This Plan lays out our agenda for the next two years. Our longer-term vision for success is that Canadians can engage meaningfully with governments through open dialogue, open government data, and information to support innovation and hold government accountable for the decisions we make.

As the President of the Treasury Board, I am responsible for maintaining our international relationship with the Open Government Partnership (OGP), and I welcome the important role we play. I embrace the opportunity for Canada to be a global leader towards more open and transparent government.

Along with collaborating more within the federal government, we will work with First Nations, the provinces, territories and municipalities along with the rest of our partners around the world. We look forward to tackling the challenges that open information and open dialogue will present to us, because we recognize that we will better serve Canadians by collaborating not only within government, but also with citizens and civil society. Public engagement needs to be a critical component of everything we do.

This is an exciting time for Canadians. The Government of Canada is fully committed to raising the bar on openness and transparency. Upon assuming office in November 2015, the Prime Minister issued an open letter to Canadians to repeat this commitment. In ministerial mandate letters to each of his Cabinet Ministers, the Prime Minister again reinforced his expectation that all federal Ministers will do their part to ensure an open, honest government that is accountable to Canadians, lives up to the highest ethical standards, and advances Canadians' priorities with a renewed sense of collaboration.

Through the OGP, governments have worked to develop innovative approaches to serving the public. They are making it easier to access government services and communicate with officials, and making valuable information readily available to the public. Canada is active as a global leader on open government and joined the OGP in April 2012 . Through this forum, Canada has both shared and learned from international best practices to advance priorities and standards for openness. Canada provided guidance to countries around the world through its chairing of the OGP’s Open Data Working Group, and spearheaded the development of common open data principles and standards for worldwide adoption. Canada was recently ranked 4 th out of 92 countries by the World Wide Web Foundation’s Open Data Barometer which measures countries’ readiness to implement open data initiatives, their progress in implementing open data, and the results they are achieving using open data.

Open government is increasingly becoming a global priority. Governments around the world are taking advantage of digital technologies to advance transparency and make information more readily available to the public. This in turn can feed innovation and permit citizens to participate more fully in the activities of government. The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multilateral initiative to foster greater transparency and accountability, improve governance, and increase civic engagement worldwide. OGP members are expected to develop national action plans to be implemented over a two-year period. Plans must advance the principles of transparency, accountability, citizen participation, and technology and innovation. The OGP also expects countries to select one or more "Grand Challenges" and identify related commitments that reflect their unique context. The OGP’s five "Grand Challenges" are:

Beyond the activities of federal departments and agencies, other levels of government are also actively involved in open government. Provinces, territories, and municipalities across the country are making key advances in open data and open dialogue. Responsibility for many important issues such as climate change, education, and growing the economy is shared across the multiple levels of government in Canada. Governments in Canada are committed to working together. Through a collaborative, coordinated approach, partners can bring together data and information from across jurisdictions. In turn, this can provide Canadian information seekers with a single view of the data and information they want, regardless of where it originates.

The Treasury Board President is the Minister responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of Canada’s national action plans on open government. In Budget 2016, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $11.5M over five years to double the Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) capacity to support engagement with Canadians, to design and deliver an ambitious open government strategy, and to accelerate the provision of digital content. It also provided $12.9M over five years to make it easier for Canadians to access government information, including their personal information.

Open and transparent government figures prominently in the agenda of the federal government. In the December 2015 Speech from the Throne and the most recent federal budget in March 2016 , the Government committed to Canadians and Parliamentarians to raise the bar for openness and transparency. The Government of Canada will restore trust in public institutions by conducting business in an open and transparent way and making sure Canadians’ voices are heard.

Openness and transparency are fundamental to ensuring Canadians’ trust in their government and in democracy overall. Citizens expect their government to be open, transparent, and accountable. They also expect their government to deliver real, meaningful results, in a fair, efficient, and responsible manner. The Government of Canada’s commitment to openness is intended to foster greater transparency and accountability, and to help create a more cost-effective, efficient, and responsive government for all Canadians.

"Canadians need to have faith in their government’s honesty and willingness to listen. That is why we committed to set a higher bar for openness and transparency in Ottawa. Government and its information must be open by default. Simply put, it is time to shine more light on government to make sure it remains focused on the people it was created to serve – you."

In February 2016 , the OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) published its report on Canada’s progress (PDF, 1.34 MB) in implementing its second Action Plan. This mid-term report observed that all of Canada’s commitments were clearly relevant to advancing the objectives and values of the OGP, and that Canada had substantially completed two-thirds of them by the end of 2015. The IRM also provided key recommendations on areas to focus future open government activities, including reforming Access to Information legislation, increasing data quality, and supporting meaningful public dialogue. These recommendations have inspired many of the commitments in Canada’s Third Biennial Plan to the Open Government Partnership.

In the last eight months, Canada has undertaken additional activities to enhance open government both at home and abroad, and demonstrated a strong commitment to openness and transparency:

Since becoming a member of the OGP, Canada has deepened and expanded its efforts to advance the principles of openness, transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement across government. Canada’s second Action Plan on Open Government included 12 commitments under three key pillars: Open Data, Open Information, and Open Dialogue. More than 50 deliverables and activities were completed, such as:

Full details of the results of these consultation activities will be published in a What We Heard report to be made available on open.canada.ca .

