Government Recordkeeping


Our Mandate and Mission

Under The Archives and Recordkeeping Act, the Archives of Manitoba has a dual mandate:

  • to provide for the identification and preservation of records of archival value to present and future generations
  • to promote and facilitate good recordkeeping in government in order to support accountability and effective government administration

The Government Records Office (GRO), a unit of the Archives, is the central agency responsible for setting government recordkeeping policies, standards and guidelines. Our mission is to help departments and agencies understand their records management responsibilities and meet their obligations under the ARA.

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Our Vision

Records and information are efficiently managed to support an open, evidence-based, and digital government.

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Our Work

Our program is based on the principle that good recordkeeping and preservation of our archival heritage go hand in hand. We refer to it as an integrated records management and archival program. When records are well managed from the outset, two important goals are achieved: government's recordkeeping needs are met, and there is a sound basis for identifying records of archival value and planning for their long-term preservation.

Our work in the GRO includes:

  • developing recordkeeping policies, standards, guidelines, and best practices
  • providing advice and consultation on government initiatives, and specific high-risk/high-value records issues
  • maintaining information about records and records management activities across government
  • designing and overseeing records scheduling procedures and advising on records retention
  • identifying records of continuing (archival) value to government and society, for permanent preservation by the Archives
  • providing responsible stewardship of government resources and high-quality client service at the Government Records Centre facility

Developing effective strategies to ensure that digital records will have the same authenticity and reliability as paper records is a key focus of the GRO, as it is in other jurisdictions world-wide.

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