Admin data coalition: Process brief

In the Canadian context, there has been no coordinated policy agenda for increasing social impact through administrative data use. In exploring the possibility of such an agenda, we need to explore what different use cases could look like, address important questions around privacy, security, autonomy and consent, and draw on best practices for mitigating these risks.

In early 2018, Powered by Data convened 50+ civil society organizations (funders, service providers, and advocacy groups) to consult on the need for a shared Canadian policy agenda to increase nonprofit access to administrative data. Over the coming year, Powered by Data will: (1) build a civil society coalition and work with sector experts to research the policy changes required for increased administrative data-sharing, and (2) conduct research on the feasibility of making these policy changes, as well as the risks and risk mitigation strategies associated with these policies.

This document provides an overview of our coalition-building and policy research process. It also provides some background information and rationale for the initiative.