Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary
Canada has a longstanding commitment to openness and accountability as a cornerstone of a strong, modern democracy. From the passing of access to information legislation over 30 years ago to current open government and proactive disclosure activities, the Government of Canada has worked to ensure transparency on federal operations to enable Canadians to hold their government accountable. The commitments included in Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government 2014-16 will further the progress on the delivery of transparent and accountable programs and services focused on the needs of Canadians.
The proactive release of data and information is the starting point for all other open government activity. Accordingly, the Government of Canada has firmly established an “open by default” position in its mandatory policy framework by issuing the Directive on Open Government.
The National Energy Board (NEB or Board) is an independent federal, quasi-judicial regulator established in 1959 to promote safety and security, environmental protection and economic efficiency in the Canadian public interest within the mandate set by Parliament for the regulation of pipelines, energy development and trade.
By delivering on its mandate, the NEB creates data and information that is of interest to the public and eligible for release to the Open Government Portal.
This document describes the NEB’s plan to complete activities and deliverables aligned to the requirements of the Directive on Open Government, in order to achieve full compliance by the implementation deadline.
The posting of this plan to the designated website demonstrates the Board’s commitment to comply with the Directive on Open Government.
2. Approvals
Original signed by,
Meghan Ruholl, VP, Enterprise Business Services
Information Management Senior Official
National Energy Board
Date
Original signed by,
Paula Futoransky, EVP, Business Integration & CFO
National Energy Board
Date
Original signed by,
Josée Touchette, Chief Operating Officer
National Energy Board
Date
Original signed by,
Peter Watson, Chair/CEO
Deputy Head
National Energy Board
Date
3. Purpose
This document describes National Energy Board’s plan to complete activities and deliverables aligned to the requirements of the Directive on Open Government, in order to achieve full compliance by the implementation deadline.
The objective of the Directive is to maximize the release of government information and data of business value to support transparency, accountability, citizen engagement, and socio-economic benefits through reuse, subject to applicable restrictions associated with privacy, confidentiality, and security. (Directive on Open Government, Section 5.1)
The expected results of the Directive on Open Government (Section 5.2) are that Canadians are able to find and use Government of Canada information and data:
- to support accountability;
- to facilitate value-added analysis;
- to drive socio-economic benefits through reuse; and,
- to support meaningful engagement with their government.
This document may also describe, if applicable, the institution’s plan to complete activities and deliverables aligned to one or more of the twelve commitments described in Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government 2014-16.
4. Context
The National Energy Board (NEB or Board) is an independent federal, quasi-judicial regulator established in 1959 to promote safety and security, environmental protection and economic efficiency in the Canadian public interest within the mandate set by Parliament for the regulation of pipelines, energy development and trade.
The main responsibilities of the NEB are established in the NEB Act and include regulating:
- The construction, operation, and abandonment of pipelines that cross international borders or provincial/territorial boundaries, as well as the associated pipeline tolls and tariffs;
- The construction and operation of international power lines and designated inter-provincial power lines; and
- Imports of natural gas and exports of crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGL), natural gas, refined petroleum products and electricity.
Additionally, in specified areas the Board has regulatory responsibilities for oil and gas exploration and production activities under the National Energy Board Act, the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act (COGOA), and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act (CPRA).
The NEB conducts environmental assessments (EA) during its review of applications for projects under its jurisdiction. For certain projects, an EA is also required by federal legislation, such as the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012), the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, the Inuvialuit Final Agreement or the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. Certain Board inspectors are designated Health and Safety Officers by the Minister of Labour to administer Part II of the Canada Labour Code as it applies to NEB-regulated facilities and activities.
The Board also monitors aspects of energy supply, demand, production, development and trade. The Board reports to Parliament through the Minister of Natural Resources.
The NEB’s head office is located in Calgary, Alberta from which most of its staff operates Footnote 1. In the spring of 2015 the NEB opened regional offices in Vancouver and Montreal. The offices are staffed to do community engagement, communications and operations.
The NEB, as a Small Department and Agency as defined by Financial Administration Act, faces significant challenges in complying with the Directive on Open Government. Compliance with the Directive cannot be achieved with current resource levels; additional staff will be required to reach full compliance by the year 2020 and to support on-going departmental responsibilities to release open data and open information for years to come.
The NEB’s public website is evidence that the Board has a mix of published information and data with less emphasis on published data. Below are a few examples of published information, mostly documents, available from the public website:
- Regulatory Document Index
- Safety Performance Dashboard
- Canada’s Energy Future Reports
More recently the following types of data have been made available on the NEB public web site:
- Pipeline Incident Data; with limited data elements
- Administrative Monetary Penalties Issued
- Participant Funding Reports
Examination of these data sources reveals that some of the NEB’s data sources may require transformation from their current format into a format that will be more appropriate for release under the Directive on Open Government. Current manual methods used for publishing data to the NEB’s public website may not be scalable in order for the NEB to maximize the release of information and data of business value to GC Open Government websites.
