Requirement 4.1.13 (misinformation and disinformation strategy) takes effect on March 27, 2026, as identified in Section 1.

This directive takes effect on March 27, 2025.This directive replaces the following Treasury Board policy instruments: Directive on the Management of Communications, May 11, 2016.Procedures for Publishing, June 1, 2013.Transitional considerations: Requirement 4.1.13 of this directive takes effect on March 27, 2026.This directive is issued pursuant to the same authorities indicated in section 2 of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity.The objectives indicated in section 3 of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity apply to this directive.The expected results indicated in section 3 of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity apply to this directive.Heads of communications are responsible for the following:

Managing and coordinating

Leading the communications and corporate identity function within the department.Providing direction to departmental officials on communications and corporate identity.Approving the most effective way to achieve communications objectives and to reach the intended target audiences.Approving all communications plans, strategies and products for external audiences.Monitoring and analyzing the public environment as it relates to policies, programs, services and initiatives.Developing communications plans and procedures in preparation for emergency or crisis situations.Providing internal communications support for department-wide priorities.Collaborating with the Privy Council Office and other departments on all communications activities and initiatives that require input from multiple departments.Collaborating with regional offices to ensure that communications objectives are met across the country.Ensuring that the department does not sell advertising or publish advertisements from a non-government source in its communications products and activities.Reviewing all departmental Memoranda to Cabinet and Treasury Board submissions to ensure that appropriate measures and adequate resources are recommended to meet planned communications objectives.Ensuring that all communications products and activities do not endorse or provide an unfair competitive advantage, real or perceived, to any individual, organization or private sector enterprise.Developing a strategy to manage misinformation and disinformation related to the mandate of the department.Ensuring all communications resources are used only for the purposes of non-partisan and official Government of Canada communications.Securing permission to reproduce, adapt, translate and publish third-party material.Managing the administration and licensing of Crown copyright.Ensuring that when the Government of Canada posts information about policies, programs, services and initiatives on official social media accounts or other third-party platforms, comparable information is also available on a Government of Canada website.Ensuring that contracts for audio-visual services are issued by the Communications and Advertising Procurement Directorate at Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Informing audiences

Ensuring that all communications products and activities are: aligned with the government’s priorities, themes and objectives;accurate;non-partisan;objective;timely;accessible;written in a manner that is inclusive and in plain language;available in English and French;developed in a way that considers the information needs of: English and French linguistic minority communities in Canada;First Nations, Inuit and Métis; andregional and rural populations, and multicultural communities;cost-effective and provides value for money; andcommunicated first through official Government of Canada channels.Using the most appropriate communications tools and channels to achieve communications objectives and reach the intended target audiences. Determining when communications products should also be made available in other languages in addition to English and French.

Federal identity

Supporting the deputy head in administering the Federal Identity Program.Using the applied title of the department or the title “Government of Canada” in all internal and external communications products and activities.Instructing departmental officials to: adhere to the Federal Identity Program in accordance with the Design Standard for the Federal Identity Program and the Federal Identity Program Manual;use only versions of the official symbols of the Government of Canada that are based on the digital master files maintained by the Communications and Federal Identity Policy Centre at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat;use the Canada wordmark with a corporate signature in all fields of application unless otherwise stipulated in the Design Standard for the Federal Identity Program or the Federal Identity Program Manual;use the applied title of the department or “Government of Canada” in text format when use of the official symbols is not possible;use the Government of Canada signature when: two or more departments are involved, ora department does not have an approved applied title;display the official symbols prominently, free from other visual elements and visually conflicting backgrounds; andpresent both official languages with equal prominence in the corporate identity of the department including using the same colour, style, size and type.Approving the development and use of a creative approach to promote programs, commemorative events and other initiatives.

Additional corporate identifiers

Seeking direction from the Communications and Federal Identity Policy Centre at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat when departmental officials are considering an additional corporate identifier.Overseeing additional corporate identifiers that have been approved by Treasury Board by: managing these identifiers throughout all stages of the lifecycle, including planning, implementation and disposal;maintaining an inventory of these identifiers; andensuring that these identifiers are used as approved. Developing a graphic standards manual that outlines how the additional corporate identifier will be used: in all fields of application; andwith the corporate signature and the Canada wordmark.Ensuring graphic standards manuals for additional corporate identifiers have been approved by the Communications and Federal Identity Policy Centre at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat prior to use.

Specialized symbols

Confirming with the Communications and Federal Identity Policy Centre at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat that the proposed specialized symbols align with the definition. Approving the adoption of specialized symbols.Developing a graphic standards manual that outlines how the specialized symbol will be used: in all communications products and activities; andwith the corporate signature and the Canada wordmark.Ensuring graphic standards manuals for specialized symbols have been approved by the Communications and Federal Identity Policy Centre at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat prior to use.Overseeing the use of specialized symbols by: managing these symbols throughout all stages of the lifecycle, including planning, approval, implementation and disposal;maintaining an inventory of approved specialized symbols; andensuring that these symbols are used as intended in all communications products and activities.

Social media

Overseeing departmental social media presence including: approving the departmental social media strategy;approving all official social media accounts; approving content posted on official social media accounts;ensuring that the official social media management tools administered by Service Canada are used for: managing official social media accounts; andcollecting analytics.Ensuring that all official social media accounts do not follow, share, tag or link to the personal or political social media accounts of ministers, members of Parliament or senators.

Websites

Overseeing the content and corporate identity of external-facing departmental websites.Ensuring that external-facing departmental websites: adhere to Appendix D: Standard on External-facing Websites and Mobile Applications; anduse the official web analytics tool administered by Service Canada.

Mobile applications

Overseeing the corporate identity of mobile applications.Ensuring that mobile applications adhere to Appendix D: Standard on External-facing Websites and Mobile Applications.

Advertising

Leading the process for the annual advertising plan. Submitting the annual advertising plan to the deputy head for approval.Adhering to the principles of the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards.Complying with the oversight mechanism for non-partisan advertising.Ensuring that all initiatives that require parliamentary approval or trade deals that require ratification are not advertised until such approval has been received.Determining when advertising that has a total media buy not exceeding $40,000 can be purchased directly from media outlets in compliance with Section 6 of the Government Contracts Regulations.

Partnering and sponsorships

Reviewing all partnering and sponsorship arrangements and agreements to provide communications and corporate identity advice.Ensuring all partnering and sponsorship arrangements do not: focus primarily on advertising or paid efforts involving the media; orpromote or advertise the commercial goods or services of partners or sponsors.Ensuring all partnering and sponsorship agreements outline: communications roles and responsibilities of all parties;corporate identity requirements; andofficial language requirements.

Media spokespersons

Designating and authorizing media spokespersons to communicate with the media in an official capacity on behalf of the department.Providing media training to designated spokespersons, as needed.Instructing designated media spokespersons when speaking on the record for public attribution to: identify themselves by name and position; andconfine remarks to facts concerning policies, programs, services or initiatives.Informing designated media spokespersons of their obligation to respect: privacy rights; security needs;matters before the courts; government laws, regulations and policies;Cabinet confidences and ministerial responsibilities; andValues and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.Engaging with the news media to promote awareness and understanding about government policies, programs, services and initiatives.

Publications

Instructing departmental officials of their obligation to adhere to the criteria as prescribed by the Government of Canada Publications Directorate at Public Services and Procurement Canada.Ensuring an index of all publications including electronic, free, priced and co-publications is: maintained by the department in accordance with the criteria prescribed by the Government of Canada Publications Directorate at Public Services and Procurement Canada; andsubmitted annually to the Government of Canada Publications Directorate at Public Services and Procurement Canada. Obtaining from the Government of Canada Publications Directorate at Public Services and Procurement Canada: an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), if applicable; and a Government of Canada Catalogue Number.Obtaining from Library and Archives Canada an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) for journals and other serial publications.Providing all publications to the Government of Canada Publications Directorate at Public Services and Procurement Canada in: an HTML format; a portable format;both official languages; andany other available languages.Providing the Legal Deposit Unit at Library and Archives Canada with copies of any tangible publications that have been created, in all available editions and language versions.

Printed products

Ensuring communications products are printed based on demand.

Promotional items

Approving the development, production, acquisition, distribution and use of promotional items.

Public opinion research

Leading the process for the annual public opinion research plan for all contracted and significant non-contracted projects. Ensuring that all contracted and significant non-contracted public opinion research projects align with the mandate of the department. Submitting the public opinion research annual plan and any unanticipated public opinion research projects to the deputy head for approval.Ensuring that resources are not used for public opinion research activities to determine: electoral voting intentions;political party preferences;party standings with the electorate; or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leader.

Consultations

Providing communications advice at all stages of consultation projects.

Federal elections

Suspending all advertising and public opinion research activities on: the day that the Governor in Council issues a writ for a general federal election, orJune 30 in a year in which there is a fixed general federal election date.Ensuring that all advertising and public opinion research activities that have been suspended during a general federal election do not resume until the newly elected government is sworn into office.Obtaining deputy head approval during a general federal election for select advertising and public opinion research activities listed in requirements 4.1.10 and 4.1.11 of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity.

