Email Records Management Policy

Waterloo, Ontario · adopted 2013-07-15

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 6aaab3d404dd · verified 2026-06-10 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

Mandatory Policy, Municipal Act: No Policy Administration Team, Review Date: May 21, 2013 Corporate Management Team, Review Date: June 12, 2013 CORPORATE POLICY Policy Title: Email Records Management Policy Policy Category: Administration Policy Policy No.: A-006 Department: Corporate Services Approval Date: July 15, 2013 Revision Date: Author: Julie Scott, Records Management Coordinator Attachments: None Related Documents/Legislation: Municipal Act, Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Retention By-Law, Records Management Policy, Communication Technology Use Policy Key Word(s): Email, Electronic, Records, Data POLICY STATEMENT: The City of Waterloo is committed to promoting and facilitating good management of electronic messaging records throughout their life cycle in order to support accountable and effective government administration. PURPOSE: The policy outlines consistent standards and practices for the efficient and effective management of electronic messaging records in accordance with the City's requirements for managing records. DEFINITIONS: Personal e-mail message - An e-mail message which has no relevance to City business such as a message to a friend or non-work related messages between City employees (e.g. lunch arrangements). POLICY NUMBER: A-006 Page 2 Transitory Records are records of temporary usefulness needed only for a short time, having no ongoing value beyond an immediate and minor transaction to complete a routine task, or to prepare a subsequent record. They do not contain information needed to support operations, make decisions or account for organizational activities, and they should be destroyed as soon as possible after use. This includes back up tapes and data files created for the purposes of system testing. Their retention and disposition are not governed by the Records Classification Scheme and Retention By- Law. SCOPE: This policy applies to all electronic messaging records sent or received by authorized users of the City's electronic messaging system(s) in the care or custody of the City of Waterloo. Note: Mayor and Councillor electronic messaging records are considered "personal" records where they are not related to the discharge of their responsibilities as a member of Council or where they are not in the custody or control of the City. This includes records commonly referred to as constituency records. Further guidance regarding records of the Mayor and Councillor is provided in publications available through the Information on Privacy Commissioner. Such electronic messaging records are not within the scope of this policy and are not subject to the custody or control of the City's Records Management Program. POLICY COMMUNICATION: This policy will be made available to staff through the City Website and Intranet. It will form part of the new hire Orientation Program and ongoing additional training for all employees will be coordinated as necessary. POLICY: 1. Electronic messaging records which are not spam or personal e-mail messages shall be managed throughout their lifecycle according to the requirements of the City's Records Retention By-Law and related Policies and Procedures. 2. Electronic messaging records which are not transitory records, or spam or personal e-mail messages shall be retained according to the City's Retention By- Law in the designated repositories. 3. Electronic messaging records subject to a record hold will be managed in accordance with the City's Record Hold Procedure. 4. Electronic messaging records which are transitory records or personal e-mail messages shall be deleted as soon as they have served the purpose for which they were sent, received or stored. POLICY NUMBER: A-006 Page 3 5. Electronic messaging records which are spam shall be deleted as soon as they are detected. 6. Electronic messaging records will be disposed of in a manner that maintains the security and confidentiality of the electronic messaging records. 7. Back ups of the e-mail system are intended to restore computer system operations in the event of a disaster and will not be used for records retention purposes. The retention of e-mail system back ups shall be limited to a reasonable time period which shall also be documented in the City's Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Plan. COMPLIANCE: In cases of policy violation, the City may investigate and determine appropriate corrective action.