ARCHIVED – The Canada–Ontario Immigration Agreement – Annex A: Consultation, Information Sharing and Research

Annex A
Consultation, Information Sharing and Research

1.0 Preamble

1.1 Canada and Ontario share a mutual interest in collaborating to:

1. enhance consultation and information sharing in order to meet the needs of immigrants, including prospective immigrants, and temporary residents, and to improve settlement and integration outcomes;
2. maintain and develop effective information sharing mechanisms;
3. foster co-operation in research and information sharing; and
4. ensure that policy development is informed by research and analysis of mutual interest.

2.0 Objectives

2.1 Canada and Ontario will:

1. collaborate in fostering effective working relations on immigration and refugee protection policy and operations;
2. consult on immigration policies, programs and legislation, as well as on their impact on Ontario;
3. work towards the resolution of issues related to the immigration policies, programs and legislation, and proposed solutions; and
4. identify opportunities for co-operation, consultation and information sharing.

3.0 Consultation process

3.1 Each Party will endeavour to provide reasonable advance notice of proposed changes to legislation, regulations, policies, programs and procedures that could have a significant impact on the other Party. Each Party may request of the other that any available operational analysis of the impact of the changes be shared.

3.2 Each Party has the right to request a meeting to discuss any proposed changes that could have a significant impact on the other Party, and such requests will not be unreasonably denied. Such meetings will take place in advance of the implementation of proposed changes.

3.3 Each Party will acknowledge and respond to requests for consultations and to proposals made by the other Party in a reasonable time.

3.4 Canada and Ontario will endeavour to implement policy, program and legislative changes, as agreed to through the consultation process, as expeditiously as possible.

4. 0 Information sharing and research

4.1 Canada and Ontario agree to inform each other in a timely manner of any immigration-related information sharing and research agreements or formal negotiations with government departments/ministries, municipalities and other parties concerned under Ontario’s jurisdiction such as school boards, professional, occupational and licensing bodies, quasi-governmental organizations, provincial Crown corporations, settlement agencies, and immigrant serving agencies that may have impact on immigration activities in Ontario.

4.2 Canada and Ontario will ensure, by audits if appropriate, that any sharing of information is conducted in accordance with applicable federal and provincial legislation and policies related to privacy, access to information and security of records recognizing each Party’s need to adhere to its own legislative requirements.

5.0 Sharing of personal information

5.1 All arrangements made for the sharing of personal information shall be in accordance with section 4.4.3 of the General Provisions.

5.2 The specific information to be provided by Canada to Ontario, the specific mechanisms by which it is to be provided and the conditions for the use of that information will be agreed to in separate Memoranda of Understanding subject to this Annex.

5.3 No aspect of this Annex shall supersede any previous agreements or arrangements between Canada and Ontario regarding sharing of personal information.

6.0 Research priorities

6.1 Canada and Ontario will consult annually on their respective research priorities and planned research activities. This consultation, which may cover the research plans of other provincial ministries and federal departments related to immigration, will be arranged through the Management Committee.

6.2 Ontario will continue to participate in existing federal-provincial-territorial consultative mechanisms, including the Working Groups on Information Sharing and Research and on the Enduring Federal Role for Research or other federal-provincial-territorial working groups that may be developed for these purposes.

6.3 Ontario will collaborate with Canada in supporting the development and maintenance of key immigration data for research purposes, including the IMDB (Immigration Database).

6.4 Ontario may request of Canada that research/operational analysis be undertaken specific to Ontario ’s needs and circumstances. Ontario’s requests shall be substantiated and must be of mutual benefit to both Parties. Such requests shall be duly considered and not unreasonably denied by Canada.

• Previous
• 1
• 2 (current)
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• Next