Standards
Our standards encourage careful design and responsible adoption of emerging digital technologies across the Canadian economy and around the world
Our Standards Keep Pace with Digital Technologies
The CIO Strategy Council is Canada’s only tech-focused standards development organization accredited by the Standards Council of Canada. We create voluntary standards in areas such as:
- Cybersecurity
- Artificial intelligence
- Data governance
- Privacy
These standards help to accelerate the responsible adoption of new innovations, resulting in a safer and more globally competitive technology ecosystem for Canada.
Find a CIOSC Standard
Download a published standard or check the latest status of a standard in development
Why Choose a CIOSC Standard
Developed for use in Canada and around the world
Free to download for non-commercial uses
Easy to understand and quick to deploy
Always up-to-date: our standards are reviewed annually
Setting Standards: Better Together
To match the speed of advancement in digital technologies, the CIO Strategy Council has developed an innovative and agile standards-setting process.
Our technical committees – which are responsible for creating, reviewing, and approving drafts – are open to anyone with an interest in the topic being discussed. In total, we have hundreds of thought leaders and stakeholders bringing their unique perspectives to bear.
This enables us to move quickly to create standards that reflect the latest developments in the sector. In the past, standards have taken several years to develop, but our unique process enables us to do it in months.
Our Standards-Setting Principles
OPEN
Any interested party can join a technical committee to help develop standards
No committee size limits & all members have a vote
TRANSPARENT
Technical committee members always have access to drafts
Drafts available online
Public feedback on prospective projects
FREE
No fees to participate in developing standards
Published standards are free for non-commercial use
Join Us in Setting New Standards
Find out how you can join a technical committee or comment on drafts in development
FAQs
CIOSC standards are developed using a globally-recognized formal, consistent, reliable standards development process providing legitimacy and credibility to industry and governments choosing to use them.
CIOSC standards are typically voluntary, in that they are not enforced by government. However, failure to meet relevant voluntary standards could result in lawsuits or in the unwillingness of consumers, governments and retailers to either distribute, buy, or sell a product or service.
In some cases, a CIOSC standard may be mandatory because of:
- CIOSC members committing to adopt and implement the standard in their public and private sector organizations to lead by example
- A connection to the technical environment (e.g. if the product must be interoperable with other products)
- The standard being so widely accepted in the market that a deviation would not be accepted (e.g. the QWERTY standard for keyboards)
- A buyer specifying certain standards (e.g. in procurement)
- A customer requiring a certificate based on meeting certain standards
- The law encouraging or requiring the use of a standard by having incorporated it by reference in a regulation.
CIOSC standards development activities involve the formation of technical committees established by the Standards Policy Committee, led by a committee chair, supported by a secretariat, and comprised of subject matter experts.
Technical committees operate by consensus and provide an open forum offering:
- Equal access and participation by any interested party
- Technical committees are not restricted in size and there is no fee to participate. See Why CIOSC standards?
- Respect for diverse interests and identification of those who should be provided access to provide the needed balance of interests
- A mechanism for dispute resolution.
Technical committees are responsible for:
- Developing and approving a standard or standards assigned to it, including requests to revise or amend existing standards
- Interpreting the standard
- Reviewing standard(s) to ensure they are kept current.
Any stakeholder may make a proposal to develop a new standard, or revise or withdraw an existing standard. Such proposals are considered by the CIOSC’s Standards Policy Committee, which evaluates the need for it and other interests, including whether other similar standards work is being undertaken by other standard setting organizations and Canada’s language requirements. Upon approval of a proposal, the Standards Policy Committee directs the work to a new or existing CIOSC technical committee.
The Standards Policy Committee reports to the CIO Strategy Council’s Executive Director, governs the Council’s standardization policies, sets standardization priorities and is responsible for:
- Coordinating standards development activities by establishing, dissolving, and assigning responsibility to technical committees, approving new technical work, and handling complaints of a procedural nature, by meeting or through correspondence
- Determining priorities, review cycles and the withdrawal of technical work
- Maintaining CIOSC standards policies, procedures and other rules for the technical work.
For non-members of the CIOSC, there is a fee to participate on the CIOSC Standards Policy Committee.
See our get involved page for more details on how to join a technical committee.
Any stakeholder can participate in the development of standards through a technical committee.
Most technical committee work is conducted electronically. CIOSC technical committees use Central Collab, a Slack application, available 24/7 and 365 days a year, providing an online platform for communication and collaboration.
Through the Central Collab, each technical committee has a dedicated channel, providing an environment for technical committee participants to collaborate on setting standards through messaging, commenting, polling, document sharing, and more. Technical committees also meet using video conferencing. In-person meetings are convened only when it is necessary to discuss draft standards or other matters of substance which cannot be settled by other means.
The technical committee chair, appointed by the Standards Policy Committee, tests for consensus on draft standards using any combination of the following:
- CIOSC’s online collaboration tools (e.g. polling)
- A recorded vote at a technical committee meeting
- Letter ballot.
Draft standards are considered approved when the technical committee achieves consensus. Consensus is achieved when all of the following conditions are met:
- More than 50% of the technical committee participants cast votes in favour
- A minimum of two-thirds of the votes cast by the technical committee are in favour
- Not more than one-quarter of the total number of votes cast are negative
- The technical committee has dispositioned a final call for comments, including comments
received during a review by the public - The technical committee has addressed negative votes and, if accepted, the required adjustment(s) have been made to the technical aspects of the draft standard. If not accepted, rationale has been provided by the technical committee and the voter informed of the decision.
A pdf copy of the Directives can be downloaded here.
Our standards set a new level of innovation.
At the CIO Strategy Council, we are proud to work with leading organizations and individuals in the public, private and not-for-profit sector, to develop national standards that are focused on innovation and technological solutions to some of the most highly rated and pressing digital policy areas.
Canadian Standards Fit for Global Use

