Promoting Excellence in Recordkeeping
Services to Government
Under the authority of the Archives and Recordkeeping Act, 2006 the Archives of Ontario provides recordkeeping advisory services to assist Ontario government ministries and designated provincial agencies meet their recordkeeping responsibilities under the Act. To foster government accountability and transparency, and to promote excellence in government recordkeeping practices, the Archives has developed and released supporting tools, guides, and related training and education materials.
The Archives of Ontario supports ministries and agencies in their records scheduling activities and manages the tracking of over 14,000 Archivist-approved record retention schedules. These schedules are available online to all Ontario government staff and can be made available to designated government agencies.
The provincial agencies that are designated as public bodies under the Archives and Recordkeeping Act, 2006 ( Click Here) are listed in Regulation 336/07.
Common government functions such as administration, policy development, legal services, communications, and executive management are practiced in every ministry within the Government of Ontario. Because the types of records created and maintained by offices carrying out these functions are essentially the same, it is efficient and effective to have common record series that each office can apply consistently to its own records (paper and electronic).
Transitory records are common to every government public body and their retention and destruction are authorized by a common series as well.
The following common records series became effective 2008:
- Administrative Functions of the Government of Ontario - [Word - PDF]
- Communications Services - [Word - PDF]
- Deputy Ministers’ Offices - [Word - PDF]
- Legal Services - [Word - PDF]
- Policy and Planning Functions - [Word - PDF]
The following 15 Government of Ontario Function-Based Common Records Series were launched in 2015:
- Employee Management -[PDF]
- Equipment and Supplies - [PDF]
- Facilities and Property Management -[PDF]
- Financial Management - [PDF]
- Fleet Management -[PDF]
- Information Management - [PDF]
- Information Technology - [PDF]
- Labour Relations - [PDF]
- Learning and Development - [PDF]
- Legal Services - [PDF]
- Occupational Health and Safety - [PDF]
- Organizational Design -[PDF]
- Public and Stakeholder Relations - [PDF]
- Publishing - [PDF]
- Strategic Management - [PDF]
The following records schedules were developed in 2015 for use by staff in ministers’ offices and the Premier’s Office:
Recordkeeping Amendments to FIPPA/MFIPPA
The Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014 amended the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). The FIPPA/MFIPPA amendments related to recordkeeping are contained in Schedule 6 of the Act and take effect on January 1, 2016. For more information, see below:
- Information Sheet with Questions and Answers - [PDF]
Recordkeeping Training Materials and Resources
- Records and Information Management (RIM) 101 [Word]
Helps you understand your RIM obligations under law and policy by defining a public record, identifying its two different types, and reviewing the management of each type.
- Records and Information Management (RIM) 102 [PDF]
Built on RIM 101, RIM 102 discusses what good records management is and how to manage your records simply and effectively.
Should it Stay or Should it Go [PDF]
The flow chart maps out each step of record management throughout its life cycle within the context of OPS from how to identify a public record and its type (transitory vs. business) to its final disposition.
Bulletins
For additional information please feel free to contact us.