# Set the deletion date before the file lands on your desk

> Select the data class, case close date, and client type. The planner shows the retention period and the calculated deletion date.

Source: https://imecore.com/tools/retention-schedule-planner

This tool runs entirely in the browser. Nothing is uploaded and no account is needed.

## How to use it

1. **Select the data class.** Choose from intake records, medical records, examiner reports, billing records, or exam audio and video.
2. **Enter the case close date.** This is the trigger event for most data classes. The retention clock starts from this date.
3. **Set the province and client type.** The province affects limitation periods. A public-body client attracts longer retention under freedom-of-information legislation.
4. **Download the schedule.** Copy the summary or export it as CSV for your records management system.

## Retention periods come from policy and contract

There is no single statute that sets IME record retention periods in Canada. The periods come from your own data-retention policy, the contract with the referral source, and in some cases professional-college guidelines. This tool produces a schedule based on common industry practice, not a legal determination. Take it to counsel for confirmation.

## Different data classes, different clocks

Intake records and billing records often follow a seven-year retention period aligned with tax requirements. Medical records and examiner reports typically need ten years. Exam audio and video are the shortest at three years because they are large, harder to secure, and have fewer ongoing reference uses. Billing records may also follow a fiscal-year-end trigger rather than the case close date.

## Public-body clients change the calculation

Government agencies, Crown corporations, and other public bodies are subject to freedom-of-information and archives legislation. Retention periods for public-body clients are typically longer, and the deletion process may require formal records-disposition approval. The planner extends the periods and flags the need for legal review.

## The deletion date is a reminder, not an instruction

Before you delete anything, confirm that no litigation is pending, no limitation period is still running, and no contractual obligation requires you to keep the records longer. A calculated deletion date is a starting point for your records-management workflow.

## Questions people ask

### Where do these retention periods come from?

They are common industry defaults based on insurance-sector and medico-legal practice. They are not set by statute. Your policy, your professional college, and your client contracts may specify different periods.

### What happens if litigation is still open at the deletion date?

Do not delete. The retention period pauses or resets when litigation is pending. Confirm the rules in your jurisdiction with counsel.

### Why is exam audio and video only three years?

It is large, harder to store securely, and has fewer ongoing reference uses compared to the written report. Some organisations retain it longer. Adjust the period in your policy if needed.

### What makes a client a 'public body'?

Government ministries, Crown corporations, health authorities, and other agencies subject to freedom-of-information legislation. The definition varies by province.

### Can I use this for multiple data classes at once?

Run the tool once per data class and combine the results. Each class has its own retention period and trigger event, so they need separate schedule entries.