Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: Open Government Implementation Plan

4.1 Raison d’être and Responsibilities

Established in 1987 (Part I of the Government Organization Act, Atlantic Canada 1987, R.S.C., 1985, c.41 (4th Supp.), also known as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Act), ACOA is the federal department responsible for the Government of Canada’s economic development efforts in the provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

ACOA works to create opportunities for economic growth in Atlantic Canada by helping businesses become more competitive, innovative and productive, by working with diverse communities to develop and diversify local economies, and by championing the strengths of Atlantic Canada. Together with Atlantic Canadians, ACOA is building a stronger economy.

ACOA plays an important role in developing and supporting policies and programs that strengthen the region’s economy. Its responsibilities are stated in the Agency’s legislation, which mandates the organization “to increase opportunity for economic development in Atlantic Canada and, more particularly, to enhance the growth of earned incomes and employment opportunities in that region.” Although the Agency’s policies and program tools have evolved since its inception, the overall goal remains constant. ACOA is dedicated to helping the Atlantic region realize its full economic potential in terms of productivity, innovation, competitiveness and growth. This is achieved by addressing structural changes in the economy, helping communities and businesses to overcome challenges, and capitalizing on opportunities. ACOA is committed to helping the region build its capacity and make the transition to a stronger economy.

ACOA has over 600 employees who provide services through its head office in Moncton, NB, and throughout the four Atlantic provinces, with a regional office located in each of the four provincial capitals and 22 local field offices. Through its Ottawa office, ACOA ensures that Atlantic Canada’s interests are reflected in the policies and programs developed by other departments and agencies of the federal government.

ACOA’s technological environment includes a number of business applications, servers and telecommunications infrastructure that are used by Agency staff to manage data and information used in the delivery of its programs and services. ACOA’s telecommunications and server infrastructure is managed by Shared Services Canada with the aid and support of ACOA’s Information Technology (IT) staff.

4.2 Challenges and Mitigation Strategy

The following outlines the key challenges faced by ACOA in meeting the obligations stemming from Canada’s commitments under Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government 2014-16:

1. Implementation of the Directive on Open Government

The Government of Canada has issued a mandatory policy requiring federal government departments and agencies to maximize the release of data and information of business value subject to applicable restrictions related to privacy, confidentiality and security. Eligible data and information will be released in standardized, open formats, free of charge and without restrictions on reuse. The action plan for the implementation of the directive requirements is outlined in the planning table in section 7 of this document.

2. Open data in Canada

The Government of Canada will work with provinces, territories and municipalities to break down barriers to integrated, pan-Canadian open data services through the establishment of common principles, standards and licensing across all levels of government to facilitate the sharing of data.

3. Open science

The Government of Canada will maximize access to federally funded scientific research (e.g. studies and analyses) to encourage greater collaboration and engagement with the scientific community, the private sector and the public. For ACOA, this represents the publication of research funded by the Agency or carried out internally.

4. Open contracting

The Government of Canada will coordinate single-window access to a broad range of open contracting information across all federal departments. For ACOA, this represents disclosure of contracts awarded by the Agency.

5. Open information on budgets and expenditures

The Government of Canada will publish expanded information and data on federal spending to help Canadians understand, and hold government accountable for, the use of public monies. For ACOA, this represents disclosure of Agency’s budgets and expenditures such as financial statements, travel and hospitality expenses, grants and contributions, and other internal reports.

6. Open information core commitment

The Government of Canada will expand the proactive release of information on government activities, programs, policies and services, making information easier to find, access and use. For ACOA, this represents disclosure of reports and evaluations, among other things.

7. Consulting Canadians

The Government of Canada will provide direction and next-generation tools and resources to enable federal departments and agencies to consult more broadly with citizens and civil society in support of the development and delivery of government policies and programs. For ACOA, this represents consultation with beneficiaries or citizens on the development and delivery of the Agency’s programs and policies.

6.1 Roles and Responsibilities – Deputy Head and Information Management Senior Official

The governance of the Agency’s Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP) is informed by the responsibilities identified for the Information Management Senior Official (IMSO) and the Deputy Head (DH) in sections 6 (Requirements), 7 (Monitoring and Reporting Requirements), and 8 (Consequences) of the Directive on Open Government.

