2.1 Canada and Ontario agree to undertake joint communications activities and collaborate on products to ensure open, transparent, proactive and effective communications with the public. This transparency and accountability will be achieved through appropriate and consistent public communications activities that recognize the contributions of all participating parties under this Framework Agreement as well as the Base Funding Agreement, Project Agreements and the Communities Component Contribution Agreement and any other agreements reached under this Framework Agreement (referred to as "subsequent agreements" in this schedule).
2.2 The Parties can carry out their own communications activities relating to their infrastructure programs and investments that are part of this Agreement with the exception of the first public announcement that is made on a project or initiative that is being funded jointly by the Parties. After the first public announcement, if one Party decides to carry out their own communications activity, they agree to notify the other Party of such communications.
2.3 The Parties agree that all communications products produced pursuant to this Agreement shall comply with both the Federal Identity Program (FIP) and Ontario's Visual Identity Program. Branding standards, protocols, graphic guidelines, and templates for public information material and signage will be developed by Canada and Ontario to guide development of communications products and activities under the Building Canada plan and ReNew Ontario and its successor plans.
2.4 The mechanisms for communications and public information activities and products shall be determined by the Infrastructure Framework Committee (IFC) which may establish a communications sub-committee to provide it with advice and support on such matters. This sub-committee shall be comprised of at least one federal representative and one provincial representative. An observer from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario may be included in matters relating to the Communities Component.
2.5 All communications through electronic media such as web sites or management information systems should follow the same guiding principles as those established for "traditional" means of communications.
2.6 All public information material pursuant to this Agreement shall be in both official languages (English and French) and indicate, where applicable and practicable, that a project is being implemented under the Building Canada plan and ReNew Ontario and its successor plans. Canada will ensure that all documents are bilingual. All such material shall fairly reflect the contribution of all parties to the project. This includes ensuring equal recognition and prominence where words, logos, symbols and other types of identification are incorporated into materials.