Appropriate Use of Government of Canada Mobile Devices

From: Chief Information Officer of the Government of Canada

To: Deputy Heads and Departmental Chief Information Officers

Subject: Announcement – Appropriate Use of Government of Canada Mobile Devices

Message:

Colleagues,

Further to the removal of a number of applications from Government of Canada mobile devices this past year, we are following up on a commitment to provide additional guidance the deputy heads on appropriate use of these devices.

As you know, under the Policy on Service and Digital (Policy), deputy heads are accountable for monitoring the use of mobile devices by your employees. Setting employee expectations on acceptable use is a key deputy head responsibility under the Policy section 4.4.2.6.

In keeping with its responsibility to provide and operate government devices, Shared Services Canada (SSC) assists deputy heads to manage acceptable use and deliver services in a consolidated and standardized manner.

Mobile devices, like all government devices, are issued for work purposes and are Protected B assets that hold sensitive data and provide access to government systems. The Policy allows for limited personal use in Canada; however, Government of Canada mobile devices should only be taken outside Canada in cases of approved business-related travel.

Employees should be aware that usage of mobile devices is monitored and subject to public scrutiny. SSC provides usage data by device to your respective chief information officers, and excessive charges or non-work related charges are cost-recovered from departments by SSC.

Moving forward the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and SSC will work together to identify an enterprise approach for the automated management of mobile devices that will limit applications based on a set of criteria, including cyber security risk, data usage or costs, and other business considerations. This decision is aligned to TBS/OCIO’s overall responsibility for directing the management of information technology, including mobile devices. It is also aligned to work underway at SSC to deploy solutions to enhance the protection and effective management of mobile applications. In the meantime, employees should be encouraged to review the types of applications they have on their work mobile devices to ensure that the limited personal use allowed for under the Policy does not result in increased risk or cost to the Government of Canada.

Thank you for your ongoing support in ensuring that government mobile devices remain secure and are used appropriately in keeping with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service.

Stephen Burt
A/Chief Information Officer of Canada
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat / Government of Canada

Scott Jones
President, Shared Services Canada
Government of Canada

Associated Links

• Policy on Service and Digital
• Directive on Service and Digital
• Examples of Acceptable Network and Device Use (non-exhaustive list)
• Examples of Unacceptable Network and Device Use (non-exhaustive list of examples)
• Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector