Corporate Records Management Branch

3.10 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

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The purpose of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996, c. 165) is to ensure that the public has the right to access government records and to protect personal information about an individual from unauthorized collection, use or disclosure by public bodies.  That legislation affects the design, development, retention scheduling, and implementation stages of all operational and administrative records classification systems.

To determine whether your records are outside the scope of the legislation, whether your records contain personal or confidential material, and what procedures for information disclosure exist within your ministry or agency, contact your Manager/Director of Information and Privacy.  If you have questions specific to file operations or procedures, contact your Records Officer.  For information about FOI notes in ARCS, see 2.8.

3.11 Electronic Records

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Information that has been created, collected, maintained and/or retained by a government ministry or agency is classified and scheduled within ARCS, regardless of physical format.

Electronic records (that is, the records created and maintained on an electronic system) are scheduled as secondaries like all other forms of records.

Electronic mail (or "email") should be classified and filed under the secondaries covering the relevant functions and activities.  For further information on email, see special schedule 102903 in the ARCS manual.

3.12 Implementation of ARCS

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Each ministry, government agency and Crown corporation has a designated officer responsible for implementing and coordinating records management procedures.  This records officer, often called the Ministry Records Officer (or MRO) or Corporate Records Officer (CRO), should be contacted for further information whenever necessary.  If you cannot determine who your Records Officer is, call CRMB at 387-1321.

The Records Officer plans and coordinates the implementation of ARCS in accordance with standards established by CRMB and the ministry or agency responsible for the records.

The eight requirements for implementation and maintenance of ARCS are:

1.	Executive support.
2.	A records management policy.
3.	An implementation and training plan.
4.	Designated responsibilities for implementation and maintenance of ARCS.
5.	Designation of offices of primary responsibility for types of operational records requiring multiple levels of retention.
6.	Training in ARCS and general records management for support staff in a training program established by your Records Officer.
7.	Established procedures for the storage and retrieval of semi-active records and disposition of inactive records.
8.	Established maintenance, review, and update procedures under the administration of the Records Officer.

3.13 Advisory Services

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CRMB provides limited advisory services to assist records officers with the implementation and maintenance of ORCS.  Your Records Officer is available to help you establish efficient filing procedures and effective records administration.  Other services which may be provided by your Records Officer are as follows:

• project planning and coordination assistance
• file conversions
• a records management training program
• selection of filing equipment and supplies
• assistance with retrieval systems, indexes, file tracking, and active records control
• off-site storage and retrieval of semi-active records
• disposition of inactive records
• transfer of permanently valuable records to archival custody
• automation of records management functions

3.14 Amendment and Update of ARCS

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Maintenance of ARCS, including the use of primaries and secondaries, is a joint responsibility of the records holder and the Records Officer.

Effective maintenance depends upon:

• trained records staff
• documented policies and procedures
• coordination and review by the Records Officer
• designated responsibilities for:

• records classification
• maintenance of indexes and file lists
• other record and file operations

CRMB maintains the master edition of ARCS and is responsible for amending it as required, in consultation with Records Officers, and for administering the amendment and review process.  Amendments take effect upon the approval of the Legislative Assembly.  Distribution of amendment pages and implementation of amendments is a responsibility of the ministry or agency.  CRMB will also post a list of the latest amendments on its website.

Offices should refer proposals for new primaries and secondaries or other suggested changes to their Records Officer, who will in turn refer them to CRMB.  Proposals will be reviewed by the ARCS Review Committee (composed of CRMB and MRO representatives).

Changes in the status of primaries, secondaries, and scope notes will be highlighted on the far left of each relevant primary page.

• A bullet indicates a change at the primary or secondary level which has been approved by the Legislative Assembly.

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