CIOSC/PAS 100-4:2020
Data Governance - Part 4
Specification for Scalable Remote Access Infrastructure



CIOSC/PAS 100-6:2021
Data Governance - Part 6
The responsible use of digital contact tracing, monitoring data in the workplace


CAN/CIOSC 101:2019 (Reaffirmed)
Artificial Intelligence
Ethical design and use of automated decision systems


CAN/CIOSC 103-2:2021
Digital Trust and Identity - Part 2
Delivery of healthcare services


CAN/CIOSC 104:2021
Baseline cyber security controls for small and medium organizations


CIOSC/TS 114:2021
Technical Specification for Agricultural Blockchain – Traceability of Canola Through the Canadian Supply Chain
Participate in the Development of Standards
The CIO Strategy Council has deployed a nationally accredited, agile, and consensus-based standards-setting process that matches the speed of innovation and advancement in ICT. Comprised of hundreds of thought leaders and experts cutting across various economic sectors from coast-to-coast-to-coast, the hard work of our technical committees leads to the publication of National Standards of Canada and other national deliverables. Join a committee today and help shape future standards.
Join a Committee
Please complete the below form and we will be in touch to discuss joining a technical committee
WATCH: Standards Are Our Safety Net
In an era of constant technological evolution, standards can help protect the well-being of our country. Take one minute to learn more by watching the video.
Get the latest updates on our standards work
Receive monthly updates on the Council’s standards setting activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
The CIO Strategy Council is Canada’s only technology focused standards development organization.
The CIO Strategy Council (CIOSC) is a national not for profit corporation established July 2017 and
provides a forum for public and private sector members to:
- Transform, shape and influence the Canadian information and technology ecosystem;
- Interact, receive mutual support and engage in learning from their peers;
- Conduct research and disseminate reports on strategic topics relating to the Canadian information and technology ecosystem; and
- Provide a strategic approach to information and communication technology procurement in Canada.
Free to play
- No fees to join CIOSC technical committees helping to shape the next generation of standards.
- Open access to CIOSC standards in the public interest or referenced in Canadian regulations at no cost.
Open by default
- Flexible participation model tailored to your needs.
- No committee size restrictions.
- Every Canadian has a vote.
Fully transparent
- Working drafts, committee drafts, etc. are available 24/7 throughout the entire project lifecycle for public input and feedback.
- Provide feedback on future work before any standards work starts.
- Comment on any standards project at any time, from anywhere.
CIOSC standards are developed using a globally-recognized formal, consistent, reliable standards development process providing legitimacy and credibility to industry and governments choosing to use them.
CIOSC standards are typically “voluntary” in that they are not enforced by government. However, failure to meet relevant voluntary standards could result in lawsuits or in the unwillingness of consumers, governments and retailers to either distribute, buy, or sell a product or service.
A CIOSC standard in some cases may be mandatory because of:
- CIO Strategy Council members committing to adopt and implement the standard in their public and private sector organizations to lead by example;
- the connection to the technical environment (i.e., if the product must be interoperable with
other products); - the standard being so widely accepted in the market that a deviation would not be accepted in
the market (for example QWERTY standard for keyboards); - the buyer specifying certain standards (i.e., in procurement);
- the customer requiring a certificate based on meeting certain standards; or
- the law encouraging or requiring the use of a standard by having incorporated it by reference in a regulation.
The Standards Policy Committee reports to the CIO Strategy Council’s Executive Director, governs the Council’s standardization policies, sets standardization priorities and is responsible for:
- Coordinating standards development activities by establishing, dissolving, and assigning responsibility to technical committees, approving new technical work, and handling complaints of a procedural nature, by meeting or through correspondence;
- Determining priorities, review cycles and the withdrawal of technical work; and
- Maintaining CIOSC standards policies, procedures and other rules for the technical work.
For non-members of the CIO Strategy Council, there is a fee to participate as a member of the CIOSC Standards Policy Committee.
Technical committees operate by consensus and provide an open forum offering:
- Equal access and participation by any interested party;
- Technical committees are not restricted in size and there is no fee to participate. See Why CIOSC standards?
- Respect for diverse interests and identification of those who should be provided access to provide the needed balance of interests; and
- A mechanism for dispute resolution.
Technical committees are responsible for:
- Developing and approving a standard or standards assigned to it, including requests to revise or amend existing standards;
- Interpreting the standard; and
- Reviewing standard(s) to ensure they are kept current.
CIOSC launched an online collaboration tool, the Central Collab, a #Slack application, available 24/7 and 365 days a year, providing an online platform for communication and collaboration. Through the Central Collab, each technical committee has a dedicated channel, providing an environment for technical committee participants to collaborate on setting standards through messaging, commenting, polling, document sharing, and more. Technical committees also meet using modern electronic means, e.g., screensharing, videoconferencing, teleconferencing) to carry out work. In-person meetings are convened only when it is necessary to discuss draft standards or other matters of substance which cannot be setttled by other means. To participate on a technical committee, contact the CIO Strategy Council.
The technical committee chair, appointed by the Standards Policy Committee, tests for consensus on draft standards by using any combination of the following:
- CIOSC’s online collaboration tools (e.g., polling);
- Through technical committee meetings by recorded vote; and/or
- By letter ballot.
Draft standards are considered approved when the technical committee achieves consensus. Consensus is achieved under the following conditions:
- More than 50 % of the technical committee participants cast votes in favour;
- A minimum of two-thirds majority of the votes cast by the technical committee are in favour;
- Not more than one-quarter of the total number of votes cast are negative;
- The technical committee has dispositioned a final call for comments, including comments
received during a review by the public; and - The technical committee has addressed negative votes and if accepted, the required adjustment(s) are made to the technical aspects of the draft standard. If not accepted, rationale is provided by the technical committee and the voter is informed of the decision.
Any stakeholder may propose new technical work and participate in any CIOSC standards development activity.
A proposal to develop a new standard, revise or withdraw an existing standard is directed to the CIOSC Standards Policy Committee for approval. The CIOSC Standards Policy Committee considers the need and interests prior to approval including considerations for language requirements, other similar standards work by other standard setting organizations. Upon its approval, the CIOSC Standards Policy Committee establishes or directs the technical work to a CIOSC technical committee.