Canadians were invited to share and discuss their ideas for open government commitments to address a number of broad themes which reflect international trends in open government, targeted "grand challenges" identified by the Open Government Partnership, and key areas of activity where accelerated openness and transparency can have the greatest potential impact.

As part of his keynote address to the Canadian Open Dialogue Forum on March 31, 2016 , Treasury Board President Scott Brison launched a series of public consultations to support development of the Plan. This consultation was completed over a three-month period and leveraged both in-person and online approaches to engaging Canadians:

Canada’s Third Biennial Plan to the Open Government Partnership has been developed in consultation with citizens, civil society organizations, and the private sector, and in collaboration with other levels of government in Canada.

IV. Canada’s Open Government Commitments (2016-2018)

Canada’s Third Biennial Plan to the Open Government Partnership consists of 22 commitments that help address four of the OGP’s Grand Challenges: improving public services, increasing public integrity, more effectively managing public resources, and increasing corporate accountability. These commitments have been selected by considering the extent to which they reflect the following characteristics:

Relevance: Does the activity support the Government’s open and transparent mandate commitments, the Speech from the Throne, and/or Budget 2016? Does it relate to one or more of the OGP’s Grand Challenges?

Does the activity support the Government’s open and transparent mandate commitments, the Speech from the Throne, and/or Budget 2016? Does it relate to one or more of the OGP’s Grand Challenges? Transformative Impact: Is the activity ambitious, supporting change to the status quo? Does it help move the Government of Canada further along the Open Government scale?

Is the activity ambitious, supporting change to the status quo? Does it help move the Government of Canada further along the Open Government scale? Efficiency: Does the activity improve efficiencies within the Government of Canada, among stakeholders, and/or between the Government and stakeholders?

Does the activity improve efficiencies within the Government of Canada, among stakeholders, and/or between the Government and stakeholders? Audience Reach: Will the activity have a broad effect on a wide range of Canadians, including citizens, civil society, academia, and industry?

Will the activity have a broad effect on a wide range of Canadians, including citizens, civil society, academia, and industry? Public Support: Have Canadians indicated their support and interest in this activity through public consultations, civil society discussions, or through other means?

Have Canadians indicated their support and interest in this activity through public consultations, civil society discussions, or through other means? Capacity: Is the Government of Canada able to implement the activity within expected timeframes?

Canada’s previous Action Plans included commitments grouped under open data, open information, and open dialogue, and the Government of Canada remains committed to advancing those three key types of activity. Many open government activities, however, touch on more than one category of activity. As well, feedback from Canadians during public consultations indicated that open government efforts should be focussed on achieving goals. Rather than being organized in terms of data, information, and dialogue, Canada’s approach in this new Plan is structured within four priority areas:

Open by Default: Canadians can easily access government data and information in open, standardized formats. Citizens have the tools and information they need to hold government to account, which builds trust in public institutions; Fiscal Transparency: Government of Canada financial and budget information is available and easy to understand, allowing Canadians to track how their tax dollars are spent and understand how government fiscal decisions are made, and enabling Parliament to review and approve government spending; Innovation, Prosperity, and Sustainable Development: Government data and information can be used in innovative ways by Canadians to improve their lives, their businesses, and their country; and to create sustainable, inclusive social and economic progress worldwide; and Engaging Canadians and the World: Canadians have the information they need to meaningfully interact with and participate in their democracy. They have the opportunity to make their voices heard on government policy and programs from the start. Canada demonstrates leadership by championing open government principles and initiatives around the world.

A. Open by Default The Government of Canada has committed to being "open by default", sharing government data and information, wherever feasible, to provide public benefit, support citizen engagement, and strengthen accountability. This data and information belongs to Canadians, and there is a broad range of benefits associated with making it open and available for reuse. Open by default is about providing easy and consistent access to government data and information in open, standardized, digital formats. This gives Canadians the tools and information they need to hold government to account. It helps build public confidence and mutual trust between citizens and government, a critical ingredient for effective government. Being "open by default" means not only providing proactive access to open data and information, it also means responding efficiently and effectively to Canadians’ requests for government information, including their own personal information. It means simple, affordable, and efficient systems for requesting information, and meaningful responses to these requests in a timely manner. Being "open by default" also means allowing Canadians to more easily access government services through a single online window. Government is here to serve Canadians, and the more effective those services are, the better the Government is performing. By openly tracking performance against service standards, the Government can foster greater trust by Canadians in their public institutions, while at the same time driving service delivery improvements. Shifting to greater sharing of data and information requires a great deal of work, and a fundamental shift in government’s way of doing business. Public servants need to have the skills and leadership to make openness part of their day-to-day work. Canadians need to have confidence that government is moving forward, becoming more open and transparent, and delivering on commitments. They also need to know that those commitments are having an impact, making government decision-making processes better and improving programs and services. Strong measurement and accountability frameworks will help demonstrate the value of "open by default". Commitment 1: Enhance Access to Information The Government of Canada will move forward on a first round of concrete proposals to improve the Access to Information Act, informed by the views of Parliament, the Information Commissioner, and consultations with Canadians, and will then undertake a full review of the Act by no later than 2018. Why do this: Canada was an early adopter of access to information legislation, first introducing the Access to Information Act in 1983. The Access to Information Act maintains openness and transparency by serving the important public interest of enabling public debate on the conduct of government institutions, in turn strengthening the accountability of the Government of Canada to Canadians. In recent years, the need to update the Act has been noted during open government consultations and by the Information Commissioner as well as other stakeholders. It has not been significantly updated since 1983. How will it be done: In March 2016 , the Government announced a two-step approach to revitalize access to information: (1) move forward in the near term on the Government’s commitments to improve the Access to Information Act, followed by (2) a full review of the Act, no later than 2018. The Government’s commitments to improve the Act in the near term include: Making government data and information open by default, in formats that are modern and easy to use;

Eliminating all fees, except for the initial $5 filing fee;

Providing requestors with a written explanation when information cannot be released;

Giving Government institutions and the Information Commissioner authority to decline to process requests that are frivolous or vexatious;

Giving the Information Commissioner the power to order the release of government information;

Ensuring that the Access to Information Act applies appropriately to the Prime Minister’s and Ministers’ Offices, as well as administrative institutions that support Parliament and the courts;

Undertaking a mandatory legislative review of the Access to Information Act every five years; and

Strengthening performance reporting on the Access to Information program. To make early progress on these commitments, on May 5, 2016 the Government of Canada issued an Interim Directive on the Administration of the Access to Information Act. The Directive sends a strong message across federal institutions that government information belongs to the people it serves and should be open by default. It emphasizes that government information should be available to the public, except in very limited and specific situations when it must be protected for reasons such as privacy, confidentiality, and security. The Directive also directs federal officials to: waive all Access to Information fees apart from the $5 filing fee; and

release information in user-friendly formats (e.g. spreadsheets), whenever feasible. Milestones: Seek input from Parliament, the Information Commissioner, stakeholders and through consultations with Canadians on how to revitalize access to information.

Introduce legislation to move forward on improvements to the Access to Information Act.

Once this first round of improvements has been implemented, undertake a full review of the Access to Information Act by no later than 2018. Lead Department: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, working with Justice Canada and the Privy Council Office Commitment 2: Streamline Requests for Personal Information The Government of Canada will make it easier for Canadians to access their own personal information held by the federal government. Why do this: Transparency includes providing Canadians with timely access to their own personal information held by government. How will it be done: To make it easier for Canadians to access government information, including their personal information, the Government will create a simple, central website where Canadians can submit requests to any government institution. This will be backed up with a 30-day guarantee for personal information requests: should a request take longer than 30 days to fulfill, it is proposed that the Government will provide a written explanation for the delay to the requester and to the Privacy Commissioner. Milestones: Develop a central website where Canadians can submit personal information requests to any government institution, with first phase of roll-out targeted for 2018.

Implement a 30-day guarantee for requests for personal information, backed by a commitment to provide a written explanation to the requester and the Privacy Commissioner should a request take longer than 30 days to fulfill. Lead Department: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Commitment 3: Expand and Improve Open Data The Government of Canada will increase the quality and visibility of federal data holdings and set measurable targets for the release of open data over the next five years. Why do this: Open data has the potential to transform how government officials make decisions and how citizens interact with government. By providing a range of quality open data from reliable sources, Canada will support informed participation and engagement in the development of programs, services, and policies by citizens and government workers alike. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that its data is open by default. Data must be discoverable, accessible, and reusable without restriction so as to enhance transparency, enable better services to Canadians, facilitate innovation, and inform public participation. How will it be done: Over the last five years, federal departments and agencies have established a good foundation of available open data. The Treasury Board Secretariat’s current Directive on Open Government requires federal departments to maximize the release of eligible government data and publish Open Government Implementation Plans outlining how they would implement the Directive’s requirements. The next step is about increasing the diversity, timeliness, and quality of data released, to maximize the potential impact of the reuse of the Government’s data by Canadians. As an example, Statistics Canada will increase access to high-quality statistical information in open formats, including releasing all 2016 Census data a full 10 months sooner than the 2011 Census. Steps will also be taken to ensure the data are well understood by Canadians. In addition, a key focus will be placed on streamlining and improving the process by which departments proactively disclose information on government spending and human resources online. Finally, the Government of Canada will continue to take advantage of opportunities to share best practices and work with data experts both nationally and internationally to improve its own open data services and support the release of high quality data. Milestones: Develop and publish departmental inventories of federal data, as required by the Directive on Open Government, to support collaboration with the public on setting priorities for the release of open data.

Set a baseline for the total volume of open data to be released over time and establish departmental targets for the publication of releasable data over the next five years: Publish departmental targets and progress on departments’ release of open data.

Develop and refine guidance to help federal departments and agencies set priorities for the release of high-value open data and understand the specific circumstances under which data cannot be released for privacy, security, and/or confidentiality reasons: Establish data quality standards for open data; Provide guidance on engaging with key communities in Canada (e.g., First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, etc.) to better understand their needs when setting priorities for the release of open data; Develop metadata standards to enhance data interoperability and discoverability; and Develop guidance on the anonymization of datasets.

Provide access to high-quality, open statistical data and information from Statistics Canada, free of charge, in machine-readable formats under an open license and accessible via open.canada.ca: Release the results of the 2016 Census (Short Form and Long Form) in 2017 based on a published release schedule; and Host on-line "Chat with an Expert" and in-person "Talking Stats" sessions to enable Canadians to interact with Statistics Canada analysts and better understand the published data.

Improve Canadians’ access to data and information proactively disclosed by departments and agencies through a single, common online search tool: Enhance self-service tools for departments to publish proactive disclosure information to strengthen the quality of data being released.

Adopt the International Open Data Charter and initiate implementation of the Charter requirements: Encourage civil society and private sector organizations to open up their own data where this would be of public benefit; and Measure progress and report on Canada’s implementation of Charter principles.

Lead Departments: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat; Statistics Canada Commitment 4: Provide and Preserve Open Information The Government of Canada will establish government-wide initiatives, platforms, and tools to ensure that open information is discoverable and accessible for use by future generations. Why do this: Canada has made significant progress on improving public access to government data under its last two Action Plans. By improving access to other forms of government information and ensuring preservation of this information, the Government of Canada can promote and maintain informed participation and sound decision-making. How will it be done: The Government of Canada will provide enhanced, centralized, one-stop access to digital content from departments and agencies across government. Guidance will be provided to ensure the ongoing preservation of this information through the application of consistent standards and practices for long-term preservation. Milestones: Enhance the Open Information Portal on open.canada.ca to improve access to digital publications made available by the federal government and develop a strategy to ensure the sustainability of access over time.

Develop and publish clear guidelines on the preservation and retention of digital content.

Increase Canadians’ access to records documenting the continuing memory of the Government of Canada.

Update Library and Archives Canada’s online archive of the Government of Canada’s web presence to ensure Canadians’ long-term access to federal web content.

Expand the implementation of the government-wide information technology solution for the effective management of federal records and documents (GCDOCS) as a foundation for improved transparency: Roll out this common solution managed by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) to 125,000 government workers across government departments by June 2018 .

Lead Departments: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat; Library and Archives Canada; Public Services and Procurement Canada Commitment 5: Define an Approach for Measuring Open Government Performance The Government of Canada will integrate performance indicators for openness and transparency into a Performance Management Framework for Open Government. Why do this: Open government is a relatively new way of doing things, and there is no single, common, and agreed-upon methodology to measure progress on all aspects that are important to Canada. As Canada defines its goals, it will also have to define how it wants to measure them, identifying interim steps towards longer term objectives. How will it be done: Government departments and agencies are publishing their plans for releasing data and information. The Government will use these plans to help measure progress on improving openness and transparency. Further analysis will be completed as part of the development of an overall Performance Management Framework for government-wide information management. Work will also be done to better measure progress on broad open government efforts. Milestones: Integrate key performance indicators related to openness and transparency as part of a Performance Framework for managing data and information government-wide.

Measure and report publically on annual departmental progress on implementation of the Directive on Open Government.

Work on developing a performance management framework and indicators that can better measure a wider breadth of Open Government efforts and outcomes. Lead Department: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Commitment 6: Develop Open Government Skills across the Federal Public Service The Government of Canada will support a shift to greater transparency and engagement within the public service through Open Government learning material and opportunities for public servants. Why do this: Public servants in the Government of Canada must change how they design and deliver programs and services to support Canada’s commitments to transparency and public engagement. An openness mindset needs to be integrated into their day-to-day business activities. Open data, for example, is useful not only to those who regularly evaluate and use data to support financial, statistical, and socio-economic analysis, but also to non-data specialists working in policy, operational, and service delivery areas. Sharing and leveraging data, information, and technology across the government can help innovation flourish. How will it be done: Individuals working in departments across government will have access to learning material to build their skills and capabilities for using open data, open information, and open dialogue to support better operational and policy decisions. Furthermore, to boost the value of available open data to Canadians, public servants can be guided to understand how to set priorities for data or information publication, based on its potential value to users both inside and outside of government. Milestones: Provide enhanced information management learning opportunities and additional materials to raise public servants’ awareness and understanding of open government principles and practices, including: Using open data and information to support policy analysis and development; Sharing best practices in digital public engagement; Setting priorities for the release of open data and information based on potential public impact and benefit; and Implementing the Directive on Open Government.

Lead and/or participate in educational forums and workshops designed to further the understanding of how to increase government transparency and foster civic engagement.

Through public consultation on the 2016 Government of Canada IT Strategic Plan, consider feedback on how software solutions, including open source, can be best leveraged to meet strategic objectives. Lead Departments: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat; Canada School of Public Service Commitment 7: Embed Transparency Requirements in the Federal Service Strategy The Government of Canada will develop a new Clients-First Service Strategy that embeds requirements for openness and transparency in the delivery of government services. Why do this: Excellence in service delivery is at the core of citizens’ expectations for their governments. For a government to truly be open and accountable, it must deliver responsive services and be transparent on results. How will it be done: The Government is developing a Service Strategy that will transform service design and delivery across the public service, putting clients at the centre. Milestones: Develop a Government of Canada Clients-First Service Strategy that aims to create a single, user-centric online window for all government services.

Establish new performance standards and set up a mechanism to conduct rigorous assessments of the performance of key government services, and report findings publicly. Lead Department: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Commitment 8: Enhance Access to Culture & Heritage Collections The Government of Canada will expand collaboration with its provincial, territorial, and municipal partners and key stakeholders to develop a searchable National Inventory of Cultural and Heritage Artefacts to improve access across museum collections. Why do this: An increasing proportion of Canadian Culture and Heritage artefacts is available in a digitized format. This opens new opportunities to expand the scope and reach of Canadian museums and the social and economic benefits they deliver to Canadians. Using Linked Open Data approaches, this initiative will link the collections across Canadian museums forming a National Inventory of Cultural and Heritage Artefacts. How will it be done: In 2015-16, the Canadian Heritage Information Network Program (CHIN) partnered with eight art museums across Canada to develop an approach to link the collections of each museum with each other, and to related external resources, based on industry best practices (e.g., Linked Open Data). This work demonstrates the feasibility of using Open Data approaches to link collections across museums and other memory organizations. Building on these results, CHIN will develop and implement a multi-year business strategy to work with the Culture and Heritage community to grow the network of linked collections through the Canadian Culture and Heritage Linked Open Data Cloud. Milestones: Develop authorities and standards to guide the consistent implementation of this approach.

Enhance the ability to search and browse across museum collections.

Expand the network of museums participating in this initiative and the links to related external resources.

Host digital collections for museums that currently do not have a digital presence. Lead Department: Canadian Heritage

B. Fiscal Transparency The Government of Canada is continuing to explore new approaches for increasing the transparency of departmental spending. Citizens want to be able to "follow the money" in order to better understand how their tax dollars are spent, and how government financial decisions are made. By proactively providing information on government spending in reusable formats, government will ensure that Canadians can better understand where their tax dollars are going and hold the Government accountable for decisions on spending. This starts with fundamental budget and spending information to understand how government is allocating funds and how those funds are actually used for programs and services. In some cases, this means opening up data and information on particular spending processes. Across budgets, estimates, contracts, grants, and contributions, the Government of Canada will strengthen transparency in its planning, use, and management of public funds. It will also be more transparent about the fiscal and economic information it collects, including information on Canadian corporations. Finally, the Government will provide Canadians with the tools they need to visualize spending data and compare fiscal information across departments, between locations, and over time. Commitment 9: Enhance Openness of Information on Government Spending and Procurement The Government of Canada will increase the transparency of government spending and procurement to hold government accountable for public expenditures. Why do this: Canadians expect their government to implement effective and efficient programs and services, and to report transparently on whether they are meeting their intended goals. A clear understanding of what resources are being used by departments to deliver programs and services is fundamental to Parliament’s role of holding government accountable for delivering on its priorities. Information on planned spending and results for government activities is currently provided through mandatory departmental reports, including Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPPs) and Departmental Performance Reports (DPRs). As a result, understanding how well the Government is doing as a whole, or in key areas of interest, is challenging because data is presented across multiple reports and information sources. How will it be done: As part of the Government’s new Policy on Results, mandatory departmental reporting will be re-focused on each department’s long-term mandates as well as their immediate priorities. Related data from planned and actual activities will be available on a searchable online database that will provide quick and easy access to detailed information on government spending and people management. This data will be presented in a manner which will facilitate Canadians’ analysis and broader understanding of where government resources are being invested. Milestones: Release an interactive tool that will increase the granularity of data and information made available and enable Canadians to better understand federal departmental spending: Expand the types of data, graphics, and analytics available including: Planned and actual results; Comparisons between historical and planned spending; and Spending on specific components such as salaries, capital, transfer payments, etc. Enable users to explore government spending of the most interest to them based on key data elements (e.g., target group, program type, priority area, etc.).

Enhance online content pertaining to government finances on Canada.ca to make information and tools on government spending readily accessible to Canadians.

Provide targeted and timely material to make government accounting and financial reporting more consistent, transparent, and understandable to Canadians.

Pilot updating the buyandsell.gc.ca site to record the full details of contracts (in addition to awards), contract amendments, and the final termination of contracts.

Participate in a case study to share best practices from Public Service and Procurement Canada’s pilot of the Open Contracting Data Standard on BuyandSell.gc.ca. Lead Department: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat; Department of Finance Canada; Public Services and Procurement Canada Commitment 10: Increase Transparency of Budget and Other Department of Finance Information The Government of Canada will provide access to the datasets used in the Federal Budget each year in near real time and proactively disclose the list of briefing note titles prepared on economic and other matters. Why do this: Each year, the Department of Finance Canada plans and prepares the federal government’s budget and analyzes economic and fiscal developments. This serves to provide policy advice on a wide range of economic issues of concern to the health of Canada’s economy. The datasets for federal budgets have been released publicly since 2015 but with a lag time of six to eight weeks given formatting, editing and translation requirements. As well, the list of briefing note titles prepared on a wide range of economic and other matters by Department of Finance officials has only been made available to specific requestors through access to information requests. How will it be done: There is an opportunity to accelerate the preparation of the datasets used in the Budget. This would allow their publication in near real-time following the release of the Budget to facilitate analysis by citizens and Parliamentarians. There is also an opportunity to broaden public access to the titles of briefing notes prepared by Department of Finance officials for the Minister, the Parliamentary Secretary, and the Deputy Minister, in order to be transparent about the issues raised. Milestones: Starting with Budget 2017, make all data from Budget charts and tables available in near real time to facilitate analysis by citizens and Parliamentarians.