ACOA’s President, as Deputy Head, is responsible for the following:

• approving the OGIP;
• committing to adhere to the Directive on Open Government and to meeting open government obligations; and
• taking any corrective action that may be required.

ACOA’s delegated IMSO is responsible for the following:

• overseeing ACOA’s implementation and monitoring of the Directive on Open Government;
• working with key stakeholders within the organization to ensure the effective implementation of the directive;
• advising the DH of any major issues affecting compliance and proposing solutions;
• seeing that necessary measures are applied to correct cases of non-compliance that may arise; and
• reporting significant performance and compliance issues to the Chief Information Officer Branch (CIOB) of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

6.2 Roles and Responsibilities – Key Stakeholders

The Director General, Chief Information Officer Directorate (DG, CIOD), is responsible for:

• ensuring that any open data and information is released according to government legislation, policies and standards governing the publication of information, including but not limited to official languages, accessibility standards, web publishing standards, compliance with Open Data Portal and www.canada.ca posting requirements;
• providing expert advice on the risks and impacts of releasing data and information and proposing strategies to mitigate those risks and impacts; and
• integrating the requirements of the Directive on Open Government into any new plans for procuring, developing or modernizing the Agency’s information systems.

The Senior Manager, Information Management is responsible for the following:

• ensuring horizontal representation in resolving issues related to open government;
• briefing the IMSO on operational issues and requirements regarding open government implementation;
• supporting the IMSO in providing briefing materials to internal governance committees and senior management;
• following up on the process work performed in all branches in order to enable the dissemination of open information and data;
• providing feedback to the IMSO on operational issues related to the implementation of the Open Government Initiative;
• raising awareness for the Open Government Initiative throughout ACOA;
• researching other work and best practices in other government departments and agencies;
• ensuring strategic alignment of the Agency teams for record keeping, information management and access to information and privacy activities throughout the agency; and
• reviewing, commenting on and testing internal tools and guidance related to the implementation of the Directive on Open Government.

The Director/Coordinator of Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) is responsible for:

• ensuring that summaries of completed access to information requests are posted on the Open Government Portal within 30 days at the end of the month during which the responses were issued as requested in the criteria outlined in the Directive on the Administration of the Access to Information Act;
• providing guidance to employees on the preparation of documents for release to the public;
• reviewing responses to parliamentary questions and evaluation reports prior to their publication; and
• receiving and addressing public inquiries for information and data.

The Information Management Functional Specialists are responsible for:

• providing advice and guidance to management and employees on information management; and
• preparing information holdings of enduring value for release to Library and Archives Canada, including removal of access restrictions prior to transfer.

The Corporate Registrar is responsible for:

• creating and maintaining the inventories of data and information resources of business value held by the institution.

The executives and managers at ACOA are responsible for:

• ensuring that their information, and that of their employees, is managed in accordance with the Policy on Information Management and the Directive on Recordkeeping, in order to establish a solid foundation for recommending open data and information for release;
• assessing risk and ability for identified Information Resources of Business Value to be posted on the Open Data Portal;
• approving information and data to be posted on the Open Data Portal in accordance with internal policies and procedures in a timely manner; and
• leading by example, changing culture from within, embracing change in accordance with policy, actively performing information management and information sharing, and proactively opening up information as much as possible.

All ACOA employees are responsible for:

• managing their data and information in accordance with the Policy on Information Management and related instruments;
• seeking support from the IMSO and the ATIP coordinator as required in order to ensure policy and legislative compliance; and
• making recommendations to managers and executives regarding the release of open data and information.

6.3 Communication, Awareness, and Engagement

The Information Management team at ACOA is collaborating with central agencies and other government departments to share best practices and lessons learned, which are then adapted into working tools. The team plays a key role in advocating for the Open Government Initiative throughout the Agency through briefings to senior management and informational presentations. To further enhance dialogue, information sharing and development of best practices, the Agency participates in a cross-departmental working group with other regional development agencies.

ACOA will launch the next phase of the Open Government Initiative with an article on the Agency’s intranet site, Rendezvous, in consultation with the ATIP and Communications groups. Internal communications with staff about Open Government will involve raising awareness about best practices for information management, record keeping and document security. By ensuring that a consistent approach in these key areas is applied across the Agency, the application of open government principles can be a cohesive and efficient process.