Chief Data Officer Branch test/sandbox

Chief Data Officer Branch, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Established in November 2019, the Chief Data Officer Branch (CDOB) is a central function that relates to IRCC branches and programs through a complimentary and enabling partnership. Like other governmental departments and agencies, IRCC CDO Branch was established to respond to the pressing need across federal public service for a horizontal and enabling function dedicated to the governance and management of data as a corporate asset.

'"Our vision" is to foster the organizational, policy and cultural change needed to support IRCC as a data-driven organization, where data is governed and managed as a corporate asset in support of departmental “core responsibilities” and “results”.

Our mission is to develop, share, use and make accessible high quality data, and thereby enable data driven evidence and trusted insight in support of public policy and programming, operational decision making, results reporting, and enhanced client experience. Our core values are rigour, responsiveness and relevance.

Branch Mandate

Data as a Critical Corporate Asset:Ensure IRCC data quality, integrity, availability, access, security and interoperability, while continually expanding IRCC-policy-relevant data assets.

Governance:Create a joined-up data governance for the department for the implementation and oversight of data management activities and compliance with legislative requirements.

Digital Infrastructure:Establish a robust digital infrastructure for the effective and efficient use of data and data products, enabling the use of data to its full potential, ranging from statistical reporting to advance analytics. (TDSS) PEOPLE AND CULTURE: Foster a highly data literate culture where data quality is appreciated, while its stewardship, and proper and ethical use become second nature.

Contact CDO Branch at: IRCC.CDODGO-BDGDGDPD.IRCC@cic.gc

Link to IRCC Data Strategy

Organizational Chart

Data Development And Reporting Division

DDR develops and reports on person-based data on all lines of business of IRCC. By transforming IRCC’s administrative data into person-based admissions data, it supports the Department’s performance reporting on all its programs. Moreover, it provides oversight for external data releases.

Through the Data Protocol Unit (DPU) function , DDR is responsible for reviewing and approving the release of all operational and statistical data reports to the Minister’s Office and to others outside the Department by ensuring that any data being produced and released follow established departmental data release procedures.

DDR develops and reports on person-based data on lines of business of IRCC. The DPU has delegated responsibility from the Deputy Minister through the Chief Data Officer (CDO) of IRCC to review and approve the release of all data destined to the Minister’s Office or outside IRCC.

DPU ensures proper data release protocols are followed in order to minimize the risk of disseminating identifiable or erroneous data. DPU also provides departmental advice on applying rounding, suppression rules and other statistical methods to ensure data to confidentiality (or non-disclosure) of individual respondent identity and characteristics. The Departmental Data Release Instructions (hyperlink to follow) stipulate that all data destined to the Minister’s Office or outside IRCC has to be vetted through DPU.

To contact DPU for the Departmental approval for release of data, please send your request to: IRCC.CDODPU-UPDDPD.IRCC@cic.gc.ca.

The Data Development and Production Team in DDR is responsible for producing person-based analytical and research databases on Temporary Residents, Permanent Residents, Settlement Service Clients, etc.., in order to support reporting, program monitoring, performance measurement, evaluation and research. Meanwhile, the team is also responsible for the development and production of data reporting tools such as OLAP data cubes for both the Department, ODGs and the provincial and territorial governments and other external partners. For a list of data products, please click here (hyperlink to follow). ANY EMAIL ADDRESS?

The Statistical Reporting Group in DDR is responsible for internal and external reporting on person-based data, in particular, admissions of permanent residents and temporary residents to Canada as well as settlement service clients in Canada over time. The group is supporting the statistical reporting on IRCC’s program outcomes to support the Annual Report, the Departmental Results Report, and other Department wide reports, and specific program performance reports to program areas of within the Department, and to respond to ad hoc data requests from the Communications branch of the Department, ODGs, international organizations, academia, and the general public.

To contact the Statistical Reporting Group, please send your request to: IRCC.CDOStatistics-StatistiquesDPD.IRCC@cic.gc.ca. Open Data Portal (ODP) of the Open Government initiative of the Government of Canada is an important platform for CDOB to share IRCC data with the public and stakeholders. The Open Data team of CDOB has published over 400 data tables on all lines of business of IRCC at the ODP site, and are augmenting these data assets with updated DRF indicators, passport data, GBA+, small geography, and non-static data tables. For a complete list of IRCC data tables posted to the ODP, please click here (hyperlink to follow). To make IRCC data available to both internal and external audiences with various levels of data literacy, CDOB develops visualized data reports with MS Power BI application. With this data visualization initiative being implemented, more dynamic and interactive data analytical reports will be available for public use.

Contact DDT at: IRCC.CDORDM-MDRDPD.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

Data Governance and Partnerships Division (DGP)

Within DGP, the Data Governance Team operates' with the goal of improving the Department’s data quality by developing a governance framework and Master Data Model, establishing data use policies, processes and procedures to ensure IRCC’s data assets are well-managed, managing the Data Steward Network (DSN), and resolving data issues. Data governance is a collaborative endeavor, and the team works with stakeholders across the Department to promote a culture where data is a critical corporate asset. 

The Data Governance Team responsibilities include the design and implementation of the IRCC Data Strategy; development of IRCC Business Glossaries, developing data impact assessment; data quality assessments, development of data standards and policy; identification and resolution of legacy and emerging data issues; promotion of data skills and culture; and management of data governance and liaisons with horizontal IRCC and Government of Canada data-allied committees.

The main objective of the Data Governance Program is to modernize data management at IRCC. Data governance strives to prevent data-related problems before they begin by reducing ambiguity, establishing clear accountabilities, and disseminating data-related information to all data stakeholders.

Data governance ensures that: data can be trusted and we put people in charge of fixing and preventing issues with data. Protecting the integrity of data needs to become second nature. Similar to health and safety, we all share the responsibility to identify and report potential data issues. Furthermore, the transformation agenda requires well-managed data. The principles of good data governance establish who does what and when, and under what authority. It is not meant to replace good management, but complement it. Data governance is the bridge between the business and information technology worlds, promoting the common goal of improving the management of these vital assets, and to establish a common business terminology.

Contact DGP at: IRCC.CDODGP-GDPDPD.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

The Data Partnerships Team (DPT) within CDOB is responsible for leveraging and amplifying the value of IRCC administrative data by developing data partnerships and facilitating data linkages with: provinces and territories, Statistics Canada, other government departments, academics, non-government organizations, as well as data networks and other data holders.

DPT is also establishing IRCC’s information sharing governance structure to better manage and strengthen IRCC’s information sharing agreements, which are required for the authorized exchange of information and data to inform research, policy and program development. Data partnerships are critical for opening access to IRCC data sources to external researchers in safe and secure environment where privacy and data quality is central. The aim of data partnerships is to address important data gaps and enrich policy-relevant evidence. The outreach mandate includes showcasing data literacy initiatives and research results by internal and external data partners, through activities such as Data Matters Events.

Contact the Data Partnerships Team at: IRCC.CDODGP-GDPDPD.IRCC@cic.gc.ca. Date modified: 2021-01-XX