Functional specialists

Functional specialists involved in communications products and activities or those who manage activities involving the Federal Identity Program are responsible for: Supporting the head of communications in complying with the communications and federal identity policy requirements.Identifying all policy compliance issues to the head of communications.

Subject-matter experts

Departmental subject-matter experts are responsible for the following when speaking in a work capacity and on the record for public attribution: Identifying themselves by name and position.Addressing remarks to areas for which they have responsibility and expertise.Respecting: privacy rights;security needs;matters before the courts;government laws, regulations and policies; Cabinet confidences and ministerial responsibilities; andValues and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.
The roles of other government organizations in relation to this directive are described in section 5 of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity.This directive applies to the organizations described in section 6 of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity.The heads of the following organizations are solely responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with this policy within their organizations:
  • Office of the Auditor General of Canada
  • Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
  • 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
  • Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada
The organizations listed in 6.2 are not required to use the Canada wordmark.The requirements below do not apply to the organizations listed in 6.2:
  • Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity: 4.1.8, 4.1.19.1, 4.1.24.3, 4.1.24.5.1, 4.1.26, 4.1.28 to 4.1.30, 4.1.32, 4.1.33, 4.1.35.4, 4.1.38, 4.1.40, and 4.1.44
  • Appendix A: Mandatory Procedures for Advertising: A.2.2.4 to A.2.2.10, A.2.2.12, A.2.2.14 to A.2.2.17, A.2.2.19, A.2.2.22, A.2.2.24, and A.2.2.27 to A.2.2.29
  • Appendix B: Mandatory Procedures for Public Opinion Research: B.2.2.4, B.2.2.6 to B.2.2.15
  • Appendix C: Standard on Managing Official Social Media Accounts: C.2.2.2 and C.2.2.3
  • Appendix D: Standard on External-facing Websites and Mobile Applications: D.2.2.1 to D.2.2.3
The following requirements are not mandatory for departments that have not migrated their external-facing websites to the Canada.ca content management tool:
  • 4.1.38.2 of the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity
  • D.2.2.2.1 of Appendix D: Standard on External-facing Websites and Mobile Applications
References in relation to this directive are described in section 8 of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity.Members of the public may contact Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Public Enquiries for information about this policy.Individuals from departments are to contact the Communications and Federal Identity Policy Centre at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat by email at information@tbs-sct.gc.ca for interpretation of this policy and supporting instruments related to corporate identity and communications products and activities, including advertising.Effective dateThese procedures take effect on March 27, 2025. These procedures replace the Mandatory Procedures for Advertising, May 11, 2016.ProceduresThese procedures provide details on the requirements set out in subsections 4.1.41 to 4.1.46 of the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity.Mandatory procedures are as follows:

Developing the annual advertising plan

Engage with departmental officials to determine advertising needs.Develop the departmental annual advertising plan.Submit the annual advertising plan to head of communications for review.

Planning and coordinating

Confirm with Advertising Services Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to determine whether the initiative falls within the definition of advertising.Consult with the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office when planning advertising activities.Consult with Global Affairs Canada when planning to advertise in foreign markets.Establish performance indicators for advertising campaigns as prescribed by the Privy Council Office.Provide results based on the performance indicators to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.

Contracting advertising activities

Engage with the Communications and Advertising Procurement Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to undertake procurement of the advertising activity, unless otherwise stipulated in 4.1.46 of the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity, including: media planning;creative testing;creative production;media placement; andcampaign evaluation.Collaborate with the Advertising Services Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to:develop the statement of work; andobtain the project registration number before the contract is awarded.Manage the advertising contract after it has been awarded.Inform the Advertising Services Directorate and Communications and Advertising Procurement Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada of any changes or amendments to the: scope of work;contract; andmedia buy strategy.

Producing advertising creatives and media planning

Consider the needs and interests, as applicable, of: First Nations, Inuit and Métis;English and French linguistic minority communities; andethnocultural communities.Comply with the non-partisan advertising oversight mechanism.Submit the following to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office for review: draft creative elements; andmedia buy strategies and plans.Submit the following to the Advertising Services Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to confirm compliance with legislative and policy requirements: draft creative elements; andmedia buy strategies and plans.Obtain the authorization (ADV) number from the Advertising Services Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Direct media purchases for media buys that do not exceed $40,000

Seek approval from the head of communications to purchase media space directly from media outlets for advertising initiatives that have a total media buy not exceeding $40,000.

Advertising Management Information System

Record information on all advertising activities in the Advertising Management Information System (AdMIS).

