Data Management Policy

Government is responsible for the collection, management, and use of a significant amount of data. The Data Management Policy (PDF, 232 KB) is one of the tools designed to help ministries manage their data consistently and ethically in a strategic and user-focused way.  

This policy outlines high-level requirements for ministries to manage data in their custody and/or control.  This includes data creation, collection, sharing, access and use. Data, like records, is a subset of information and this Policy expands on requirements found in law and other policies, such as the Managing Government Information Policy. 

Data Management Policy applies to all ministries and central agencies that are subject to the Core Policy and Procedures Manual Chapter 12. 

Quick Facts

• Data is the foundation of a modern, digital government and to fully realize its benefits it is important to have a cohesive approach to data management.
• This policy provides ministries and central agencies direction on how to consistently create, collect, share, access and use data.
• This policy helps fulfil government mandates by improving data sharing and re-use, increasing evidence-based decision-making and creating better digital services for British Columbians.
• This policy establishes the BC Data Catalogue as government’s corporate data catalogue, where ministries and central agencies are expected to list their high-value data resources for discovery and access.
• This policy defines “high value data” as data with significant business value, enabling decision-making for programs, services, evaluation and accountability benefiting many users. This includes critical data, authoritative data, data of public interest or data having permanent value.
• This policy is administered by the Data Systems and Services Branch within BC Data Service.