Frequently Asked Questions for External Users of CSIMS

1. What does CSIMS stand for?
2. What is CSIMS?
3. Why was CSIMS created?
4. What kind of information is stored in CSIMS?
5. How does CSIMS benefit me?
6. How is my information used?
7. Who can register in CSIMS?
8. How do I register in CSIMS?
9. What does registering as an individual mean?
10. What does registering as an organization mean?
11. Why is there a privacy agreement?
12. Which parts of my registration are visible to others?
13. How do I update my profile?
14. How long are stakeholder records kept?
15. How is a stakeholder record erased or disabled?
16. Is there any help or training available?

What does CSIMS stand for?

It stands for the Consultation and Stakeholder Information Management System

What is CSIMS?

CSIMS is a web-based, centralized information management system for all Health Canada (HC) and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) stakeholders and public engagement activities.

Why was CSIMS created?

CSIMS was created to improve the openness and transparency of stakeholder engagement and consultations at Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada and allow Canadians to have a stronger say in our departmental/agency priorities and policies.

What kind of information is stored in CSIMS?

CSIMS collects a broad range of information about external stakeholders - these are people who have a vested interest in the work done by Health Canada or the Public Health Agency. In addition to basic contact information, CSIMS contains information such as your organization type, areas of interest, and desired level of interaction with the Department and Agency. For example, this means that you can decide if you want to only receive information, receive invitations to public engagement activities, and/or participate in other research activities.

How does CSIMS benefit me?

It does so in a number of ways. First, CSIMS allows you to identify the areas in which you want to be consulted, as well as in the level of interaction you wish to have. Second, you can manage your own engagement activities with HC/PHAC by staying informed of the latest consultations, searching for specific consultations, and accepting or declining invitations to participate in engagement activities.

The end result is improved coordination of public engagement activities and more efficient communication with stakeholders such as yourself. CSIMS also provides a historical record of past interactions, including when you were last engaged and for what purpose, which effectively helps ensure that you are not contacted too frequently.

How is my information used?

When designing their consultation and public engagement activities, staff at HC/PHAC can use the information you provide (such as the type of organization you represent and your areas of interest) to target only those stakeholders who are relevant to their public engagement activity.

Who can register in CSIMS?

Anyone can register in CSIMS: individuals as well as organizational representatives.

How do I register in CSIMS?

1. Go to Consultations and click "Register" in the left menu.
2. At the New Registration screen choose the type of registration you want to have, Register as Organization or Register as Individual.
3. If you chose to Register as Organization, you will be prompted to read and accept the privacy agreement. The next step is to search the CSIMS database to see if the organization you want to register with is already in the system.
   1. Enter the name of your place of work in the box and click search to review the results. You can narrow or refine your search as needed.
   2. If you see your place of work in the list, select it and click Next to proceed through the remaining registration screens. This will simply add you as a new representative of your place of work.
   3. If you do not see your place of work in the list, simply click Next to begin creating a new organization record from scratch.
4. If you chose to Register as Individual, you will be prompted to read and accept the privacy agreement. The next step is to proceed through the remaining registration screens.
5. Review the information you have provided. If everything is correct, click Register. You will receive an email from CSIMS which provides you with the information you will need to login to your new CSIMS account (a URL and temporary password).

What does registering as an individual mean?

Registering as an individual means that you are representing yourself in CSIMS as a member of the general public. This means that you are able to be considered for public engagement activities that Health Canada or the Agency conducts with the general public.

What does registering as an organization mean?

Registering as an organizational representative means that you are representing your place of work in CSIMS. This means that you are able to be considered for public engagement activities that Health Canada or the Agency conducts with members of certain organizations, industries, etc.

Why is there a privacy agreement?

Due to the nature of the information CSIMS collects and the fact that there is an external component of the system, all stakeholders must first accept a privacy agreement to ensure they understand the terms and conditions associated with the collection of their personal information.

Which parts of my registration are visible to others?

Any registration you complete in CSIMS, either as a private individual or representing an organization, is visible to internal staff at HC and PHAC.

Your registration as a private individual is only visible to you. It remains completely separate from any registration you have completed as a representative of an organization. However, once you add yourself as a representative of an organization, your name will be displayed in the list of contacts for that organization. This means that other employees of your organization who are also registered in CSIMS will be able to see that you are registered and also your information as a member of that organization.

How do I update my profile?

By logging in to your own CSIMS account.

1. Go to Consultations and click "Login" in the left menu.
2. At the login screen enter your email address and your password.
3. If you have registered as a private individual in CSIMS: You can view and edit your information by clicking the "As an Individual" link under the heading "My Information" in the left page menu.
4. If you have registered as a representative of an organization in CSIMS: You can view and edit your information by clicking the "My Organization(s)" link under the heading "My Information" in the left page menu.

How long are stakeholder records kept?

There is currently no limit on how long stakeholder records are kept in CSIMS. Ultimately, this is up to you. You can opt out of the system at any time.

How is a stakeholder record erased or disabled?

Upon your request. Simply send an email to CSIMS-External@hc-sc.gc.ca and ask to have your record deleted or archived.

Is there any help or training available?

Health Canada has developed a series of  online e-learning modules that will guide you in the registration process as well as help you understand various elements of your CSIMS account.

Troubleshooting - Contact Us

Please send an email to CSIMS-External@hc-sc.gc.ca if you have questions about CSIMS.