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Government of Canada information and data management

Information and data management is a discipline that directs and supports effective and efficient management of information and data in an organization, from planning and systems development to disposal and/or long-term preservation. In the Government of Canada, information and data are safeguarded as a public trust and managed as a strategic asset to maximize its value in the service of Canadians.

Strategy

The renewed 2023-2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service supports government-wide priorities and aims to shape the landscape of federal, national, and international digital and data related initiatives. This includes complementing and enhancing the Government of Canada’s Digital Ambition. The Strategy expands on the Digital Ambition’s theme, “Data-enabled digital services and programs,” with a focus on maximizing the public value of data while protecting privacy and being transparent.

Reporting

Get involved

If you’re a member of the federal public service, you can join the Community of Practice on Data and Information (CPDI) and its specialized working groups on GCXchange. 

If you are new to the platform and wondering how to use it, visit the FAQs (sharepoint.com). 

Contact us: ServiceDigital-ServicesNumerique@tbs-sct.gc.ca

Policy instruments

The Policy on Service and Digital and supporting policy instruments serve as a set of rules on how Government of Canada organizations manage service delivery, information and data, information technology, and cyber security.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat identified the need for new information management policy requirements and the revision of existing policy instruments under the Policy on Service and Digital. New or revised instruments will be posted on the Treasury Board Policy Suite website as they are approved.

Directives
Directive on Service and Digital
The objective of this directive is to articulate how Government of Canada organizations manage service delivery, information and data, information technology, and cyber security in the digital era.
Directive on Open Government
The objective of this directive is to maximize the release of government information and data of business value to support transparency, accountability, citizen engagement and socio-economic benefits through reuse, subject to restrictions for privacy, confidentiality and security.
Standards
Standard on Systems that Manage Information and Data (Directive on Service and Digital Appendix J)
The objective of this standard is to ensure that Government of Canada systems that manage information or data are configured to manage it effectively and securely, either independently or in conjunction with one another.
Standard for Managing Metadata (Directive on Service and Digital Appendix L)
The objective of this standard is to provide direction on managing metadata for all Government of Canada information and data to realize the expected results of digital government for Canadians.
Standard on Geospatial Data
The objective of this standard is to support stewardship and interoperability of information by ensuring that departments access, use and share geospatial data efficiently and effectively to support program and service delivery.

Resources

Guideline on Service and Digital

This guideline supports the Government of Canada in implementing the Treasury Board Policy on Service and Digital and Directive on Service and Digital, with advice, considerations, and best practices.

Guidance for employees: information management basics

The Guidance for Employees of the Government of Canada: Information Management Basics is designed for all Government of Canada employees and is relevant to a wide variety of environments.

There may be additional practices and procedures in place in your institution, so we encourage you to consult your manager and information management specialists, as needed.

This guideline will help you to:

  • Gain a basic understanding of information and records management concepts.
  • Learn how you can start applying them today.
  • Shape the way you work with information. You will quickly discover both immediate and long-term benefits.

Guidance on Assessing Metadata Needs

This guidance provides advice to departmental officials on how to assess their metadata needs in respect of section L.2.2.1 of the Directive on Service and Digital Appendix L: Standard for Managing Metadata. 

Guidance on Metadata Life Cycle Management

This guidance provides advice on how departmental officials can effectively manage metadata consistent with the information and data life cycle in respect of section L.2.2.4 of the Directive on Service and Digital Appendix L: Standard for Managing Metadata and section J.2.2.4 of the Directive on Service and Digital Appendix J: Standard on Systems that Manage Information and Data. 

Guidance on Prescribing Metadata Reference Standards

This guidance provides advice to departmental officials on how to decide on the metadata reference standards they will formally endorse and prescribe for departmental use, particularly as this applies to metadata reference standards that have been developed by external organizations. 

Guidance on Data Quality

This guidance provides departmental officials with a common vocabulary for understanding data quality and advice on how to approach it in practice in support of sections 4.3.1.1 and 4.3.2.1 of the Policy on Service and Digital, section 4.3.1.3 of the Directive on Service and Digital, and sections 6.3.1, 6.3.3 and 6.3.4 of the Directive on Automated Decision-Making.

Additional information and data governance guidance

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat has developed additional guidance on information management and data governance issues to respond to frequently asked questions and/or emerging information management challenges faced by many departments.

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