Government of Saskatchewan Records Disposal System

All official government records must be retained by the responsible government institution for the length of time designated in the applicable records schedule [the Administrative Records System 2014 (ARMS 2014) for administrative records or an institution-specific Operational Records System (ORS) for operational records].  

Official government records may only be disposed of once the retention periods described in these schedules are met, and after receiving written permission from the Provincial Archivist.  For information regarding the disposal process, please refer to the  Saskatchewan Records Disposal System.  

Disposition includes the destruction of records, as well as appraisal and transfer to the Provincial Archives. The disposal system is applicable to records in all formats, including digital.

The following forms will be required for the disposal process:

• The Designated Records Officer Signing Authority Template
• The Disposal Request Form (PDF)
• The Disposal Request Form (word document)
• Inventory Form - Paper Records
• Inventory Form - Electronic Records

In certain circumstances, Disposal Requests may be cancelled by the Provincial Archives. For more information see the Disposal Request Cancellation Policy.

Please note:  Government Institutions hold many records which are not considered government records and therefore are not subject to the Records Disposal System. 

For further information about the identification and management of non-government records please see the Saskatchewan Transitory Records Guidelines.

Effective August 1, 2013, the Provincial Archives implemented charges for processing the disposal of paper records. The current charges are $17.00 per box submitted for disposal and a further one-time fee of $15.00 per box acquired by the Archives for permanent preservation. The charges are applied to partially compensate for costs associated with the review of records and maintenance and storage of historical material of government organizations. Fees for non-standard sized records or records housed in non-standard boxes will be determined by the Archives in consultation with a government agency based on the type of records, their dimensions and/or volume. This includes maps and architectural drawings.

As of September 1, 2015, the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan implemented charges for processing requests for the disposal of electronic records (see link below).  Charges are applied to partially compensate costs associated with records management review and archival appraisal of electronic records as well as with the archival ingest (acquisition) of electronic records of historical value.  Fees related to the review and appraisal of electronic records of a complex nature that are not accommodated on this schedule will be determined by the Archives in consultation with the applicable government institution.

Disposal requests for electronic records submitted prior to September 1, 2015, will be processed free of charge.  

Electronic Records Disposal Fee Schedule

If you have any questions regarding the records disposal process, please contact us at 306-787-0734 or at rhelp@archives.gov.sk.ca.