Audit of Lands Management - Follow-up Report Status Update as of December 31, 2013
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Action Plan Implementation Status Update Report to the Audit Committee - As of December 31, 2013
LED & RO
| Project Recommendations | Action Plan | Expected Completion Date |
Program Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The Senior Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Regional Operations (RO) should work with the Assistant Deputy Minister of Lands and Economic Development (LED) to develop a governance model that allows LED to define priorities and with the assistance of RO, assess operational performance in regional offices against these priorities, so that the Department can measure progress achieved towards policy objectives related to land management. | Governance structures have been developed and will be implemented which clearly outline roles and responsibilities of LED and RO. | September, 2013 | |
| LED and RO will work collaboratively to identify priorities, indicators, and targets, which will be integrated into the Regional Operations Corporate Business Plan and Program’s Performance Measurement Framework. | March, 2014 | ||
| 2. The Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Regional Operations should work with the Assistant Deputy Minister of Lands and Economic Development to conduct an analysis of transaction volume and complexity of lands transactions managed per resource. Roles and duties should be examined to ensure that responsibilities of Lands Officers are appropriate for their level. | RO and LED will partner to analyze transaction complexity and volume to assist with the identification of opportunities for improved resource alignment and to ensure that Lands Officers responsibilities are appropriate for their level. | March, 2014 | |
| 3. The Assistant Deputy Minister of Lands and Economic Development should work with The Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Regional Operations to develop and provide targeted training to Lands Officers responsible for registering more complex lands transactions. In addition, roles and responsibilities of the Support Centres should be clarified and communicated across all regions. Additional training should be provided to Support Centre staff to ensure they have the knowledge and expertise to fulfill the functions of a Support Centre. | Prior to the Dec. 1st, 2012 transition, whereby regions assumed responsibility for registering land instruments, on-line and in-person training was facilitated by LED HQ personnel. To date, the need to deliver additional training has been identified for Alberta, Ontario, Atlantic, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Training on complex transactions will be delivered by LED HQ personnel April – June, 2013. | June, 2013 | Status: Completed Update/Rationale: As of 30/06/2013: On-line and in-person training has been delivered to all regional offices, ahead of schedule. The LED Sector will be further seeking opportunity to implement on-line training for users. This activity is outside the scope of the action plan commitment but is an activity which will further respond to the recommendation long term. Additional training focussing on more complex land transactions has also been provided. Roles and responsibilities of the new support centres have been clarified and communicated to all regions. AES: Implementation complete. Recommendation to be closed. Closed. |
| 4. The Assistant Deputy Minister of Lands and Economic Development should update the Land Management Manual and separate lands policy from procedures. Procedures should include updated control checklists for each key transaction, which can be used by the Regions while processing files to ensure quality and completeness. | Updating the Lands Management Manual is an ongoing activity involving consultations with First Nation land managers. Revisions to Chapters 5 (Designations) and 7 (Leasing) of the Lands Management Manual are currently underway. Checklists will also be developed to ensure quality and completeness. | November, 2014 | |
| 5. The Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Regional Operations should work with the Assistant Deputy Minister of Lands and Economic Development to develop and implement a standardized indexing practice for the filing of electronic documents in order to ensure accessibility of the files, as well as implement a standardized practice to track the status of active files. | LED in consultation with RO will develop a standardized indexing regime for electronic filing of land registration documents, and will develop a standardized practice to track the status of active files, which will be implemented by RO. | December, 2013 | Status: Completed - Request to Close Update/Rationale: As of 31/12/2013: A standardized indexing regime has been developed using the Comprehensive Integrated Document Management System. Classification categories have been updated to create an inventory of items such as land administration documentation, evidence of title and land transfers. These changes have been communicated and adopted by HQ and regional staff, which will improve indexing and tracking of active files. AES: Implemented. Recommendation to be closed |
| 6. The Assistant Deputy Minister of Lands and Economic Development should identify which user requirements now met by NetLands are critical and conduct a feasibility study to determine whether alternative systems or methods might better meet these requirements. | A Business Opportunity Proposal will be developed to assess the viability of the NetLands system or consider a broader IM/IT strategy. | March, 2014 |