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Records Retention for Municipal Meeting Records in Canada

How long must municipalities keep their meeting records? The answer depends on the type of record, the province, applicable legislation, and the municipality's own retention schedule. This overview explains the considerations — not legal advice.

Why records retention matters for AI-generated transcripts

When AI transcription is added to a municipal records workflow, it creates new types of records: the AI-generated initial transcript, the reviewed and corrected transcript, the AI-generated draft summary, and the audit log of who accessed and modified each record. Municipalities need to apply retention and disposition policies to these new record types, not just to the meeting minutes and audio recordings they may already be managing. The fundamental principle of records retention is that records should be kept as long as they are needed — for operational purposes, for audit and accountability, and to satisfy any legal or regulatory obligation — and then disposed of in a documented, controlled manner.

What records municipalities need to consider retaining

A municipality using AI transcription may need to consider retention policies for: the original audio or video recording; the AI-generated initial transcript; the reviewed and approved transcript; the AI-generated summary and decision draft; the formally adopted official minutes; and the audit log of changes, approvals, and access events. Not all of these necessarily need to be retained for the same period or under the same conditions. The official adopted minutes are typically the permanent legal record of the meeting. Audio recordings, AI-generated drafts, and intermediate versions may have shorter retention periods. Closed session records may have different retention requirements from open session records.

Developing a retention schedule for AI-generated records

Municipalities should work with their records manager, municipal archivist (where one exists), and municipal solicitor to develop a retention schedule that addresses AI-generated records specifically. The schedule should identify each record type created in the AI transcription workflow, specify the retention period for each type, specify the disposition method (secure deletion, archiving, transfer to a records facility), and assign responsibility for ensuring the schedule is applied consistently. Organisations using a technology platform for AI transcription should verify that the platform supports configurable retention settings — including the ability to automatically delete records after specified periods and to export records to a municipal archive before deletion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do municipalities have to retain audio recordings of their meetings?
Requirements vary by province and by the nature of the proceedings. Some provinces require retention of audio recordings; others require only the approved minutes. Municipalities should confirm their specific obligations with their solicitor.
How should municipalities handle retention of AI-generated drafts?
AI-generated drafts are working documents, not final records. Municipalities should determine whether they need to retain drafts at all (they may not), and if so, for how long and in what form. The official approved minutes are the record that matters most.
What happens to records when a municipality changes its transcription software?
Municipalities should ensure they can export their records in a usable format before discontinuing a software platform. Records retention obligations survive the end of a software contract.