ARCS/ORCS - Records Classification and Scheduling
The Document Disposal Act governs the final disposition of government records and provides for the establishment and approval of records schedules.
These schedules or “timetables” determine the life cycle of a record from its creation and active office use, off-site storage ( if required), and final disposition of either destruction or transfer to the government archives. Records are scheduled by function, rather than by media or format.
Types of records retention schedules used by the British Columbia Government are:
- the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS);
- Program-specific Operational Records Classification Systems (ORCS);
- Ongoing records schedules;
- One-time records schedules; and
- Special government-wide schedules.
Records Management Operations (RMO). IAO, is responsible for developing and amending records schedules in cooperation with Records Officers and government ministries. Offices should refer proposals for new ARCS or ORCS classifications or other suggested changes to their Records Officer.
