Improving Data Availability for Conservation Decisions.
Conservation and management of species and ecosystems in Canada requires sharing of relevant data and information to facilitate effective, informed decisions. Consistent approaches to management and distribution of species and ecosystems data and information should enable improved data-sharing, a more consistent and complete information base for conservation actions and ultimately improved conservation decisions. They should improve the flow of data and information among agencies, organizations and their clients and reduce the scope of data and information with various forms of restricted access. During 2020-2024 NatureServe Canada led a diverse working group of agencies and organizations to develop consistent, harmonized approaches to the collection, management and distribution of species and ecosystems data and information.
The Working Group included representatives from the following agencies and organizations:
- Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre
- Yukon Conservation Data Centre
- Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre
- British Columbia Conservation Data Centre
- New Brunswick Species at Risk Program
- Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)
- COSEWIC Secretariat
- NatureServe Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Species at Risk Program
- Migratory Birds Program
- Data Management Program
- Birds Canada
- Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife (RENEW)
- Parks Canada Agency
- Boreas Ecological
These approaches are contained within Data Security Template Policy and Procedures. The Data Security Template Policy and Procedures include several mandatory components and a suite of optional components that reflect the diversity of governance needs within agencies and organizations that collect, manage and distribute data on species and ecosystems in Canada. They have been developed such that they can be adopted and tailored by agencies and organizations to meet their regulatory and governance environment but still ensure consistent, harmonized approaches.
The Data Security Template Policy and Procedures are intended to be living documents. They will be updated and improved with learnings from efforts by agencies and organizations that adopt and implement them.
Data Security Procedures Guidance
NatureServe Canada can assist organizations who would like to learn more about adapting/adopting and implementing the Policy and Procedures.
Progress Update March 31, 2026
The Yukon Government's Fish and Wildlife Branch officially adopted their Data Sharing Policy. The document was developed using the NatureServe Canada template policy and guidance from NatureServe Canada.
NatureServe Canada has developed two products to support implementation of the template Data Security Policy and Procedures. These are an Implementation Guidance Document – essentially a set of learnings presented in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and a presentation that provides guidance for implementation of two procedures: Identifying Elements Susceptible to Harm and Determining a Client’s Business Case for Access to Sensitive Ecological Data. Links are provided above.
NatureServe Canada is continuing to adapt the template policy and procedures to its own governance and working environment to ensure that its management and distribution of data are consistent with these approaches.
The BC Data and Information Security Committee has drafted revisions to its existing policy and procedures to adopt important components from the NatureServe Canada templates.
The Manitoba CDC has developed a draft policy and has initiated the required a legal risk assessment.
Please reach out to us with your questions/comments at info@natureserve.ca.