Portfolio

Defence Research and Development Canada’s mandate, and the purpose of this project, is to produce high quality scientific publications and eliminate the existing backlog of scientific publications.

DRDC reports authored by their scientists are catalogued and available through the Canadian Defence Information Database (CANDID), a portion of which is open to the public (Defence Research Reports Database). The purpose of this project is to minimize and eventually eliminate the backlog of unpublished documents that currently exists.

Backlog documents are generally kept in a secure location at DRDC offices across the country. Backlog staff visit the offices and make an inventory of the documents that they find there, adding them to the spreadsheet and noting whether they are ready for final processing or lacking one or more of the key elements. NIVA’s team provide a copy of each publication for archival purposes and a document that summarizes the process to be utilized to review, complete, format, catalogue, and distribute the files/documents in the backlog.

In order for any backlog document to be ready for final processing resulting in publication or local archiving, it must have three elements: an electronic copy of the final version of the document as approved by the Document Review Panel; a signed Document Review Panel Publication Record (DRPPR) and a Document Controlled Goods Evaluation Report (DCGER) completed by a certified reviewer. It is the role of the backlog staff to liaise with authors, controlled goods reviewers, Section Heads and the Chief Scientist (if necessary) in order to gather these elements together. The backlog staff then format the final version according to DRDC standards, properly marked for sensitivity and the presence of controlled goods. This document is then delivered to DSTKIM for cataloguing on CANDID.

The National Research Council (NRC) delivers technical and research solutions to government departments and a wide range of industry clients. The NRC’s Security and Disruptive Technologies (SDT) portfolio aimed to highlight the technical competencies of two of its programs (Quantum Photonic Security and Sensing; Security Materials Technology) through the development of two brochures. The brochures are intended to provide information to clients and stakeholders on the potential roles of the programs and the technical capacities that clients can access in an engaging manner.

NRC enlisted NIVA’s services for assistance with the development of content for these brochures, which had to be designed to capture the interest of potential clients from a variety of segments including industry, government, and academia. The content had to be designed to demonstrate NRC’s capabilities and outline the program’s technical capabilities. t.

Transport Canada’s Transportation Development Centre (TDC) required the professional editing and formatting of a report entitled, Market Assessment for liquid natural gas (LNG) Technology Implementation in Canada: Coastal and Inland Waterway Vessels. This document was produced by a technology developer and required editing and formatting before Transport Canada could publish it. TDC used this document to inform project and policy development for the Marine Technology Research and Development Programs as specified under the Clean Transportation Initiative.

The deliverables that NIVA was assigned and completed included reviewing guidelines to establish formatting requirements; verifying conventions to be used for spelling, capitalization, acronyms, references, structure, etc.; reviewing and editing the report to ensure the report for organization, consistency, clarity, and editorial quality; ensuring clarity of figures and photographs; and performing quality assurance and proofreading expertise.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) are recognized as the science and technology authority in the fields of energy, forestry, minerals, metals, and earth sciences. Their team of professionals and select partners strive to improve accountability and awareness in the use and development of Canada’s natural resources.

GeoConnections is a national program within the Earth Sciences Sector (ESS) of Natural Resources Canada that works with the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), a non-profit international standards organization that includes over 400 companies, government agencies and universities, to develop publicly available interface specifications. As a sponsor, GeoConnections contributes to the development of specifications by OGC members and endorses OGC’s specifications for the CGDI.

The GeoConnections program contracted NIVA to work with and assist their team in conducting research and providing writing, editing, design, and publishing expertise to produce visually attractive annual reports for Natural Resources Canada’s GeoConnections program for the fiscal years 2008–2009 and 2009–2010.

Success Stories in Energy Technology Commercialization

NIVA worked with researchers and subject-matter experts to write a series of articles on technologies that have been successfully implemented for industry and community-based requirements. The articles were written according to the tone and style of Scientific American.

Summary Report

To highlight the contributions of climate change researchers in helping Canada demonstrate the impact of S&T investment to Canadians, NIVA developed a summary report. This initiative included nine funding programs and targeted five technology areas: cleaner fossil fuels; advanced end-use efficiency; decentralized energy production; biotechnology; and the hydrogen economy.

Radiation Emergency Preparedness Manual

NIVA was contracted by the Branch to provide editorial assistance on the Radiation Safety Manual and to prepare the manual for online publication on the Department’s security intranet site. The 125-page manual became Natural Resource Canada’s official version, used by four science sectors who access it from their intranet site.

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Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR), merges the mandate of the Canadian Polar Commission with the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, and its science and technology program. POLAR is on the cutting edge of Arctic issues and strengthens Canada’s position internationally as a leader in polar science and technology. POLAR also promotes the development and distribution of knowledge related to other circumpolar regions, including Antarctica. POLAR is also establishing CHARS as a world-class hub for science and technology research in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. POLAR improves economic opportunities, environmental stewardship, and quality of life for Northerners and other Canadians.