Testing creatives for an advertising campaign with a media buy over $1 million

Collaborate with departmental public opinion research officials to add the advertising creative testing to the annual public opinion research plan.Confirm that the creative testing has been included on the approved annual public opinion research plan.Develop the plan for creative testing in collaboration with: the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office; andthe Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada.Conduct the creative testing in collaboration with departmental public opinion research officials.Provide creative testing research results to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.

Evaluating an advertising campaign with a media buy over $2 million

Collaborate with departmental public opinion research officials to add the campaign evaluation to the annual public opinion research plan.Confirm that the campaign evaluation has been approved as part of the annual public opinion research plan.Develop the evaluation plan in collaboration with: the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office; andthe Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada.Conduct the evaluation of the advertising campaign in collaboration with departmental public opinion research officials: using the Advertising Campaign Evaluation Tool (ACET) as prescribed by the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office. Provide research results of the campaign evaluation to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.
Effective dateThese procedures take effect on March 27, 2025.These procedures replace the Mandatory Procedures for Public Opinion Research, May 11, 2016.ProceduresThese procedures provide details on the requirements set out in subsections 4.1.63 to 4.1.66 of the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity. Mandatory procedures are as follows:

Developing the Annual Public Opinion Research Plan

Engage with departmental officials to determine public opinion research needs.Develop the annual public opinion research plan.Include in the annual public opinion research plan: a description of each public opinion research project, including the objective and the intended use of the results;the total contract value, if applicable, including taxes;whether the project will be undertaken by multiple departments;whether a project will be carried out over more than 1 fiscal year;planned creative testing for advertising campaigns with media buys over $1 million; andplanned evaluation of advertising campaigns with media buys over $2 million.Coordinate the annual public opinion research plan and any amendments, as well as any unanticipated public opinion research projects not included in the plan with:  the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada; andthe Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.Submit the annual public opinion research plan to the head of communications for review. Submit, for information, the approved annual public opinion research plan to: the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada; andthe Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.

Planning Public Opinion Research projects

Coordinate the planning of contracted public opinion research projects with: the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada; andthe Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.Consult with the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada: before initiating procurement; andto obtain project registration numbers before contracts are awarded.Collaborate with the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to develop statements of work.Coordinate all procurement for public opinion research projects with the Communications and Advertising Procurement Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada.Inform the Public Opinion Research Directorate and the Communications and Advertising Procurement Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada before initiating any changes to the contract.Submit the following documentation for contracted public opinion research projects to the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada: estimates;contracts;justification of the choice of supplier;amendments to contracts;information on contract values;information on the intended use of the research; andthe dates of data collection.

Conducting

Consult with the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada before conducting the research. Provide, on request, research instruments, analysis plans, survey data, data tables, reports and status updates to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office for review.Provide draft research instruments of contracted public opinion research projects to the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada for review.

Reporting

Ensure that reports for all contracted public opinion research projects comply with the Public Opinion Research Contract Regulations.Ensure that executive summaries in reports for contracted public opinion research projects outline: how results are expected to be used; and the total contract value.Provide to Library and Archives Canada separate electronic copies in English and French of final reports for all contracted public opinion research projects within 6 months after the completion of any data collection.
Effective dateThis standard takes effect on March 27, 2025.This standard replaces the Mandatory Procedures for Social Media and Web Communications, May 11, 2016.StandardsThis standard provides details on the requirements set out in subsections 4.1.35 to 4.1.36 of the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity.Standards are as follows: Seek the approval of the head of communications to create all official social media accounts.Adhere to the Prescribed Processes for Official Social Media Accounts (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) outlined by Service Canada.Use the official social media management tool administered by Service Canada: to manage official social media accounts; andto collect social media analytics to evaluate and optimize the effectiveness of content.Include a link to a social media notice from the official social media account profile.Manage official social media accounts throughout all stages of the life cycle, from planning to disposal.Effective dateThis standard takes effect on March 27, 2025.This standard replaces the Mandatory Procedures for Social Media and Web Communications, May 11, 2016.StandardsThis standard provides details on the requirements set out in subsections 4.1.37 to 4.1.40 of the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity.Standards are as follows:

External-facing websites

Prepare external-facing websites in accordance with the Canada.ca Specifications.Evaluate and optimize the effectiveness of external-facing web content: using data collected by the official web analytics tool of the Government of Canada.

Mobile applications

Follow the prescribed processes for mobile applications outlined by Service Canada.

Definitions to be used in the interpretation of this directive can be found in Appendix A of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity.