Canada.ca topic tree and content types

The topic tree and the content types are taxonomies to help design content for Canada.ca.

Canada.ca topic tree

The Canada.ca topic tree is a list all the topics under which there are information and services provided by the Government of Canada, and illustrates the relationships between each.

The first 2 levels of topics in the topic tree must use the topic page template. The template is optional for lower levels.

For a current listing of the complete Canada.ca Topic tree, please refer to the Canada.ca Topic Tree Master.

Canada.ca content types

Content type	Description	Web type scheme	Category
forms	A document to be completed and submitted for a transaction with the Government of Canada	form	Services
service initiation	Information that outlines all the steps a person must undertake to complete a task on Canada.ca	programs and services	Services
service description	Information including overviews, service standards, related programs or how to provide feedback, relating to a government service	programs and services	Services
grants and funding opportunities	An application or process to receive funding from the Government of Canada	programs and services	Services
licenses, permits and identification	An application process for identification to allow an individual, company or corporation to possess goods or do actions that would otherwise be prohibited	licenses and permits	Services
emergency contact	Information that directs people to contact emergency personnel including first responders and international emergency contacts	contact information	Contact us
contact us	Information that allows people to initiate contact with the Government of Canada via email or telephone, in person or by mail	contact information	Contact us
contact us – find a representative	A finder to support user-identification of a representative of the Government of Canada	contact information	Contact us
contact us – find an office	A finder to support user-identification of an office of the Government of Canada	contact information	Contact us
contact us – postal code lookup	A geospatial finder by postal code	contact information	Contact us
contact us – region	A contact information profile for a region	contact information	Contact us
frequently asked questions	A compendium of accumulated questions and answers	frequently asked questions	Contact us
policies	Formal statements that provide context, direction or instruction on results, accountabilities, specific action or use to ensure compliance	policy	Policy and guidance
guidance	Guidance documents provide instructions, context, additional information, or best practices regarding interactions with federal government departments/programs/policies, or Canada’s roles and responsibilities for international documents such as agreements and standards. Note that guidance pertaining to legislative statutory and regulatory requirements may be classified as “guidance – legislative”	guide	Policy and guidance
guidance – legislative	Legislative guidance (or guidance on legislation) provides information to facilitate awareness, understanding, and compliance with legislative statutory and regulatory requirements and may also describe their administration. Guidance on legislation does not establish new requirements and is not legally binding	guide	Policy and guidance
assessments	A determination of performance or worth	assessment	Research, statistics and data
datasets	A logically meaningful grouping or collection of similar or related data	dataset	Research, statistics and data
research	Research findings or conclusions, typically relating to sciences, engineering, psychology or technical investigation	report	Research, statistics and data
statistics	Aggregate or unit-level information respecting a particular topic; commonly stated as numbers	statistics	Research, statistics and data
surveys	A sample of data or opinions considered representative of a whole group that may contain questions as well as responses	survey	Research, statistics and data
consultations	A proposal for change published to seek views and allow the opportunity for comment	consultation	Consultations
backgrounders	Short communications providing a brief explanation of the history of an issue, action or policy	fact sheet	News, promotions and public awareness
media advisories	An abbreviated media release that gives basic information about an activity, and that is often used to invite the media to an event, such as a news conference or an emergency site visit	news release	News, promotions and public awareness
news releases	A written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something ostensibly newsworthy	news release	News, promotions and public awareness
readouts	A written communication that summarizes the content of a meeting, event, etc. involving government officials	news release	News, promotions and public awareness
speeches	A talk or address	transcript	News, promotions and public awareness
statements	An allegation or declaration, or a recital of facts	news release	News, promotions and public awareness
notices	An announcement, notification, warning or alert issued on a specific topic	notice	News, promotions and public awareness
alerts	A time-sensitive notification informing recipients that an event possibly causing harm or damage is imminent or likely to occur	notice	News, promotions and public awareness
recalls	An announcement to remove a marketed product from further sale or use	notice	News, promotions and public awareness
maps	Representations of land or sea, often depicting routes, borders or physical features	geospatial material	News, promotions and public awareness
education and awareness	Training + education + artistic + other awareness	article	News, promotions and public awareness
promotional material	Descriptive or marketing information about an organization’s activities, or material that promotes products, services, initiatives, campaigns, activities or collections	promotional material	News, promotions and public awareness
promotional material – campaigns	Campaigns will be promoted through featured blocks throughout the site	promotional material	News, promotions and public awareness
promotional material – initiatives	Initiatives will be promoted through featured blocks throughout the site	promotional material	News, promotions and public awareness
promotional material – events	Information about a meeting or activity hosted by the Government of Canada. This may include pages where Canadians can register to attend	event	News, promotions and public awareness
promotional material – featured articles	Content that is promoted on Canada.ca on institutional profiles, organizational profiles and topic pages	promotional material	News, promotions and public awareness
acts	A law passed by parliament	law and/or regulation	Treaties, laws and regulations
regulations	Rules used to carry out the intent of statutes (Acts) enacted by the Parliament of Canada. They are instruments of legislative power and have the force of law	law and/or regulation	Treaties, laws and regulations
documents incorporated by reference	Legally binding documents referenced by legislation without being reproduced in legislation itself	law and/or regulation	Treaties, laws and regulations
Indigenous treaties	Any arrangement with First Nations or Indigenous peoples in Canada	agreement	Treaties, laws and regulations
international treaties	Any arrangement made between the government of Canada and a government or organization abroad	agreement	Treaties, laws and regulations
decisions	A decision or formal proposal made by a quasi-judicial or regulatory body	meeting material	Treaties, laws and regulations
recommendations	A formal proposal made by a quasi-judicial or regulatory body that must be implemented	report	Treaties, laws and regulations
job descriptions	An announcement and/or description of an available position in an organization	employment opportunity	Corporate information
organizational descriptions	Resources describing the structure, mandate, purpose, programs and services of an organization or initiative	organizational description	Corporate information
program descriptions	Background information on Government of Canada programs. This content may not deliver a service	programs and services	Corporate information
program results	Resources describing successes, events or other results of a program	article	Corporate information
ministerial and senior official profiles	Biographies or profiles of ministers or heads of departments	biography	Corporate information
audit	An evaluation of an organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product	assessment	Government-wide reporting
financial material	Documentation used in understanding, managing and reporting on the monetary aspects of any activity or organization	financial material	Government-wide reporting
infosource	a series of publications containing information about the Government of Canada’s access to information and privacy programs	report	Government-wide reporting
administrative burden baseline	a baseline count of federal requirements in regulations and related forms that impose administrative burden on businesses	statistics	Government-wide reporting
departmental actions	Departmental actions to respond to the Red Tape Reduction Commission’s recommendations report	report	Government-wide reporting
forward regulatory plan	public list or description of anticipated regulatory changes or actions that a department intends to bring forward or undertake in a specified time frame	report	Government-wide reporting
interpretation policy	an overarching document that outlines the commitments, practices, and tools to be applied by institutions when providing Canadians and businesses with information and guidance on regulations and regulatory obligations to be met	policy	Government-wide reporting
report on plans and priorities	expenditure plans for each appropriated department and agency (excluding Crown corporations). They describe departmental priorities, strategic outcomes, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a 3-year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report	report	Government-wide reporting
departmental performance report	individual department and agency accounts of actual performance, for the most recently completed fiscal year, against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in their respective RPPs	report	Government-wide reporting
quarterly financial report	individual departmental financial reports including in-year spending at a departmental level	report	Government-wide reporting
ATI annual report	annual report on the management and administration of the ATI Act within an institution	report	Government-wide reporting
ATI summary	summary of the management and administration of the ATI Act within an institution	abstract	Government-wide reporting
disclosure of contracts	identification, collection and publication of contract information that is to be proactively disclosed	proactive disclosure	Government-wide reporting
disclosure of wrongdoings	filing of any information by a public servant that could show that a wrongdoing has been committed or is about to be committed	proactive disclosure	Government-wide reporting
grants and contribution awards	transfers of money from the federal government to individuals and to organizations of various types, including businesses and other levels of government	proactive disclosure	Government-wide reporting
position reclassifications	the change in the group and/or level of a position or positions resulting from a review or audit	proactive disclosure	Government-wide reporting
travel and hospitality expenses	expenditures which include travelling and transportation expenses, provision of meals, beverages or refreshments, for public servants and non-public servants. It may also include entertainment, local transportation to and from events as well as other reasonable measures deemed appropriate for reasons of courtesy, diplomacy or protocol	proactive disclosure	Government-wide reporting
transparency – other	Content on an institution’s website that is published for transparency purposes that is not a mandatory report		Government-wide reporting
navigation page	Web pages used to manage a person’s experience that do not have independent consumption value	resource list	Navigation and administration
navigation page – topic page	A navigation page representing a Canada.ca topic	resource list	Navigation and administration
navigation page – theme landing page	A navigation page representing a Canada.ca theme	resource list	Navigation and administration
navigation page – institutional profile	A landing page for an institution on Canada.ca	organizational description	Navigation and administration
navigation page – organizational profile	A landing page for an organization on Canada.ca	organizational description	Navigation and administration
navigation page – audience page	A landing page for a Canada.ca wide audience with a designated minister	resource list	Navigation and administration
navigation page – partnering and collaborative arrangement profile	A landing page for a partnering and/or collaborative arrangement on Canada.ca	organizational description	Navigation and administration
navigation page - search page	A search interface page on Canada.ca.	resource list	Navigation and administration
website terms and conditions	Terms of use of an institution’s content on Canada.ca	notice	Navigation and administration