2011 Pilot Aid Transparency Index

Canada Canadian International Development Agency

Update (December 2011)

Canada joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) on September 19th 2011 and signed up to IATI on November 28th 2011.

Summary

Canada is not a signatory to IATI but has actively followed the IATI process. It is a member of the Commonwealth which recently agreed to collectively adopt IATI or an IATI-compatible standard. It recently launched an Open Data portal.

Canada ranks 28th overall, scoring particularly well on the activity level indicators but poorly on the country level indicators. The information is available on the CIDA website in English and French, in a project database which can be downloaded in Excel format. The data could be converted relatively easily to the IATI format.

Canada should sign IATI, develop an implementation schedule and begin publication of information through the IATI Registry. This can be achieved by improving its online project database and ensuring that it is IATI compatible. CIDA should also ensure that its Open Data portal is IATI compatible.

Results

Click on an indicator to see the definition of that indicator and, if information is published for the indicator, the evidence as a URL.

1. FOIA Yes
Definition:
The definition used in the report for a Freedom of Information Act is that it has to be a law in the strict sense, it must include the right of access to information, this right has to be enforceable and there must be complaint, court and high court appeal possibilities. (Decrees are included if they meet the same standards.) In addition, the FOIA must be in use for at least the executive part of the government, therefore FOIAs which are only adopted, approved or still in draft form were not counted. For multilateral donors, IFIs and foundations, a disclosure or transparency policy was accepted as equivalent to a FOIA. All organisations with a disclosure or transparency policy were accepted as having a policy irrespective of the appeals process and exceptions.
2. IATI Observer
Definition:
Donors are engaged in IATI either as signatories or observers. Of the 21 signatories, some are already implementing, i.e. they are publishing to the IATI Registry; others are planning to publish before HLF-4; a third group are planning to implement after HLF-4; and a fourth group have not yet confirmed when they expect to publish to the Registry.
3. Allocation policy Sometimes published
Definition:
Aid allocation policies and procedures are the detailed policy and procedures documents by which the organisation chooses where to spend its resources, on which countries or themes rather than others.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/FRA-1015144121-PWW
4. Procurement policy Always published
5. Organisation budget Collected
Definition:
The total organisation budget is the total amount that the organisation will be allocated by the government or its funders for at least the next three years. This is money going to the organisation, and can be indicative. Both rolling budgets and non-rolling budgets were accepted.
6. Forward budget Collected
Definition:
The organisation
7. Audit Always published
8. Country strategy Sometimes published
Definition:
A country strategy paper sets out the organisation

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/Eng/JUD-12912349-NLX
9. Country forward budget Collected
Definition:
The organisation
10. Evaluation Collected
Definition:
Evaluation documents consider what activities achieved, whether the intended objectives were met, what the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of the objectives were and an assessment of the impact and effects of the activities. This information may be on a specific evaluation section of the organisation
11. Results Collected
Definition:
The results show whether activities achieved their intended results. This may be within a specific evaluation section of the organisation
12. Project Implementer Always published
Definition:
The implementer of the activity is the organisation which is principally responsible for delivering this activity.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
13. Collaboration type Sometimes published
14. Flow type: ODA / OOF Collected
Definition:
The flow type shows whether the organisation states this activity counts as ODA, OOF, climate finance or any other type of flow. This again had to be explicitly stated per activity, or once in a country strategy paper or a clear place on the website if there is only one flow type for the whole organisation (e.g.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...

Comments:
Not explicitly stated.
15. Project / budget support Always published
Definition:
The type of finance shows whether the activity is a grant, loan, export credit, or debt relief. This had to be explicitly stated per activity, or once in a country strategy paper or a clear place on the website, if there is only one finance type for the whole organisation (e.g.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
16. Grant / loan Collected
Definition:
The type of finance shows whether the aid activity is a grant, loan, export credit, or debt relief. This has to be explicitly stated per activity, or once in a country strategy paper or a clear place on the website, if there is only one finance type provided by this agencyfor the whole organisation (e.g.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...

