canada must always exercise sound stewardship of the funds entrusted to it by Canadians. Statistics Canada must make itself ready to mount new programs quickly and deliver quality results in useful time frames for decision makers. Canadians and Canadian institutions expect Statistics Canada to minimize the burden placed on them through surveys.

Planned Initiatives

• Continue to support cross-government initiatives, such as Open Government.
• Increase the use of administrative data to complement or replace survey data where appropriate.

Supreme Court of Canada

Internal Services

The Library and Information Management Branch supports the information management needs of the organization.  Priorities for 2016-17 include:

• Continuing the implementation of GCDOCS across the organization to better 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

Internal Services

In support of this Program, Sub-Programs and organizational priorities, Transport Canada will:

• Support the Government of Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government by implementing a departmental plan to proactively gather data/information and make it available to Canadian citizens in usable and accessible formats (SP4.5);
• Enhance the efficiency and capacity of information management systems to ensure data are complete, consistent, reliable and “shareable” through an integrated Information Management (IM)/Information Technology (IT) strategy that better supports the delivery of our programs and services (SP4.5 and SP4.6);
• Position itself to adapt to the Government of Canada’s planning strategy for back-office transformation, including migrating to SAP (Finance) and my GCHR (Human Resources) systems, to improve the quality, timeliness and reliability of information for government-wide decision-making, thereby reducing inefficiencies, duplication and administrative costs (SP4.6)

Transportation Safety Board of Canada

Organizational Priorities

Priority: Serving

The TSB will continue serving Canadians by conducting thorough investigations and safety studies, identifying risks, communicating lessons learned, sharing information openly, and advocating for changes that advance transportation safety.

Planned Initiatives

• Continue to improve our information management practices.

Priority: Modernizing

The TSB will modernize its workplace to ensure that it has the best people working together in teams, making smart use of modern technologies, and achieving the best possible outcomes with efficient, interconnected and nimble processes, structures and systems.

Planned Initiatives

• Implement government-wide shared tools and systems.

Internal Services

A key priority remains enhancing the TSB’s information management capacity.  The Internal Services program will continue to monitor metrics to assess whether information is being effectively managed and to assist employees by providing training and guidance. The TSB will work with Library and Archives Canada to review and update its retention and disposal schedules for records of enduring business value. A related information management priority in 2016-17 will be reviewing opportunities to increase the amount of information and data that the TSB releases as part of the Open Government initiative. As part of this initiative, Internal Services personnel will review occurrence data and document decisions on what information cannot be made available publicly and why.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Organizational Priorities

Priority 1: Open and Transparent Government

The Government of Canada has committed to governing openly and transparently. The Secretariat is supporting this commitment by leading efforts to improve Canadians’ access to government information and to their own personal information held by government, and to provide better opportunities for engaging with government. Greater openness and transparency will help keep the government focused on Canadians’ values and expectations.

Planned Initiatives

• Accelerate and expand open data initiatives and make government data available digitally and open by default.
• Work with the Department of Justice Canada and the Privy Council Office (Democratic Institutions) to review and propose changes to the Access to Information Act, including empowering the Information Commissioner of Canada to order the release of government information, and expanding the coverage of the Act to apply appropriately to the Prime Minister’s Office, ministers’ offices and administrative institutions that support Parliament and the courts.
• Improve Canadians’ access to their personal information.
• Modernize the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada to reflect the modern digital environment.
• Strengthen oversight of government advertising.

Program 1.2: Management Policies Development and Monitoring > Sub-Program 1.2.3: Information Management and Information Technology Policy

About 240 institutions are subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. In the face of the growing number and complexity of requests, maintaining service standards remains challenging.

The Access to Information Act has not been substantially amended since 1983 and does not reflect modern technology. There are opportunities to strengthen the Access to Information and Privacy programs to enhance the openness of government, and to make it easier for Canadians to access government information and their personal information held by government.

The planned priority initiatives are:

• Work with the Department of Justice Canada and the Privy Council Office (Democratic Institutions) to review and propose changes to the Access to Information Act, including empowering the Information Commissioner of Canada to order the release of government information, and expanding the coverage of the Act to apply appropriately to the Prime Minister’s Office, ministers’ offices and administrative institutions that support Parliament and the courts (subject to Cabinet and funding approvals).
• Improve Canadians’ access to their personal information (subject to Cabinet and funding approvals).

Veterans Affairs Canada

Internal Services

• Align internal services with Government of Canada and Shared Services Canada direction, building on information-technology and information-management initiatives underway (ongoing).

Western Economic Diversification Canada

Internal Services

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) plans to undertake the following Internal Services activities in 2016–17.

• Continued participation in the Government of Canada’s office modernization initiative.
• Participate in the migration of departmental website content to the one-stop Canada.ca website to ensure government programs and services are accessible to the public.