Policy on Communications and Federal Identity

• 1.2.1 Policy on Communications and Federal Identity, May 11, 2016.

• 1.3.1Requirement 4.1.13 of this policy takes effect on March 27, 2026.

• 3.1.1Government of Canada communications are non-partisan, effectively managed, well coordinated, clear and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public and Government of Canada employees;
• 3.1.2The Government of Canada considers the views and interests of the public when developing policies, programs, services and initiatives;
• 3.1.3The Government of Canada is visible and recognizable in Canada and abroad, and is projected equally in both official languages; and
• 3.1.4Government of Canada communications are cost-effective, and the administration of its corporate identity achieves savings through standardization.

• 3.2.1Communications within and across departments are well coordinated and integrated into all government operations;
• 3.2.2Government communications products and activities are timely, accurate, clear, objective, non-partisan, cost-effective, in both official languages, and meet the diverse information needs of the public and Government of Canada employees;
• 3.2.3The government engages with the public when developing policies, programs, services and initiatives;
• 3.2.4Communications products and activities, programs, services, initiatives and assets are clearly identified using the corporate identity of the Government of Canada in Canada and abroad; and
• 3.2.5The corporate identity of the Government of Canada is applied consistently to internal and external products, projected equally in both official languages, and is not overshadowed by additional corporate identifiers or specialized symbols.

• 4.1.1Providing impartial advice and support to their minister, who is the principal spokesperson for the department, in communicating government policies, programs, priorities and decisions to the public.
• 4.1.2Designating a senior official as head of communications to manage all:
  • 4.1.2.1external communications;
  • 4.1.2.2department-wide internal communications; and
  • 4.1.2.3corporate identity.
• 4.1.3Enabling communications about policies, programs, services and initiatives by ensuring that the department:
  • 4.1.3.1provides information that is:
    • 4.1.3.1.1accurate;
    • 4.1.3.1.2non-partisan;
    • 4.1.3.1.3objective;
    • 4.1.3.1.4timely;
    • 4.1.3.1.5accessible;
    • 4.1.3.1.6written in a manner that is inclusive and in plain language; and
    • 4.1.3.1.7in both official languages in accordance with the Official Languages Act;
  • 4.1.3.2considers the information needs of:
    • 4.1.3.2.1English and French linguistic minority communities in Canada;
    • 4.1.3.2.2First Nations, Inuit, and Métis; and
    • 4.1.3.2.3regional and rural populations, and multicultural communities;
  • 4.1.3.3uses the most appropriate communications tools and channels to effectively reach audiences and achieve objectives;
  • 4.1.3.4provides published information on request in a format that is equitable for persons with disabilities; and
  • 4.1.3.5responds to information requests or inquiries from the public promptly without undue recourse to the Access to Information Act.
• 4.1.4Integrating communications into departmental planning and decision-making processes including:
  • 4.1.4.1departmental priorities;
  • 4.1.4.2policy and program development;
  • 4.1.4.3facility signage;
  • 4.1.4.4partnering and sponsorship arrangements;
  • 4.1.4.5emergency preparedness; and
  • 4.1.4.6crisis management.
• 4.1.5Ensuring that communications resources are used only for non-partisan and official Government of Canada communications about priorities, policies, programs, services and initiatives.
• 4.1.6Ensuring officials collaborate with other departments on all communications activities that require joint participation.
• 4.1.7Instructing departmental officials to engage with communications when planning external consultations.
• 4.1.8Ensuring departmental officials post information about external consultations on Consulting with Canadians.
• 4.1.9Approving annual advertising and public opinion research plans.
• 4.1.10Approving advertising activities during a general federal election:
  • 4.1.10.1that are required by statute or regulation for legal purposes;
  • 4.1.10.2to inform the public of a danger to health, safety or the environment;
  • 4.1.10.3to post an employment or staffing notice; or
  • 4.1.10.4to undertake specific advertising that is deemed urgent.
• 4.1.11Approving public opinion research during a general federal election:
  • 4.1.11.1that is required for legal purposes;
  • 4.1.11.2related to a danger to health, safety, or the environment; or
  • 4.1.11.3related to specific advertising that is deemed urgent.
• 4.1.12Championing open communications within the department to foster employee knowledge and awareness of departmental priorities and initiatives.
• 4.1.13Ensuring a strategy is developed to manage misinformation and disinformation related to the mandate of the department.
• 4.1.14Ensuring that the department does not participate in, or lend support to, activities organized for partisan purposes.

