Government of Canada to Reduce Information Technology Costs and Save Taxpayers' Dollars

On behalf of the Government of Canada, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, along with the Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, today announced measures to streamline and identify savings in Information Technology (IT) through Shared Services Canada.

“Canadians work hard for their money and expect our Government to manage taxpayers dollars responsibly,” said Minister Ambrose. “Shared Services Canada will have a mandate to streamline IT, save money, and end waste and duplication.”

“The top priority of our Government is ensuring that our economy remains strong while we continue on our plan to return to balanced budgets,” said Minister Clement. “This is why we are squarely focused on finding savings for taxpayers and implementing the Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.”

The Clerk of the Privy Council, Wayne Wouters, said that this will help “the Public Service streamline and modernize our administrative services. Through new business models, we are renewing the organization as a whole and supporting innovation and excellence across the Public Service.”

The Government has over 100 different email systems, over 300 data centres, and over 3,000 network services within the Federal Public Service. This is inefficient and wasteful. The Government will move to one email system, reduce the overall number of data centres from 300 to less than 20, and streamline electronic networks within and between government departments. This will improve services to Canadians, make IT more secure and reliable, and save taxpayers’ dollars in line with the Government of Canada’s plan to return to balanced budgets.

All resources associated with the delivery of email, data centre and network services are being transferred from 44 of the more IT-intensive departments and agencies to a new entity called Shared Services Canada. These departments and agencies will no longer provide these services internally. Rather, the services will be provided by Shared Services Canada.

Minister Ambrose will be responsible for Shared Services Canada, which will be part of the PWGSC portfolio. The President of the new entity was also appointed by the Prime Minister today, and will be leading this consolidation and transformation initiative.

gc.ca