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Helpful Places

Government of Canada – DTPR AI Register

AI Research and Experimentation Platform for Government Analysts

Research & Development

What it collects

Operational data
Anonymized data
  • The SSC Scientific Experimentation Platform is used for testing models with unclassified data, which may include government operational datasets used for research and model development purposes.
Run by
Statistics Canada (StatCan), Shared Services Canada (SSC)
Where
No fixed location
Kept
Not stated by the Helpful Places.
Shared with
Accountable organization
Your copy
You cannot see the data it holds about you. What you can do

What it is for

Research & Development

This platform allows Government of Canada employees to test and develop AI tools in a secure research environment. It uses two environments: a protected-B certified platform operated by Statistics Canada for sensitive data, and a scientific experimentation platform operated by Shared Services Canada for unclassified data. The system is currently in development and is primarily used for internal research and innovation, not for making decisions about members of the public.

What it collects and what happens to it

Data taken in

Operational data
Anonymized data
  • The SSC Scientific Experimentation Platform is used for testing models with unclassified data, which may include government operational datasets used for research and model development purposes.

Processing

Not stated by the Helpful Places.

What it does

Deciding (Analytical AI)
Human decides
  • AI tools on the platform may include analytical and predictive models being tested by government researchers; human researchers evaluate and decide on the outputs produced during experimentation.
Creating (Generative AI)
Human decides
  • The exploratory platform may be used to test generative AI tools as part of research and development activities; all outputs remain under human researcher review in this experimental context.

Outputs

A recommendation or prediction
Anonymized data
  • Outputs from AI models tested on the platform are experimental predictions, classifications, or recommendations reviewed by government researchers for research purposes only; they are not used to make consequential decisions about individuals.

Run by

Statistics Canada (StatCan)
  • Statistics Canada operates the protected-B certified AI Exploratory Platform and is the accountable department responsible for this AI initiative.

Government of Canada AI Register — 2526-StatCan-010

Shared Services Canada (SSC)
  • Shared Services Canada operates the SSC Scientific Experimentation Platform (SSC-SEP), which provides a testing environment for AI models using unclassified data.

Government of Canada AI Register — 2526-StatCan-010

Built by

Not stated by the Helpful Places.

Kept for

Not stated by the Helpful Places.

Shared with

Not available to me
  • This is an internal government research platform. Data processed on the platform is not accessible to members of the public; access is restricted to Government of Canada employees using the platform for research and development.
Available to the accountable organization
  • Data and model outputs processed on the platform are available to Statistics Canada and Shared Services Canada employees authorized to use the research environments.

Stored

Not stated by the Helpful Places.

How to read the colours

Can it identify you?

Anonymized data
Data about people with the link to who is broken. Stripped of identifiers, blurred, aggregated, or noised so this system can’t reasonably tie a record back to an individual.
Pseudonymous data
Each person’s data is tied to a token (hash, ID, template) that lets this system recognise the same person across events, but the token itself doesn’t reveal a name. Reidentification is possible with extra information.
Identifiable data
The data either contains a direct identifier (name, address, account name, recognisable face or voice, plate number) or carries a token this system uses to look up legal identity during processing.

Who completes the loop?

Human decides
This mode suggests; a person decides what to do next. The AI is always advisory — a human is in the loop on every decision. Example: a triage tool ranks cases for a clinician who chooses which to see first.
Human executes
This mode decides; a person carries out the result. Example: an optimizer plans the day’s trash-collection routes, and drivers run them.
Autonomous
This mode decides and acts on its own. No person reviews each decision or carries out the resulting action.

Definitions from the DTPR standard. Amber is about your data, violet about who decides. The fuller the shape and the deeper the colour, the more identifying the data or the less a person is involved.

What you can do

Ask about this system

Questions go to the Helpful Places, not the vendor.

Your rights

  • Right to Algorithmic TransparencyThis system is used for internal government research and innovation and is not deployed to make decisions about members of the public. Information about this system is disclosed through the Government of Canada Algorithmic Impact Assessment register, accessible at open.canada.ca.

Risks and safeguards

No risks or safeguards have been published for this system yet.