Post publicly the list of briefing note titles prepared by Department of Finance officials on a regular basis, in order to be transparent about issues raised.

Explore options to increase the transparency of the budget pre-consultation process. Lead Department: Department of Finance Commitment 11: Increase Transparency of Grants and Contributions Funding The Government of Canada will provide one-stop access to consistent, searchable data on grants and contributions (Gs&Cs) programs across the federal government. Why do this: Each year, the Government of Canada provides funding to support initiatives focussed on career development, employment, homelessness, seniors, youth, and others through its various grants and contributions programs. Disbursing these funds works to meet the objectives and goals of the Government and ultimately helps to better serve Canadians. Proactive reporting on grants and contributions by departments is currently distributed, with limited capacity to search across government. Furthermore, data is currently only required for Gs&Cs with a funding amount in excess of $25,000. Data published across government is in non-standard formats, thus making it more difficult to share. How will it be done: Federal departments and agencies with the authority to deliver Gs&Cs funding are currently required to publicly disclose data on agreements in excess of $25,000 in order to foster greater transparency and openness. To further support the Government’s commitment to transparency and openness, information on agreements less than $25,000 will now also be disclosed, and the consistency of the data published will be improved to allow for increased searchability. Milestones: Provide Canadians with centralized access to standardized information on grants and contributions funding that is proactively disclosed by federal departments via a common, searchable portal on open.canada.ca: Establish a standardized, common template for federal departments to publish their data through the centralized portal; Increase access to Gs&Cs information through a decrease to the required disclosure amount from $25,000 to $1; Provide training to federal departments on how to upload their data; and Ensure historical data previously disclosed by federal departments on grants and contributions funding is searchable via the central portal.

In consultation with internal and external stakeholders, expand the amount of information on grants and contributions funding disclosed by departments to align with international standards.

Pilot an approach to improving transparency in the delivery of grants and contributions by Canadian Heritage, including publication of: An increased level of detail in the data proactively disclosed on individual grants and contributions awarded by the department; Performance results against published service standards; and Data on events and celebrations funded by the department.

Lead Departments: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Canadian Heritage Commitment 12: Improve Public Information on Canadian Corporations The Government of Canada will provide searchable information on Canadian businesses that is held in business registries at the federal, provincial, and territorial level. Why do this: Currently, business identity information is distributed across jurisdictions in Canada, which poses access challenges for citizens and businesses alike. The federal, provincial, and territorial governments have agreed to collaborate on enhancing processes to reduce the burden on corporate registration and reporting and to provide streamlined access to corporate information through an online search. Making information about Canadian companies and organizations more accessible, discoverable, and usable, can ultimately improve corporate accountability. How will it be done: The federal government, Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and British Columbia will collaborate on the development of an expandable and adaptable digital solution. Milestones: Launch a pilot project to provide citizens and business with online capacity to search existing federal and provincial (from Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia) business registries through a single search tool.

Develop a proof of concept and prototype of a digital solution for reducing burden in the areas of corporate search, registration, and reporting for Canadian businesses that is expandable to all registries across Canada in order to drive consistency in corporate data provided to the public by both federal and provincial governments. Lead Department: Innovation, Science, and Economic Development

C. Innovation, Prosperity, and Sustainable Development The Government of Canada collects and stores a lot of data and information, from agricultural and geographical data, to the results of scientific research. This information can be used to spur innovation and fuel economic growth. The public has resources and ingenuity to take advantage of this information in ways that the government may not have considered. Making government data and information openly available to Canadians without restriction on reuse can generate opportunities for Canadians to improve their lives and their businesses, and contribute to the country’s economic growth. Beyond releasing its open data and information, the Government of Canada will be building strategic partnerships with other governments at the provincial, territorial, and municipal level, to support the development of common standards and principles for open data and information. This will help ensure Canadians can access the information they need, regardless of which government holds it. Likewise, fostering strong communities of civil society, private sector, and academic organizations can help spur ideas. Developers and entrepreneurs in all sectors can reuse government data and information in new and innovative ways. Finally, open data and information can also be a catalyst in our efforts to foster sustainable, social and economic progress and innovation around the world. For example, providing information on how resources are accessed and managed, can help attract investment, enhance the reputation of Canada’s extractives firms, strengthen international partnerships, and build trust. Open sharing of vital information on the part of both donors and recipients of international aid has the potential to multiply the effect of aid, as best practices are shared and lessons-learned are used to shape practical reforms. Commitment 13: Increase the Availability and Usability of Geospatial Data The Government of Canada will make more high-quality, authoritative, and useable geospatial data available in open formats to support better services to Canadians. Why do this: Over the last five years, federal departments have worked together to establish a single platform to collect and share geospatial data. This effort enables Canadians to more easily discover, view, and understand geospatial data. Building on this strong foundation, the focus in the coming years will be to increase the quality and usability of geospatial data to derive additional information, solve problems, help with context setting, and assist with evidence-based decision-making. How it will be done: The geospatial data collection will be expanded, and the technologies to access that data will be improved, thereby fundamentally changing the way geospatial assets can be accessed and used by government and the public. The single window to federal geospatial data, open maps, will support progress towards a modern, networked, and tech-enabled society. It will ensure effective program delivery, improve services to Canadians, and support them in their day-to-day activities. Milestones: Improve access to open geospatial data through the expansion of open maps: Increase the number of federal geospatial datasets available through a single window enabling Canadians to more easily find relevant geospatial data that can be mapped and visualized; Provide access to satellite imagery through an open licence; and Work with researchers, data enthusiasts, and developers who use geospatial data to share their work through the open maps gallery.

