Retention + Filing of Source Documents

Retention + Filing of Source Documents

The university is required to comply with federal and provincial statutory requirements relating to the retention of records. Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requires that all records be retained until the expiration of six years after the end of the year to which they relate. Therefore, the University has developed a financial retention schedule outlining the specific retention timeline for records. Units that process transactions in the financial system must ensure they have an effective system for filing to accommodate ease of review for internal requirements, external audit requirements, retention, archiving, and permanent destruction of source documents.

Records Definition

As per Access to Information Act (ATIA) and Protection of Privacy Act (POPA), record "means any electronic record or other record in any form in which information is contained or stored, including information in any written, graphic, electronic, digital, photographic, audio or other medium, but does not include any software or other mechanism used to store or produce the record;"

What are NOT University Records?

  1. Research Records, these are subject to 海角社区 Research Policy and its associated procedures
  2. Personal Communications of individual faculty, staff and students; or
  3. Records places in the University Archives by or on behalf of a person or organization other than the University

Official or Transitory Records

In deciding whether you should retain records, one should determine if they are official or transitory records.

Official Records

  • Contain information that has ongoing business value,
  • Are required to support business operations
  • Document and provide evidence of business transactions,
  • Are required by legislation,
  • Provide evidence of compliance with accountability or other business requirements, and
  • Have future business, financial, legal, research or archival value.

Examples include:

  • Policies, directives, briefing notes,
  • Final reports and recommendations
  • Business deliverables
  • Accounting working papers
  • Work plans, schedules, performance results
  • Materials of historical and/or future research importance
  • Agendas and minutes of meetings, or
  • Legal agreements of any kind

Transitory Records

  • Have no further value beyond immediate and minor transaction,
  • Are produced or received in the preparation of other records which supersede them or for convenient reference
  • Are no needed as evidence of a business activity and, as such, can normally be routinely disposed of
  • Are not filed in official records systems, and
  • Are not required to meet legislative or regulatory obligations

Examples include:

  • Duplicate copies used for convenience,
  • Advertising materials and junk mail,
  • Blank information media such as obsolete stationery and blank forms
  • Notices of social events such as retirements or office parties
  • "FYI" email notices on meetings, holidays, boardroom reservations etc.
  • Photocopies of departmental publications, or
  • Draft documents, working or research materials used in preparation for the final version.

Record Storage + Location

Physical and electronic records are stored within a variety of systems and in a variety of different formats. Business units across the University have implemented storage systems to maintain their official records in a way that works for them.

Guidance for records storage can be found on the Information, Privacy and Records Management Office site.

Record Retention Schedule

The Financial Management Records Retention Schedule will provide details of when and under what conditions Official Records can be destroyed.

The Financial Management Records Retention Schedule empowers University Employees to destroy Official Records in line with the Records Disposition Guideline.

Transitory Records are not required to follow the Records Retention Schedule nor are they required to follow the Records Disposition Guidelines.

Please note: in the event of an ATIA request or litigation pertaining to official or transitory records, destruction MUST CEASE.

Financial Management Records Retention Schedule

While the Information, Privacy and Records Management Office is building and updating the enterprise-wide Records Retention Schedule (RRS) in iterations, Financial Records should be maintained and disposed of according to the  until it is merged with the centralized RRS.

Information about the maintenance, retention, and destruction of standard Administrative records can be found on the IPRMO-posted RRS.

How Records are destroyed

The destruction process must follow the guidelines and documentation as indicated in Records Disposition Guidelines.

Contact

For any questions or clarification, please contact your Records Management Coordinator or visit the Information, Privacy and Records Management website for contact details and tools to assist you in managing University records.

Last Updated: October 2025