Over 99% of the Archives’ holdings are in a paper format and the only means by which ongoing public access to these important records can be ensured is through careful long term storage and a timely retrieval service. Modernizing the Archives of Ontario to improve preservation and public access is central to its strategic plan to become a customer-centred public service.

In 2000, to address this challenge, the Archives embarked on a two-phase accommodation strategy.

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Archives ONE's archival storage facility

The first phase, securing long-term storage and retrieval services, is complete. In March 2006, the Archives of Ontario completed the transfer of over 300,000 containers of irreplaceable archival records to a new privately owned and operated facility that provides environmental controls and security equal to any in the world.

The meticulous process of evaluating and procuring appropriate long-term archival storage and retrieval services from within the private sector has resulted in a new level of quality in the preservation of the vast documentary record of the province of Ontario. It was also discovered while researching the project that the approach is unique. No other government archives in the world was found to be using this model to satisfy its long-term storage requirements.

The net benefits are twofold. Most importantly, the public record is now properly stored and protected in a facility that is second to none. Further, retrieval times have dropped from between 48 and 72 hours to as little as 3 hours.

The second phase of the Accommodation Strategy is also unique in its approach. It will see a private sector developer, selected through a public proposal-call process, design, build, finance and facility-manage a new main public service facility for the Archives in the City of Toronto. The target date for the completion of this phase is March, 2009.

Follow these links to learn more about the offsite storage project:

• Background
• Project Strategy and Planning
• Project Implementation
• The New Facility
• Service Improvements

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