5. Outcomes
Implementing the Directive on Open Government is aligned with the NEB’s strategic priority 2.0 Engaging with Canadians, as set out in the 2015-16 Strategic Priorities document.
- Compliance with the directive will support the achievement of the objective to “Position the NEB to be the objective provider of reliable energy information to Canadians.”
- The Open Government Implementation Plan includes activities to develop and implement protocols and tools to share information.
6. Governance Structures and Decision Processes
The following sub-sections describe the governance structures and decision processes that support open government and how those responsibilities are delegated and fulfilled within the institution.
Figure 1 – NEB Governance Structure for Open Government – Text version
Deputy Head (NEB Chair/CEO)
Steering Committee:
- Information Management Senior Official (VP, EBS)
- Regulatory Group, VP Representative and Corporate Group, VP Representative
- Others as requested by IMSO and Open Government Working Group Coordinator
Open Government Working Group
- Open Government Working Group Coordinator
- Security Specialist and Legal Specialist
- IM Specialist and RIA Representative
- IT Specialist and BU Representatives, Regulatory (Aps, Ops, SABU)
- Communications Specialist and BU Representatives (EBS, PCS, SO & Reg Services)
- ATIP Specialist
6.1 Roles and Responsibilities – Deputy Head and Information Management Senior Official
The governance of the National Energy Board’s Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP) is informed by the responsibilities identified for the Information Management Senior Official (IMSO) and Deputy Head (DH) in sections 6 (Requirements), 7 (Monitoring and Reporting Requirements), and 8 (Consequences) of the Directive on Open Government.
The NEB’s Chair/CEO is identified as the departmental Deputy Head (DH).
The VP, Enterprise Business Services is the Information Management Senior Official (IMSO) as designated by the Deputy Head and as stated in the directive the IMSO is responsible for overseeing the implementation and monitoring of the directive.
The IMSO is responsible for the development and posting of the OGIP to the designated website. This responsibility includes:
- Creating a governance structure to oversee the implementation activities within the OGIP;
- Drafting the plan, and reviewing with Stakeholders and Open Government Steering Committee (OGSC);
- Signing the plan as one of the approvers;
- Obtaining the approval of the plan from the DH and signature;
- Updating and posting the plan annually.
The IMSO is responsible for ensuring that requirements in section 6.1 to 6.5 of this directive are integrated in any new plans for procuring, developing, or modernizing departmental information applications, systems or solutions in support of the delivery of programs and services.
The IMSO will help to resolve issues identified by the Open Government Working Group Coordinator.
6.2 Roles and Responsibilities – Key Stakeholders
The Open Government Steering Committee (OGSC) responsibilities:
- Provide guidance and oversite for the Open Government Working Group.
- Represent the interests of the other Business Units that do not have membership on the OGSC.
- Identify and assign staff to the Open Government Working Group.
- Annually provide input to the OGIP before the plan is reviewed, then approved by the DH.
- Direct the establishment and maintenance of comprehensive inventories of data and information resources of business value held by the NEB to determine their eligibility and priority and to plan for their effective release.
- Approve assets to be included in the inventory based on their eligibility and priority for release, in consultation with IRBV owners, ATIP, Security and Legal.
- Maximize the release of Government of Canada data and information under an open and unrestricted license designated by the TBS.
- Approve the NEB’s Data Release Plan and Information Release Plan (based on assigned priority)
- Review the release plans on a regular basis so that new or changed data sources and information are included in the plans.
- Monitor and assess progress against the OGIP and compliance with the directive.
- Attend meetings as required to review progress to the plan, update the release schedule, and revise the OGIP prior to DH approval, signing and subsequent posting.
- Attend on-demand meetings to resolve issues and make decisions when asked by the working group.
Open Government Working Group Coordinator responsibilities:
- Coordinate the activities of the Open Government Working Group.
- Report to OGSC and IMSO.
- Chair Open Government Working Group meetings.
- Interface with TBS personnel on matters related to the directive.
- Apply program and project management best practices.
- Escalate issues and decisions that cannot be resolved by the Working Group, to the IMSO.
Open Government Working Group responsibilities:
- Successful implementation of OGIP requires engagement and collaboration with many specialists and representation of all the business units at the Board. Figure 1 - NEB Governance Structure for Open Government identifies the required specialists.
- The deliverables of the working group will be reviewed and approved by the IMSO in consultation with the OGSC:
- Develop a methodology for establishing a data inventory and information inventory
- Develop a data inventory and information inventory (detailed, itemized lists) that describe the volume, scope and complexity of the data held by the NEB; to be reviewed by the OGSC to prioritize and plan for its release
- Develop renewal protocol(s) to maintain the currency of NEB’s data inventory and information inventory
- Ensure that open data and open information is released in accessible and reusable formats via Government of Canada websites and services designated by TBS
- Identify accessible and reusable formats to use for release
- Develop conversion protocol(s) for data and information identified for release whose native format is not accessible and reusable
- Develop a release process to support the publication of data and information
- Develop monitoring and reporting process for assessing progress and maintaining the currency of the OGIP; report progress and currency to the OG Steering Committee.
- Manage public inquiries related to released data and information.
NEB Leaders - Executive Management Committee (EMC) and Directors - responsibilities:
- Ensure that resources are available to support the OGIP.
- Integrate OGIP activities into annual business unit work plans.
- Allocate resources in the business unit for OGIP implementation activities.
- Provide input to OGIP monitoring and reporting activities, through the Open Government Working Group Coordinator and IMSO.
Information Management Specialist responsibilities:
- In consultation with their Director, develop a methodology for the removal of access restrictions from information resources of enduring value prior to their transfer to the Library and Archives Canada (LAC).
- Ensure the methodology, stated above, is integrated into the NEB’s disposition plans and procedures.
6.3 Communication, Awareness, and Engagement
The OGIP includes activities related to development and implementation of a communications plan. The communications plan should identify internal stakeholder groups, their interests, key messages and communication products about the implementation of the Directive on Open Government.
The communication plan will be developed by the Open Government Working Group and approved by the IMSO.
7. Planning Table
Planning Table A: Directive on Open Government Requirements
Note
Completion of some OGIP deliverables is dependent on the completion of some deliverables from IRBV project, namely completion of the inventories of IRBV and associated repositories. These IRBV project deliverables are planned to be completed by ; completion dates were agreed to by TBS.
| Reference | Compliance Requirement | Deliverables / Milestones | Lead | Activities | Start Date | End Date | Resources (Human and Financial) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOG 6.1 | Maximizing the release of Government of Canada data and information under an open and unrestrictive licence designated by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | NEB’s Data Release Plan | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||
| NEB’s Information Release Plan | TBD (IMSO) |
|
Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||||
| DOG 6.2 | Ensuring that open data and open information is released in accessible and reusable formats via Government of Canada websites and services designated by TBS | Listing of accessible and reusable formats to be used at NEB | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
Identify formats in consultation with TBS. | Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||
| Conversion protocol(s) for data identified for release whose native format is not accessible and reusable | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||||
| Conversion protocol(s) for information identified for release whose native format is not accessible and reusable | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||||
| Release process to support the publication of NEB data | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||||
| Release process to support the publication of NEB information | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||||
| DOG 6.3 | Establishing and maintaining comprehensive inventories of data and information resources of business value held by the department to determine their eligibility and priority, and to plan for their effective release | Methodology for establishing data inventory | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
|
In progress | ||
| Methodology for establishing an information inventory | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||||
| Data inventory (detailed, itemized lists) that describe the volume, scope and complexity of the data held by NEB | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
|
In progress | ||||
| Information inventory (detailed, itemized lists) that describe the volume, scope and complexity of the data held by NEB | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
|
In progress | ||||
| Renewal protocol(s) to maintain the currency of NEB data inventory | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| Renewal protocol(s) to maintain the currency of NEB information inventory | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| Assets included in the data inventory are evaluated to determine their eligibility and priority for release | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| Assets included in the information inventory are evaluated to determine their eligibility and priority for release | TBD (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| DOG 6.4 | Developing, posting to the designated website, implementing, and annually updating a departmental Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP) | Governance structures are in place to oversee the implementation activities within NEB’s OGIP | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
EBS project managers | In progress | ||
| NEB’s Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP) | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
In progress | ||||
| Signatures in section 2 (Approvals) of NEB’s OGIP | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
In progress | ||||
| NEB’s OGIP is staffed and funded | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
OGSC | Planned | ||||
| Monitoring and reporting processes for assessing progress and maintaining the currency of the NEB’s OGIP | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| NEB’s first annual update to the OGIP | TBD (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| NEB’s second annual update to the OGIP | TBD (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| NEB’s third annual update to the OGIP | TBD (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| NEB’s fourth annual update to the OGIP | TBD (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| DOG 6.5 | Maximizing the removal of access restrictions on departmental information resources of enduring value prior to transfer to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) | Methodology for the removal of access restrictions from information resources of enduring value prior to their transfer to the LAC | Jim Chisholm (Director, IM&T) |
|
TBD – dependent on LAC | Open Government Working Group (special focus from IM and ATIP specialist) | Planned | |
| DOG 6.6 | Ensuring that open government requirements in section 6.1 to 6.5 of this directive are integrated in any new plans for procuring, developing, or modernizing departmental information applications, systems, or solutions in support of the delivery of programs and services | Build awareness at the NEB regarding Open Government and the organization’s compliance responsibilities | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
Develop a communication plan | Open Government Working Group | Planned | ||
| Governance structures are in place to oversee the implementation of open government requirements in any new plans for procuring, developing, or modernizing departmental information applications, systems or solutions | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| Open government requirements are integrated into NEB’s procurement process(es) for applications, systems, and solutions | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| Open government requirements are integrated into NEB’s development process(es) for applications, systems, and solutions | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| Open government requirements are integrated into NEB’s modernization process(es) for applications, systems, and solutions | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||||
| DOG 7.1 | Departmental information management senior officials, as designated by the deputy heads, are responsible for overseeing the implementation and monitoring of this directive in their department | A performance framework is established to monitor NEB’s progress against the activities and deliverables/milestones in the OGIP | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
|
Planned | ||
| Progress against the activities / milestones in the OGIP is regularly reported to the governance structures in place to oversee the implementation | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
(first update to OGIP) Ongoing |
|
Planned | |||
| A performance framework is established to monitor NEB’s ongoing compliance to the requirements of this Directive | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
|
(first report of open government metrics) |
|
Planned | |||
| Process to ensure significant difficulties, gaps in performance, or compliance issues are reported to the Deputy Head | Meghan Ruholl (IMSO) |
Part of performance framework deliverables |
|
Planned |
Annex A – Performance Measures
Beginning in year 2 (Nov 2015 to Oct 2016), the NEB will update this section of the OGIP with measures that gauge the NEB’s performance as it relates to three key initiatives:
- The status of planning activities and deliverables/milestones;
- Establishing and maintaining comprehensive inventories of data and information resources of business value; and
- Maximizing the removal of access restrictions on departmental information resources of enduring value prior to transfer to Library and Archives Canada (LAC).
Tables 1 and 2 identify the performance measures to be reported in future OGIPs.
Data and Information Inventories
| Deliverable | Measure | Target Status | Target Date | End Year 1 Status | End Year 2 Status | End Year 3 Status | End Year 4 Status | End Year 5 Status | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOG 6.3 Data Inventory |
The department or agency’s methodology for establishing a data inventory is complete. | Yes / No | Year 1 | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | ||||||||
| The department or agency’s data inventory is established. | Yes / No | Year 2 | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | |||||||||
| The department or agency’s renewal process(es) for maintaining currency of the data inventory is complete. | Yes / No | Year 5 | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | |||||||||
| T | + | - | T | + | - | T | + | - | T | + | - | |||||
| # of data sets in the inventory | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||
| # of data sets analyzed to determine their eligibility and priority for release | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||
| # of data sets deemed eligible for release | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||
| # of data sets submitted to Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) for release | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||
| DOG 6.3 Information Inventory |
The department or agency’s methodology for establishing an information inventory is complete. | Yes / No | Year 3 | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | ||||||||
| The department or agency’s information inventory is established. | Yes / No | Year 4 | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | |||||||||
| The department or agency’s renewal process(es) for maintaining the currency of the information inventory is complete. | Yes / No | Year 5 | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | |||||||||
| T | + | - | T | + | - | T | + | - | T | + | - | |||||
| # of electronic information assets in the inventory | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||
| # of electronic information assets analyzed to determine their eligibility and priority for release | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||
| # of electronic information assets deemed eligible for release | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||
| # of electronic information assets submitted to Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) for release | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||
Maximizing the Removal of Access Restrictions
| Deliverable | Measure | Target Status | Target Date | End Year 1 Status | End Year 2 Status | End Year 3 Status | End Year 4 Status | End Year 5 Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOG 6.5 Removing Access Restrictions |
The department or agency’s methodology for removing access restrictions from information resources of enduring value (IREV) prior to transfer to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is complete. | Yes | Year 3 | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No |
| The department or agency is maximizing the removal of access restrictions from information resources of enduring value (IREV) prior to transfer to Library and Archives Canada (LAC). | Yes | Year 4 | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | Yes / No | |
| # of non-electronic information resources of enduring value transferred to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |||
| # of non-electronic information resources of enduring value analyzed to determine if access restrictions can be removed prior to transfer to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |||
| # of non-electronic information resources of enduring value whose access restrictions were removed prior to transfer to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |||
| # of electronic information resources of enduring value transferred to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |||
| # of electronic information resources of enduring value analyzed to determine if access restrictions can be removed prior to transfer to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |||
| # of electronic information resources of enduring value whose access restrictions were removed prior to transfer to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |||