Common Schedules (schedule 200002)

Background

Common schedules is a system of information schedules meant to cover all areas of government that provides retention and disposition requirements for broad functional categories of information to be applied at a program-area level.

Common Schedules:

• Groups information together into broad categories using common functions, retention periods and dispositions
• Standardizes disposition instructions for similar functions across government and the broader public sector
• Specifies the minimum amount of time information needs to be kept, and what to do with information at the end of its lifecycle
• Organizes information by the functions of government that lead to its creation or receipt rather than on the specific area that maintains the record
• Replaces the current system of classification schedules:
  • Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS)
  • Ministry Schedules (Operational Records Classification Systems (ORCS))
  • Special Schedules
• Components of Common Schedules:
  • Critical Information Schedules
    • Common Records schedules
    • Sector-specific schedules
  • Routine Information Schedules

Application

Common Schedules is the government's authoritative scheduling system that, under the Information Management Act, establishes the retention and disposition requirements for government information.

Common Schedules is not a records classification system. Public bodies may wish to develop their own file plan structures that align with the broad functional classifications in Common Schedules to support operational needs within their organization.