• 5.2.1Setting broad government communications themes in accordance with government priorities, as determined by the Prime Minister, Cabinet, Cabinet committees and the Clerk of the Privy Council;
• 5.2.2Providing leadership, challenge, strategic direction, and coordination of departmental and horizontal communications activities, including government announcements, crisis communications, public opinion research, advertising, social media, web and digital initiatives; and
• 5.2.3Advising departments on government priorities, themes and messages.

• 5.3.1Providing advisory services and technical advice with respect to legislative and policy requirements for advertising, public opinion research, publications and contracting;
• 5.3.2Providing advice on public opinion research projects, including research objectives, methodologies and research instruments, as well as government-wide and industry standards;
• 5.3.3Developing and updating public opinion research standards for the Government of Canada;
• 5.3.4Developing government-wide procurement tools for public opinion research and advertising activities;
• 5.3.5Publishing annual reports on contracted public opinion research projects and advertising activities;
• 5.3.6Delivering information sessions and promoting training opportunities to departments about advertising, public opinion research, and publications;
• 5.3.7Managing the procurement process, including awarding contracts, for all contracted public opinion research and advertising activities, and chairing bid evaluation processes;
• 5.3.8Advising departments on the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards;
• 5.3.9Assigning ADV numbers for media placements and project registration numbers for contracted public opinion research and advertising services;
• 5.3.10Issuing work authorizations and managing the contract with the government’s agency of record;
• 5.3.11Maintaining the Research Information Management System (RIMS) and the Advertising Management Information System (AdMIS);
• 5.3.12Developing best practices and tools, including media planning tools, to reach audiences, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, ethnocultural and English and French linguistic minority communities;
• 5.3.13Managing the National Master Standing Offer for Government Signage Goods and Related Services and providing technical advice on Government of Canada signage and vehicle markings;
• 5.3.14Managing a central electronic media monitoring service;
• 5.3.15Developing and maintaining an online collection of publications for the Government of Canada;
• 5.3.16Cataloguing all submitted and collected publications and maintaining related metadata in a centralized repository;
• 5.3.17Publishing a weekly online report of new publications;
• 5.3.18Issuing International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) and Government of Canada catalogue numbers for publications to departments;
• 5.3.19Providing Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat with an annual compliance report of publications produced by departments;
• 5.3.20Managing the acquisition process, including issuing contracts for audio-visual services; and
• 5.3.21Issuing all relevant contracts, standing offers, and supply arrangements; managing contract amendments, dispute resolutions, contract terminations and contract close-outs; and reviewing supplier performance.

• 5.4.1Posting separate English and French final reports for contracted public opinion research on its website;
• 5.4.2Managing the Legal Deposit Program for Government of Canada publications;
• 5.4.3Maintaining a permanent record of Government of Canada publications;
• 5.4.4Issuing International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSNs) for publications to departments; and
• 5.4.5Issuing blocks of International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) to the Government of Canada Publications Directorate at Public Services and Procurement Canada.

• 5.5.1Providing advisory services to departments about:  
  • 5.5.1.1the Canada.ca Specifications; and
  • 5.5.1.2optimizing websites;
• 5.5.2Establishing and maintaining the Canada.ca Specifications;
• 5.5.3Providing the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat with an annual inventory of departments that have implemented the mandatory elements of the Canada.ca Specifications;
• 5.5.4Administrating government-wide web analytics;
• 5.5.5Informing heads of communications and senior departmental officials on overall progress and performance of the Government of Canada’s external-facing websites;
• 5.5.6Administering and managing the web and social media management tools of the Government of Canada;
• 5.5.7Administering and maintaining the prescribed processes for official social media accounts and mobile applications;
• 5.5.8Keeping an inventory of official social media accounts and mobile applications; and
• 5.5.9Publishing and maintaining the Government of Canada’s social media and mobile application gallery.

• 5.6.1Providing advice to departments when they plan to advertise in foreign markets.

• Office of the Auditor General of Canada
• Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
• Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada
• Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
• Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
• Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
• Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada

The heads of these organizations are solely responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with this policy within their organizations.