Procedures for the Government of Canada institutions to provide up-to-date information to various public access services managed by Service Canada

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Policy requirements 1(k), 9, 18(d), 18(h), 23(a) and 23(b) of the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada requires institutions to register and connect electronically with, and to provide up-to-date information to, various public access services managed by Service Canada.

Service Canada is responsible for the management and development of the following services:

• 1 800 O-Canada – the Government of Canada's toll-free telephone service.
• Canada Site portal – the government's primary site on the Internet.
• Consultation Postings – information on external public consultation and citizen engagement activities posted on the Consulting with Canadians website (linked to institutional websites).
• Publiservice – the government's primary intranet portal for the Public Service.

They provide the public and public servants with general information about government organizations, programs, services, events and initiatives, including public consultation and citizen engagement activities. Institutions must work with Service Canada personnel responsible for maintaining these services to ensure information holdings are up-to-date. Collaboration with Service Canada is also required to ensure that technical and administrative requirements are met when using any of these services as part of a communications initiative, an advertising campaign and/or to highlight public announcements and citizen engagement activities.

Updating 1 800 O-Canada information holdings

Service Canada's Integrated Content Management (ICM) unit maintains the 1 800 O-Canada database, which contains the following public access information for all Government of Canada institutions:

• organizational descriptions (e.g. mandate, structure);
• program descriptions (e.g. activities, eligibility, applications, deadlines, audience);
• national, regional and local service delivery points (i.e. telephone, mail, in-person, Web links) as well as corresponding areas of service;
• jurisdictional information and legislation;
• current events and new initiatives;
• documents and other support materials (e.g. publications, applications, Canadians, contextual information, procedural instructions for phone agents).

To keep this information current, institutions are required to:

1. Provide complete and comprehensive information to the ICM about the creation of new organizations, programs, services and initiatives as soon as this information is available and, if possible, at least two weeks prior to implementation.
2. Provide complete and comprehensive information to the ICM about the closure of organizations, programs, services and initiatives as soon as this information is available and, if possible, at least two weeks prior to the scheduled closure.
3. Provide complete and comprehensive information to the ICM about changes to organizations, programs, services and initiatives as soon as this information is available and, if possible, at least two weeks before the changes are scheduled to occur.
4. Provide complete and comprehensive information to the ICM about changes and developments to institutional websites as soon as this information is available and, if possible, at least two weeks before the changes are scheduled to occur.
5. Review and update their database content annually. As part of the annual update, institutions must:

• provide the ICM with the name of a single contact person who will co-ordinate the data update with support from program officers in his or her institution and/or provide a list of such program officers;
• ensure that, at the request of the ICM, knowledgeable program officers and other representatives are available for meetings or conference calls to discuss the update and requirements;
• ensure that knowledgeable program officers are designated to update their respective program information;
• provide, at the request of the ICM, copies of employee directories and lists of key program officers who can describe service delivery mechanisms and corresponding areas of service; and
• return all verified/validated information to the ICM staff within two weeks of its request.

Ensure that the ICM is included on all departmental distribution lists for announcements, advisories, news releases and publications.

Send information to the ICM through the following channels:

• ICM Update Request
• Telephone: 613-941-3306

In working with institutions, the Integrated Content Management unit will:

1. Ensure that all institutions have access to the 1 800 O-Canada database.
2. Develop an annual schedule to update and validate database information holdings. Institutions can request a copy of this update schedule through the ICM Update Request.
3. Notify institutions of the annual update, while providing them with a copy of their organizational and program descriptions to validate.
4. Advise institutions, on request, on how best to present their information in the 1 800 O-Canada database.
5. Ensure the ICM updating team is available for meetings or conference calls to discuss, at the request of institutions, the update and requirements.
6. Follow-up with institutions mid-way through the updating process to ensure the update is on schedule and to answer questions as required.
7. Integrate updated information provided by institutions to the 1 800 O-Canada database according to ICM's service and database standards.
8. Ensure that ICM's database standards are available to institutions.
9. Ensure that ICM's media and Web monitoring practices stay abreast of developments and current events.

