Collection landing pages template: Canada.ca design

Collections are aggregations of common content produced by all or most Government of Canada institutions:

Canada.ca collections:

• provide a single location for people to navigate an aggregation of related content types (see section on Canada.ca content types )
• give people a consistent experience when browsing an aggregation of related content types from across Canada.ca
• facilitate content reuse throughout Canada.ca
• permit contextualization based on how people enter the collection

A collection landing page is the primary entry point for each Canada.ca collection and its related information. Collection landing pages are accessed via the global footer.

The layout of individual collection pages may differ depending on their scale and complexity.

Where required, the items listed on the collection page will be linked to the profile page of the related Canada.ca collection item.

On this page

• When to use this template
• How to use this template
• User navigation

When to use this template

Use a Canada.ca collection landing page template only once for each collection on Canada.ca

Use when you need to show a list of similar content types such as:

• news
• proactive disclosure
• access to information summaries
• datasets
• consultations
• laws and regulations
• statistics
• publications (including research documents and reports)
• contact information

How to use this template

1: Collection title

Provides the title of the collection

• Presentation

  • the collection title must be a unique H1
  • must be the first component on the page

2: Collection introductory paragraph

Describes the collection, services and information that can be accessed on this page

• Content

  • provides an overview of the collection
  • keep the text short and concise
  • written for a grade 6-8 reading level
• Presentation

  • appears below the collection title

3: Quick search

Provides the ability to immediately search from the landing page

• Content

  • must be implemented using appropriate WET components
• Presentation

  • appears below the collection introductory paragraph
  • heading is labelled “Find a [collection object]”

4: Browse collection

Provides direct access to all collection objects, without any pre-set filtering

• Content

  • provides unfiltered access to the collection’s faceted finder
• Presentation

  • appears below the quick search function
  • heading is labelled “Browse [collection objects]”

5: Latest

Features the latest collection objects

• Content

  • lists the latest collection objects based upon the date they were added to the collection
  • a minimum of 2 links is recommended
  • a maximum of 7 links is allowed
  • links to all collection objects sorted by date
• Presentation

  • appears to the right of the quick search function
  • heading is labelled “Latest [collection objects]”

6: Related services and information

Lists services and information that are related to the collection

• Content

  • lists topics, services and information related to the collection
  • services and information are prioritized based on page-view metrics and user-research
  • a minimum of 6 items is recommended
  • a maximum of 15 items is allowed
  • the optimal character limit for hyperlinks is 45 characters (with spaces) for both official languages, but can extend to 75 characters (with spaces)
  • the character limit for description text (doormat) is 120 characters (with spaces) in both official languages. Description text does not contain hyperlinked text
• Presentation

  • appears below “Browse [collection objects]”
  • heading is labelled “Related services and information”
  • priority sequencing is from left to right

7: Most requested

Features the most requested collection objects

• Content

  • use the Most requested pattern
• Presentation

  • appears to the right of the quick search function
  • the heading is labelled “Most requested [collection objects]”

8: Collection features

Promotes collection-specific current activities being led by departments and agencies across the Government of Canada

• Presentation

  • use the Context-specific features pattern

User navigation

Text version

Canada.ca collections are accessed through the global footer via a collections landing page for the particular collection.

The primary organizing principle of a collection is a single content type or group of related content types. Collections allow for a minimum of 2 kinds of navigation through the content:

• Non-filtered – allowing people to view all items and then filter them through information architecture facets (for example, themes, topics, institutions), as required.
• Pre-filtered – allowing people to view all items filtered by an information architecture facet and then remove or change the filter, as required.

Non-filtered access to Canada.ca collections is promoted via links in the global footer. Pre-filtered access is contextual, for example, via links from theme pages, topic pages or institutional profile pages.