POLAR required a Science Report that highlights the work that has been carried out and supported by POLAR during 2015-2016 to advance international polar science and technology. POLAR required assistance with ensuring the content of the report communicated to a broad readership in plain language, and also required NIVA to carry out design, formatting, and layout activities for the document, prepare it for publication, and have it printed.

Canadians expect that their Government will take every reasonable step to prevent individuals from turning to terrorism, to detect terrorists and their activities, to deny terrorists the means and opportunities to attack and, when attacks do occur, to respond expertly, rapidly and proportionately.

First signed in 1995 and renewed through to 2019, the MOU RDCT is jointly administered by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science (DRDC CSS) and the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) within the US Department of Defense’s Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO). It enables bilateral S&T cooperation at the federal level with the participation of local governments, end users, academia, and industry. Through this arrangement, partners engage in joint projects that aim to make the best use of each country’s respective research and development (R&D) capacities, leverage state of the art and emerging technologies, eliminate unnecessary duplication of work, and share the resulting benefits.

NIVA was tasked with developing a review of the collaborative projects carried out by the TSWG, in areas of concern that include Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE), Improvised Device Defeat (IDD), Investigative and Forensic Science, Personnel Protection, Physical Security, Tactical Operations Support, and Training Technology. NIVA communications staff designed the document architecture; interacted with subject-matter experts to research, write, and edit content for the document; developed the design and layout; formatted the document; and quality assured the end-product prior to publication.

NAV CANADA produces an integrated aeronautical information package, including a version of the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), that is compliant with the standards published by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Known as AIP Canada (ICAO), the publication is intended primarily to satisfy international requirements for the exchange of aeronautical information of a lasting character. AIP Canada (ICAO) is available as a downloadable product on the NAV CANADA website.

NIVA Inc. assists NAV CANADA with maintaining the publication on the 56-day refresh cycle to which NAV CANADA is required to conform the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). This maintenance consists of a combination of editorial work on new or changed content, formatting, quality assurance, and production of final PDF files for publication on CDs and on the NAV CANADA website.

The publication consolidates pre-flight reference information of a lasting nature into a single primary document. It provides flight crews with a single source for information concerning rules of the air and procedures for aircraft operation in Canadian airspace. TC AIM is updated and published twice a year.

NIVA assists NAV CANADA with content development, including editorial, formatting, quality assurance, and production work. Ongoing maintenance is carried out according to the process and schedule established between NIVA and NAV CANADA

The Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit: Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau of Health Canada contracted NIVA to develop and produce the following publications:

1. Chemical Emergency Response Plan (ERP)

• Developed for Health Canada’s Chemical Emergency Response Unit and the federal government Health Portfolio (Health Canada and the Public health Agency o Canada)

1. Chemical Emergency Management Policy

• Developed to support the ERP

1. Chemical Emergency Management Capability Matrix

• Developed to support the ERP

1. Interactive PDF Forms

• Developed for use with the Chemical ERP

1. CEPRU Interactive Electronic Tool

• Designed and written to engage partners and other stakeholders. Provided technical writing services to review and update the Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada chemical emergency and response plan and associated documents. Developed an interactive electronic publication to disseminate information.

1. Scientific reports on Chemicals of Concern

• Crude Oil

Genome Canada, in collaboration with the regional Genome Centres, developed sector strategies related to the following sectors of the Canadian economy: Agri-Food, Energy & Mining, Forestry, and Fisheries and Aquaculture.

While the sector strategy documents themselves provide the information necessary to guide important decisions at a detailed level, senior decision makers as well as other stakeholders (including members of the interested public) required information tools that present this information in a clear and succinct manner. Such tools provide a direct view into the subject areas, issues, challenges, and opportunities that are addressed, highlighting areas that allow these readers to quickly grasp the relevance of these strategies to Canada’s economic success and the vision they aim to achieve. The existing Executive Summaries were not sufficient for this purpose. Generally speaking, such information tools should take a different approach in language and presentation, and address the communication needs of a broader audience. In such cases, the application of plain language approaches is effective in achieving these goals.

The booklet positioned Genome Canada and the regional Genome Centres as leaders in harnessing the transformative power of genomics to deliver benefits to Canadians. It shows how the sector strategy initiative has laid the foundation for building Canada’s future bio-economy by combining our country’s traditional sectors of strength with cutting-edge genomics technologies. The fact sheets showcase—in plain language—how genomics has been applied to each sector, the potential for future impact, and opportunities for future impact. They include key quotes/testimonials and contact information