Develop geospatial data and web service standards: Increase the quality and standardization of critical geospatial data assets through strategic investments; Implement a management and investment framework for high value federal geospatial data assets; and Participate in geospatial standards bodies to ensure that Canada’s data continues to be accessible and interoperable nationally and internationally.

Develop Geospatial Applications: Build mobile applications to disseminate key information to Canadians in an interactive format, which makes complex and large amounts of information easy to understand; Provide targeted applications, which use open geospatial data to address the policy priorities of government; and Provide the ability for Canadians to share data they collect through standardized tools.

Lead Department: Natural Resources Canada Commitment 14: Increase Openness of Federal Science Activities (Open Science) The Government of Canada will take appropriate steps to make the science performed in support of Government of Canada programs and decision-making open and transparent to Canadians. Why do this: The Government of Canada undertakes a wide range of scientific activities, making significant investments in scientific research and knowledge creation that are essential for informing policy choices or decision making, providing services to Canadians, and ultimately supporting sustainable economic growth. At the same time, the Government highlighted its commitment to ensuring that government science is fully available to the public, consistent with its broader pledge for openness and transparency. How will it be done: Horizontal implementation of the federal open science initiative began in 2012. Under the new Plan, the Government of Canada wants to build on past work by taking bold steps to make government-funded science open and transparent to Canadians. Reflecting the importance of citizen engagement and collaboration, deliverables will focus on increasing the accessibility of government science, helping to ensure Canadians are informed of opportunities to engage in federal science and technology (S&T) activities, and exploring ways to enhance the impact of government data and information. Underscoring the Government’s commitment to open science at the recent meeting of G7 Science and Technology Ministers, Canada supported a recommendation to establish an international working group on open science. This group would focus on sharing open science policies, exploring supportive incentive structures, and identifying good practices for promoting increased access to the results of publicly funded research, including scientific data and publications. Milestones: Science-based Departments and Agencies Create a Chief Science Officer mandated to ensure that government science is fully available to the public, that scientists are able to speak freely about their work, and that scientific analyses are considered when the Government makes decisions.

Increase the public availability of data and publications produced from federal Science and Technology (S&T) activities.

Increase engagement with Canadians on federal S&T activities, including, as appropriate: Enhanced communication of scientific participation opportunities in support of federal S&T activities; and Targeted consultations on best practices for increasing the impact of federal S&T activities.

Develop metrics to track collective federal progress on open science activities. Granting Councils and Grants and Contributions Develop and implement an open access policy for scientific research funded through grants and contributions.

Work toward the development of policies on digital data management for research funded through the Granting Councils. Lead Departments: Environment and Climate Change Canada; Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Commitment 15: Stimulate Innovation through Canada’s Open Data Exchange (ODX) The Government of Canada will partner with the private sector to better understand how companies are using open data, and raise awareness of the possibilities that exist for Canadian entrepreneurs to take advantage of the value of open data. Why do this: As governments at all levels continue to make more and more open data available to the public, it will be important to help support the private sector in extracting knowledge and value from that data to build their businesses. In order to develop new products, retain talent, and achieve prosperity, competitiveness, and productivity for Canada, Canada’s Open Data Exchange (ODX) was established in 2015 as a partnership among the private, public, and academic sectors to support the commercialization of open data by Canadian companies. How will it be done: The ODX will take advantage of key opportunities to work collaboratively with stakeholders at all levels to increase the number of open data companies in Canada and to explore new methods for improving access and extracting value from open data. Milestones: Complete a comprehensive mapping of 150 Canadian companies that are using open data to launch new products and services, create commercial and non-profit ventures, optimize their business processes, conduct research, and/or make data-driven decisions.

Launch an online platform at www.opendata500.com/ca to showcase Canada’s Open Data 150.

Establish a national network of open data users within industry to collaborate on the development of standards and practices in support of data commercialization.

Collaborate with private industry on three demonstration projects to illustrate the commercialization potential of open data in priority sectors.