Comments:
Not explicitly stated.
17. Unique ID Always published
Definition:
The activity identifier is a unique reference ID for the activity (e.g. a project number). It allows an activity to be referred to and to search for information by a code which can be used to retrieve the project from a database or filing system. On occasion, organisations pointed to the URL as a unique activity identifier. If the URL included the complete project code or reference used internally, this was accepted.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
18. Project Title Always published
Definition:
The title of the activity is the name of the activity. This was preferably the formal name of the activity, but did not have to be.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
19. Description Always published
Definition:
The description of the activity is a descriptive text, longer than the title, explaining what the activity is. Sometimes it was just a short sentence but may also be more detailed. Either was accepted.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
20. Sectors Always published
Definition:
The sectors of the activity explain whether this is, for example, a health or education project. It did not count if it is just mentioned incidentally within the title / description / etc. It needed to be stated separately and explicitly.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
21. Planned dates Always published
Definition:
The planned dates are the dates that the activity is scheduled to start and end on. If there are one set of dates but they are not explicitly planned or actual dates, given that these are for activities which are current (i.e. being implemented at the time of data collection) it was assumed that they were planned dates.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
22. Actual dates Collected
Definition:
These are the dates that the activity actually started (and ended on, if the activity has finished). If there was only one set of dates but they are not explicitly stated as planned or actual dates, then it was assumed they were planned dates. Actual dates were accepted where specific events occurred, for example the date the project/programme agreement was signed, a board presentation or an appraisal date.
23. Tied aid status Collected
Definition:
The tied aid status shows whether the organisation states that this activity counts as
24. Overall cost Always published
Definition:
The overall financial cost or amount is a summary total financial sum for the activity.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
25. Transactions Collected
Definition:
Individual financial disbursements must be related to individual activities, and must be on a per-transaction basis. Each activity is likely to have several transactions. This information is unlikely to be made available if the organisation does not publish to IATI.
26. Current status Always published
Definition:
This shows whether the activity is currently under design, being implemented, has finished or is cancelled.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
27. Contact details Always published
Definition:
This shows who can be contacted in relation to this activity. This does not have to be the contact information for an individual or project manager and could refer you to a central contact or information desk. Contacts for either the funding organisation or the implementing organisation were accepted. This had to be stated alongside the activity or on an obvious

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
28. Project website Collected
Definition:
This is a specific link to more detailed and contextual information about this activity. This was either a website or a document on a larger website with more than just basic information about the activity.
29. Impact appraisal Collected
Definition:
Pre- and post-project impact appraisals explain the totality of positive and negative, primary and secondary effects produced by a development intervention.
30. Objectives Always published
Definition:
The objectives or purposes of the activity are those that the activity intends to achieve.

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
31. Beneficiaries Always published
Definition:
The ultimate intended beneficiaries are the individuals or groups that the activity is intended to benefit (e.g. 80,000 children inoculated; 3 million people provided with clean drinking water; under 5s or indigenous peoples).

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=00&CC=HT
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F89B022921E54811852577A...
32. Conditions Collected
Definition:
The terms and conditions of the activity may also be referred to as benchmarks, priors, or involve words such as
33. Budget docs Collected
Definition:
This is a specific budget detailing what the intended spending is for the different lines of the individual activity.

Comments:
Only total commitment is published.
34. Tender docs Always published
Definition:
The individual contract to which bids or proposal are invited from companies, organisations or individuals to provide goods and services for the activity. Could be on a procurement section of the organisation

Source:
www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebProjByMerxEn?OpenView
35. Contract docs Collected
Definition:
The individual contract which is signed with the company, organisation or individual that provide goods and services for the activity. Again this could be on a procurement section of the organisation
36. MoU / agreement Collected
Definition:
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a document which details the agreement usually between the organisation and recipient government for the provision of aid in the country.
37. Project design docs Collected
Definition:
Design documents are detailed documents which show how the activity should be undertaken. This needed to be a similar level of detail to the activity budget.