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Table of Contents
Overview
Introduction
Part 1 General Administration Function
Part 2 Real Property Management Function
Part 3 Materiel Management Function
Part 4 Comptrollership Function
Part 5 Human Resources Management Function
Index
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Overview
These interim guidelines are issued to address the retention of common administrative
records of the Government of Canada until such time as new guidelines are developed in
accordance with the functional arrangement of the National Archives of Canada Multi-Institutional
Disposition Authorities (MIDAs). They replace the General Records Disposal
Schedules of the Government of Canada (GRDS), Fourth Edition 1986, PAC 86/001 in their
entirety for all matters dealing with the retention of common administrative records of
the Government of Canada.
Disposition authority for the disposal of records covered by these guidelines is
documented in MIDAs covering common administrative records. Schedule 2 of the GRDS,
however, continues to serve as the disposition authority for Buildings and Properties
until superceded by the release of a new MIDA for Buildings and Real Property.
The guidelines apply to records of institutions subject to the National Archives of
Canada Act when those records are collected, created or received to support internal
administrative functions. The guidelines do not apply, however, to records which are
collected, created or received by an institution in carrying out a government-wide
administrative function on behalf of the Government of Canada.
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Introduction
Purpose and content of these Guidelines
This instrument presents retention periods for common administrative records based on
best practices established over the last thirty years, and as well, contains Treasury
Board policy direction on the retention and disposal of records containing personal
information. Where destruction of records is not authorized, this instrument provides
information which helps an institution identify the appropriate disposition authority or
as required secure a new disposition authority. Although these guidelines include
essential information to facilitate the disposition of common administrative records,
National Archives of Canada Multi-Institutional Disposition Authorities (MIDAs)
will need to be consulted when records are excluded.
For each of the five administrative functions contained in this instrument, the subject
groups and subjects of the records are intentionally arranged in alphabetic order to
circumvent the variety of information classification structures and retrieval systems in
government institutions thereby simplifying the retrieval of retention information.
Use, interpretation and review
Records retention information is presented in the document under the heading of Retention
Guidelines and/or Remarks.
Recommended retention
When records are governed by an existing MIDA the retention information offered in this
instrument takes the form of retention guidelines expressed in months, calendar years and
fiscal years.
Exclusions – not authorized for disposition
The guidelines also contain an extensive number of exclusions, that is records
which are not specifically authorized for disposition by a MIDA and as such are not
allocated a specific retention period within these retention guidelines.
This primarily occurs because, either:
- the records can be more logically connected to the institution's operational mandate and should therefore be
included in an Institution-Specific Disposition Authority (ISDA) governing the records of
that institution; or
- because the records can be more logically grouped under another administrative activity
and should therefore inherit the retention period of that new activity.
A list of the type of records which would normally be excluded under each of the
administrative functions is contained in the introduction to parts 1 through 5.
Ultimately, institutional representatives are accountable for determining whether the
disposition of records is authorized either in a Multi-Institutional Disposition Authority
(MIDA) or in an Institution-Specific Disposition Authority (ISDA).
Where records clearly do not have a disposition authority or where there is some doubt
regarding disposition, consultation should take place between representatives of the
institution's corporate records and/or
information management office located at the Headquarters, and representatives of the
National Archives, Government Archives and Records Disposition Division (GARDD). A Records
Disposition Business Centre point of contact is provided for these purposes.
These guidelines can be used "as is" by government institutions. When the guidelines
do not meet institutional records retention requirements, they can be adjusted to
accommodate specific institutional needs. Both the retention and disposition of records
containing personal information about federal employees, however, are non-discretionary
and are addressed under the heading of Personal information.
Assistance
When it is determined that records are not authorized for disposition or when
disposition authority cannot be determined, institutional representatives should consult
the appropriate Information Systems Analyst of the Government Archives and Records
Disposition Division (GARDD) of the National Archives.
Federal Records Centres
When institutions use Federal Records Centres (FRCs) to manage records on their behalf,
representatives of FRCs will agree to accept the records only when they are covered by
valid disposition authorities or where there is a plan in place which will result in a
valid authority in a reasonable time. If these conditions are not met, FRC representatives
will refer institutional representatives to GARDD and alert the appropriate Information
Systems Analyst in GARDD.
This approach will assist client institutions in determining proper disposition
authority for records and facilitate the application of Federal Records Centre policy on
the management of records on behalf of client institutions.
Review
Institutional representatives are invited to share with the National Archives any
retention requirements not currently addressed by this guidance.
In addition, the National Archives has established the following review mechanisms.
When government institutions request FRCs to manage common administrative records on their
behalf, and institutional retention requirements for common administrative records exceed
the retention time frames offered as guidelines in this instrument, representatives of
FRCs will request from institutional representatives justification for deviating from the
guidelines.
Personal information
The retention and the disposition of records containing personal information are
governed by the Privacy Act and regulated by the Treasury Board which publishes
descriptions and retention and disposal standards for such records.
These guidelines include Treasury
Board's
retention and disposal standards for records described in Standard Banks and published in
its publication entitled Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information. The
retention and disposal information from standard Banks is compulsory and must be adhered
to. The authority for retention and disposal standards for records containing personal
information about federal employees is the Treasury Board of Canada.
Application
Multi-Institutional Disposition Authorities for common administrative records apply to
the administrative records of institutions subject to the National Archives of Canada
Act, provided that such records, collected, created or received in the conduct of
business, are not used to support a government-wide administrative function carried-out on
behalf of the Government of Canada.
Institutions mandated to perform a government-wide function on behalf of the Government
of Canada, are referred to as Offices of Primary Interest (OPIs). They are defined as
government institutions to which the authority, responsibility, and accountability to
perform a particular function – for the purpose of this instrument, an administrative
function – on behalf of the Government of Canada have been specifically assigned by
legislation, regulation, policy, or mandate.
Offices of Primary Interest create two sets of administrative records. The first set of
records consists of those records which relate to their role in the Government of Canada
as a leading government body or central agency in a given field, for example, Public Works
and Government Services Canada in the area of real property management. For such records,
the guidelines contained in this instrument do not apply. OPIs must therefore seek
separate disposition authorities for the records they create which are not common
and therefore not authorized for disposition in MIDAs covering common administrative
records.
The second set of records OPIs create is their internal administrative records which
can be classified as common administrative records. These guidelines apply to such
records. For example, the Department of Finance cannot apply these retention guidelines to
its financial management records which relate to its mandate as a central agency on behalf
of the Government of Canada, but can apply the retention guidelines to its internal
financial management and other administrative records.
The covering page of each of the five functions in this instrument provides examples of
those institutions for which the retention guidelines only apply to their internal
administrative records.
Implementation advice and assistance
Ultimately, individual institutions are accountable for the establishment and
implementation of retention periods, and for applying records disposition
authorities. Advice and assistance, however, can be obtained from the National Archives.
Use of these Guidelines
For advice and assistance on the use of these
guidelines and any other matter related to the management of government records,
contact the Office of Government Records.
Application and interpretation of MIDAs
For any matter concerning the application and interpretation of MIDAs, the appropriate
Information Systems Analyst, Government Archives and Records Disposition Division, can be
contacted directly or when the person's name is
unknown, through the following Centre:
Records Disposition Business Centre
Tel: (613) 947-1483
Email: IMGI@lac-bac.gc.ca
Regional contacts
In the regions, institutional representatives can contact the nearest Federal Records
Centre.
Pacific Region
Mr. Terry Kirk
Head, Accessions and Disposal
Pacific Region Federal Records Centre
National Archives of Canada
2751 Production Way
Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 3G7
Tel: (604) 666-1661
Fax: (604) 666-4963
Email: terry.kirk@lac-bac.gc.ca
Prairies-Northwest Region
Mr. John Perry
Head, Records Management
Prairies-Northwest Region Federal Records Centre
National Archives of Canada
8707-51 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 5H1
Tel: (780) 495-6691
Fax: (780) 495-2259
Email: john.perry@lac-bac.gc.ca
Manitoba Region
Mr. Todd Panas
Accession and Disposal Coordinator
Manitoba Region Federal Records Centre
National Archives of Canada
1700 Inkster Blvd
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 2T1
Tel: (204) 983-4496
Fax: (204) 983-4649
Email: todd.panas@lac-bac.gc.ca
Ontario Region
Ms. May Fischetti
Head, Accessions and Disposal
Ontario Region Federal Records Centre
National Archives of Canada
190 Carrier Drive
Rexdale, Ontario M9W 5R1
Tel: (416) 675-2557
Fax: (416) 675-2862
National Capital Region
Ms. Susan Clarke
Head, Reference and Disposal
National Capital Region Federal Records Centre
National Archives of Canada
Building #15
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N3
Tel: (613) 954-5906
Fax: (613) 952-3973
Email: susan.clarke@lac-bac.gc.ca
Quebec Region – Montreal
Mr. Serge Charland
Unit Head, Accession and Disposal
Quebec Region - Montreal Federal Records Centre
National Archives of Canada
645/655/665 Montée de Liesse
Ville St. Laurent, Quebec H4T 1P5
Tel: (514) 283-2273
Fax: (514) 283-7347
Quebec Region – Quebec City
Mr. Guy Ricard
Chief, Reference and Accessions
Quebec Region – Quebec City Federal Records Centre
National Archives of Canada
75 de Hambourg
Quebec, Quebec G3A 1S6
Tel: (418) 878-2825
Fax: (418) 878-3123
Atlantic Region
Mr. Robert Graham
Head, Accession and Disposal
Atlantic Region Federal Records Centre
National Archives of Canada
270 Bluewater Road
Bedford, Nova Scotia B4B 1J6
Tel: (902) 426-4982
Fax: (902) 426-8970
Email: robert.graham@lac-bac.gc.ca
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