Incubate 15 new data-driven companies by June 2018 . Lead Department: Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) in collaboration with Canada’s Open Data Exchange (ODX) Commitment 16: Align Open Data across Canada (Open Data Canada) The Government of Canada will expand collaboration with provincial, territorial, and municipal partners on further standardizing and harmonizing the delivery of open government data across jurisdictions. Why do this: Across Canada, different governments at the federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal levels have varying levels of open data implementation. While some governments have launched open data portals and made numerous datasets available, others do not have official open data or open government policies or initiatives. Furthermore, governments set priorities for different types of data for release, which may make it difficult for Canadians to compare data across jurisdictions. Each government may also measure and record data differently, which can make it difficult to compare data even when that data is open. The true value of open data can really be unlocked when similar, high-value data is released using consistent, standardized approaches, so that Canadians can easily compare data among departments, across geographic locations, and over time. How will it be done: The Government of Canada has made preliminary progress with its counterparts at the provincial/territorial level on the development of common open data principles, common licencing, and promotion of the reuse of open data. Moving forward, the Government of Canada will work with other levels of government to expand collaboration across jurisdictions and to develop a list of high-value datasets that are priorities for governments to release. This work will help increase the comprehensiveness of open data available to Canadians and encourage comparability of data across different governments. In addition, work will begin with one or more provincial partners to collaborate on a pilot project that will allow users to search data from multiple governments via a common portal. This pilot project will provide an opportunity to accelerate data standardization efforts and better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with federated search. Milestones: Foster the adoption of common open data principles that are consistent with the International Open Data Charter by all levels of government.

Develop a list of high-value, priority datasets for release in collaboration with key jurisdictions to make it easier for Canadians to compare data across different governments.

Launch an online, federated, multi-jurisdictional open data search service in partnership with one or more provinces and territories to allow Canadians to search and access data from across jurisdictions, regardless of its origin.

Host a national Open Data Canada summit in 2017 to bring together federal, provincial/ territorial, and municipal officials to collaborate on setting a national agenda for aligning and improving the delivery of open data across the country. Lead Department: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Commitment 17: Implement the Extractives Sector Transparency Measures Act The Government of Canada will implement the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act (ESTMA) that requires the reporting of certain payments made to governments related to the commercial development of oil, gas, and minerals. Why do this: The Government of Canada remains committed to improving the transparency and accountability of the Canadian extractives sector. In its second Action Plan, legislation was introduced, the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act (ESTMA), which established new reporting and transparency obligations for the Canadian extractive sector to contribute to global efforts against corruption in the extractive sector. How will it be done: Canada’s extractive sector has a well-established financial reporting system, which ensures transparency and the good governance of natural resource revenues. Implementation of the ESTMA will help improve the transparency of payments made by extractive companies involved in the exploration and/or extraction of oil, gas, or minerals to all levels of government, both foreign and domestic. The new reporting system complements existing reporting requirements with a view to ensuring Canada’s framework is aligned with other G-8 countries and is consistent with existing international standards, particularly those of the United States and the European Union. Milestones: Undertake outreach activities with reporting entities to ensure awareness and understanding of processes for publishing their reports based on a consistent template and format.

Improve public access to published reports through a common online window.

Seek broader alignment of ESTMA with other jurisdictions in Canada and around the world. Lead Department: Natural Resources Canada Commitment 18: Support Openness and Transparency Initiatives around the World The Government of Canada will work with international partners to increase the transparency of international development funding, and to share skills and knowledge with developing countries to ensure that everyone can reap the benefits of open government. Why do this: To ensure that the global open government movement is not restricted to the wealthiest or most technologically advanced governments, it is important to ensure that Canada continues to support peer knowledge exchange and capacity-building efforts. Citizens of all nations can benefit both socially and economically from open government, regardless of who they are or where they live. How will it be done: Under Canada’s first two Action Plans, steps were taken to ensure greater transparency and quality of Canada’s international aid data. Canada worked with partners in the Open Data for Development (OD4D) network to build capacity around the world for ambitious open government initiatives to benefit citizens. By expanding these initiatives, and undertaking new leadership roles in support of the Open Government Partnership and the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), Canada can help ensure citizens around the world have access to government information and opportunities to engage in public affairs. This will also facilitate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. Milestones: Endorse the Open Government Partnership’s Joint Declaration on Open Government for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (PDF, 36 KB), and leverage Canada’s participation in the OGP to help support the declaration’s commitments.

Leverage Canada’s role as chair of the International Aid Transparency Initiative to support international good practices on aid transparency and greater interoperability among data standards (e.g., aid, public procurement, public accounts, corporate identifiers) to enable greater accountability and improve the effectiveness of development finance.

Provide training and peer-learning to at least 500 open data leaders in government and civil society in developing countries, provide technical assistance to at least 10 developing countries, increasing the quality and ambition of their open data policies, and assess how capacity-building activities affect communities.

Work with international organizations and partners in developing countries to implement innovative open data projects with impact on anti-corruption, local governance, health, and education.

In support of Canada’s role as a partner in the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN): Increase the amount of high-value, reusable agriculture and nutrition data made available to Canadians in open formats under the Government of Canada’s open licence; and Participate in the planning of the GODAN Summit in September 2016 in order to support the global agenda for opening agriculture and nutrition data around the world.

Lead Departments: Global Affairs Canada, the International Development Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat