Library and Archives Canada's 2025–26 Departmental Plan at a glance

Planned spending: $72,927,691

Planned human resources: 351

Departmental results:

• LAC acquires a collection that is representative of Canada
  LAC will remain committed to serving as the memory of all Canadians, dedicated to demonstrating the complexity and diversity of the country through the records, publications, documents, photographs and other materials that comprise its rich heritage. In 2025–26, LAC will direct its acquisition efforts towards further developing underrepresented areas of its collections. Continuing to build relationships and trust with Indigenous and diversified communities through engagement and outreach activities will also help LAC work towards reconciliation and its goal of increasing representativeness within its collections. Reviewing acquisition strategies, in addition to its standardized guidance to support the transfer of records from Government of Canada (GC) institutions, will also support LAC's work towards developing collections that reflect the vast range of Canadian experiences.
  
• Documentary heritage acquired by LAC is processed in a timely manner to make it searchable
  LAC will continue to process its collections in a timely manner so that they are discoverable to users. In 2025–26, LAC will continue to process government records, published heritage and private archives within its service standards. It will also work collaboratively with relevant external groups, where possible, to describe its collections accurately and respectfully, including material related to Chinese immigration and Indigenous archival records. This will increase their discoverability for users within LAC's systems. In addition, LAC will streamline its efforts to proactively review and make available historic GC records, including improving metadata to ensure the public can find and access these records.
  
  Looking to the future, LAC will commit to advancing the Archival Information Revitalization Initiative (AIRI) to update its aging archival information system so that it can maintain and improve how it processes its acquisitions and makes the material in its collections more easily searchable for users and staff.
  
• LAC's collection is preserved within standards for current and future generations
  In preparation for the opening of Ādisōke, its joint facility with the Ottawa Public Library (OPL), LAC is planning to move some of its collections from 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa to the new facility. During this move, LAC intends to use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology that will ensure the collections' security and support better collections management.
  
  LAC will also continue work to maintain the facilities that house its collections. Planned maintenance and renovation projects at its Renfrew Collections Storage Facility in Ontario will help stabilize this building so that it can safely store LAC's collections. A new Collection Storage Framework will provide guidance to help preserve and enable access to LAC's collections over the long term. In addition, LAC will try to preserve 1,500 terabytes (TB) of digital material in 2025–26, increasing its overall holdings to 17,000 TB. An updated Digital Preservation Policy and continued implementation of its Digitization Strategy and Digitization Action Plan will help ensure efficiency and that LAC's digitization efforts are aligned with its priorities.

More information about Core responsibility 1: Acquiring and preserving documentary heritage can be found in the full departmental plan.

Planned spending: $90,963,184

Planned human resources: 438

Departmental results:

• Canadians increasingly access Canada's documentary heritage
  LAC will move full steam ahead in 2025–26 with preparations for Ādisōke, which will open in the summer of 2026. LAC will spend the year finalizing plans for the new facility's exhibitions, services, programs and spaces, all conceived in light of LAC's vision to meet the needs of its users, support reconciliation and showcase diverse experiences. This transformation of how LAC is delivering its services will also extend beyond Ādisōke. User-friendly integrated online spaces and services will help reach users across the country, and LAC anticipates three million unique visitors will access its website and online applications in 2025–26. LAC will continue to encourage and incorporate user feedback to improve its service delivery and programs.
  
  Furthermore, LAC remains committed to facilitating access to its collections through its digitization efforts, aiming to digitize 5.8 million images in 2025–26. To broaden its reach, LAC will continue to foster partnerships, most notably with Internet Archive Canada, to help provide wide-ranging and free access to its collections. In addition, to further increase access to its collections, this fiscal year LAC will harness the powers of artificial intelligence (AI) by continuing to use Transkribus, an AI technology that more quickly processes digitized handwritten documents, transforming analog material into usable data more discoverable to users.
  
• LAC contributes to the advancement of Canada as a free and democratic society by providing access to records
  Through continued progress in the implementation of the ATIP Action Plan, LAC is aiming to process 70% of all ATIP requests in 2025–26. To achieve its target and reduce its backlog of ATIP requests, LAC plans to review internal operations, update standards and procedures, and engage and collaborate with external stakeholders. The renovations planned for LAC's Winnipeg facility, intended to enhance workspace capacity for staff and digitization activities related to ATIP requests, will also contribute to LAC's ability to achieve its goals this fiscal year and help ensure that LAC can continue to meet its obligations with regards to ATIP in the future. LAC will also continue to provide responsive support and access to records for GC class action litigation and other legal obligations.
  
• Canadians are more aware of their documentary heritage
  To advance its strategic vision of increasing awareness of and access to its collections, LAC will implement its Master Interpretative Plan, which provides an overall user-centric strategy and introduces updated service offerings. LAC will continue to engage actively in national awareness campaigns, such as Freedom to Read Week, and celebrate key commemorative anniversaries, like Remembrance Day. It will also continue to reach people in a variety of cultural spaces through exhibitions and loans, as well as through a robust online presence designed to draw visitors across all regions. In anticipation of Ādisōke's opening, LAC will expand its in-person public programming and develop new educational content for schools and families. Furthermore, as a leader within the field, LAC will continue its initiatives to increase capacity within the library and archival communities by providing contributions through its Documentary Heritage Communities Program.
  
  Embedding the principles of reconciliation into its services, decisions and actions, LAC will continue to consult with the Indigenous Advisory Circle to obtain advice and recommendations on LAC services and programs. LAC will also continue to advance the whole-of-government approach to the management and sharing of Indigenous data and to facilitate Indigenous data sovereignty, which recognizes the ability of Indigenous Peoples and communities to control data that is created with or about themselves. In addition, LAC will renew its Indigenous Heritage Action Plan to help recognize Indigenous rights and needs with respect to its activities and operations.
  
  In line with its Vision 2030 strategic plan to engage with both the local and international communities, LAC will continue stakeholder engagement and participate in a number of national and international committees, organizations and forums. LAC will be particularly front and centre on the international stage with Librarian and Archivist of Canada Leslie Weir taking on the position of President of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions beginning in August 2025.

More information about Core responsibility 2: Providing access to documentary heritage can be found in the full departmental plan.