Updating information on the Canada Site

An institution that wishes to add, modify or delete information on the Canada Site, including referencing new websites that an institution may launch, must notify Service Canada

To add information to the Canada Site, or to reference a new Government of Canada Internet website, please provide the following information via email:

• the official name of the institution in both languages;
• a valid Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address in both official languages;
• listing requirements for any major sub-organizations that need to be added;
• the date on which the new information is to be posted; and
• contact information (the name and phone number of the person making the request).

For modifying or deleting information, please provide the following via email:

• the page on the Canada Site where the information currently resides (URL);
• the URLs and/or titles of the links to be modified/deleted;
• the date on which the information is to be modified/deleted; and
• contact information (the name and phone number of the person making the request).

Updating consultation postings on the Consulting with Canadians website

To update their external public consultation and citizen engagement activity postings on the Consulting with Canadians website, institutions must complete a standard form and use the template provided on the site. A password and user-ID are required to post a consultation link on the Consulting with Canadians website that connects to your institution's website.

For assistance in linking your institution's consultation activities to the Consulting with Canadians website, please contact Service Canada.

Updating information on Publiservice

Public Works and Government Services Canada's (PWGSC) Informatics and Telecommunications Services (ITS) connects institutions to the Publiservice intranet, which is supported by the Secure Channel Network (SCNet).

To connect to Publiservice for the first time, email the following information to Service Canada:

• the official name of the institution in both languages;
• a valid Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address in both official languages;
• the date on which the new or modified information is to be posted; and the information to be added or modified; and
• contact information (the name and phone number of the person making the request).

To modify or delete information on Publiservice, please provide the following via email:

• the page on Publiservice where the information currently resides (URL);
• the URLs and/or titles of the links to be modified/deleted;
• the date on which the information is to be modified/deleted; and
• contact information (the name and phone number of the person making the request).

Using 1 800 O-Canada, the Canada Site, the Consulting with Canadians website or Publiservice in advertising campaigns, initiatives or announcements

Institutions may wish to use 1 800 O-Canada, canada.ca, consultingcanadians.gc.ca or publiservice.gc.ca as part of an advertising campaign, initiative or announcement.
To include these services in a campaign, or in any other strategic communications activity, institutions must proceed as follows:

1. State in their advertising plans the intention to use 1 800 O-Canada, the Canada Site, the Consulting with Canadians website and/or Publiservice in a campaign.
2. Inform Service Canada of their advertising plans as soon as the planning process begins and at least two weeks before the campaign is scheduled to start.
3. Provide Service Canada with a sample of the advertising copy (in draft or camera-ready form) that shows how 1 800 O-Canada, canada.ca, consultingcanadians.gc.ca and/or publiservice.gc.ca will be used in the ad campaign, as soon as the planning process begins, and at least two weeks before the campaign is scheduled to start.
4. Provide Service Canada with a copy of any publication that will be distributed in the context of the campaign, as soon as the planning process begins and at least two weeks before the campaign is scheduled to start.
5. Confirm that the Government Advertising Committee (GAC) has reviewed and approved the overall campaign and related materials. GAC approves the use of 1 800 O-Canada, canada.ca, consultingcanadians.gc.ca and publiservice.gc.ca in advertising campaigns.

Highlighting announcements on the Canada Site

Institutions wishing to highlight announcements on the Canada Site must proceed as follows:

• Notify Service Canada of the institution's desire to highlight an announcement on the Canada Site. The notice must include a summary of the information the institution would like to see posted and a brief statement on why it needs to be highlighted.
• PWGSC and Service Canada notify GAC of all requests to highlight announcements on the Canada Site. GAC reviews such requests as required.
• Subsequent changes, additions and deletions to an announcement are reviewed on an ad hoc basis by GAC in consultation with PWGSC and Service Canada. Service Canada implements changes, additions or deletions approved by GAC. The manager informs institutions of GAC decisions before action is taken to add, change or delete any announcements posted on the site.

Highlighting announcements on Publiservice

Institutions wishing to highlight announcements on Publiservice must notify Service Canada by email.The email must include a summary of the information the institution would like to see posted on Publiservice and a brief statement on why it needs to be highlighted.

Contact

Contact Service Canada by email
Telephone: 613-941-3306