Treasury Board Directive on Automated Decision Making
La version française est disponible ici
Background
The Directive on Automated Decision-Making (directive) sets requirements for federal institutions to ensure that the use of AI or other automated systems in making or supporting administrative decision-making is compatible with the core principles of administrative law such as transparency, accountability, legality and procedural fairness. The Directive is supported by the Algorithmic Impact Assessment Tool, an online questionnaire which helps departments understand and manage the risks associated with automated decision systems.
The directive came into effect in April 2019 and applies to systems developed or procured after April 2020.
4th Review
The fourth review of the directive is currently underway. To determine the scope, initial steps involved completing literary reviews, jurisdictional and legal scans for a number of topics in the context of automation and artificial intelligence.
Next steps include:
- Drafting recommendations – late summer 2024
- Targeted consultation and feedback analysis – fall 2024
- Governance and approvals – winter 2025
- Publication – spring 2025
Guidance
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) has developed guidance to support compliance with the directive:
- Scope – to support departments in understanding the systems and uses that fall under the purview of the directive
- Peer review – to support departments commissioning a review and individuals undertaking the review
- Section 4.5 of the Guideline on Service and Digital provides additional guidance on the responsible and ethical use of automated decision systems
- Algorithmic Impact Assessment Guide – to support departments in completing the Algorithmic Impact Assessment and improve the consistency and quality of questionnaire responses
Upcoming:
- Reporting – to support departments on the requirement of publishing information on the effectiveness and efficiency of a system in meeting program objectives
Resources
Enquiries
Please contact the TBS Responsible Data and AI team (ai-ia@tbs-sct.gc.ca) for any questions.