Ottawa puts federal tech delivery under one roof

Ottawa is putting more of the federal government’s technology delivery under one organization, with the goal of making it easier for Canadians to access government support and services.

Prime Minister Mark Carney launched Digital Transformation Canada on Thursday, Sept. 3. The new federal organization will combine Shared Services Canada with selected functions from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada, specifically the Canadian Digital Service.

Patrick Pichette, Google’s chief financial officer from 2008 to 2015, will serve as CEO. Digital Transformation Canada will fall under the responsibility of the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, Joël Lightbound.

Ottawa says Digital Transformation Canada will “scale shared solutions” across government to reduce duplication and operating costs, give public servants more modern and secure tools, and improve how the government develops, buys, and uses technology.

“Canada’s future prosperity will be built by those who innovate, adopt new technologies, and move quickly to seize new opportunities,” says Carney. “By modernising public service delivery, reducing duplication, and supporting the growth of Canadian technology firms, we will strengthen our economy, improve outcomes for Canadians, and position Canada to lead in the digital age.”

The government says Digital Transformation Canada will use federal purchasing power to give Canadian digital and AI companies opportunities to test, scale, and commercialize technology with the federal government as a customer.

In June, the Carney government launched its AI for All strategy. One of its key pillars is to help the country’s AI companies scale, which they say will in turn help strengthen domestic capabilities and digital sovereignty. 

Ottawa also plans to implement a fellowship model that brings private-sector specialists into government for short assignments, including work in advanced AI, with a focus on transferring technical and commercial knowledge to public servants.

“Digital Transformation Canada marks a new chapter in how government delivers results for Canadians,” says Lightbound. “Our goal is clear: bring together the country’s brightest technologists to work with the public service to build a stronger, more effective federal government.”

The announcement doesn’t say how many people Digital Transformation Canada will employ, what budget it will control, when the consolidation will be completed, or which additional departmental functions will move into it. With Pichette’s long to-do list, these details will show how much of Ottawa’s technology operation comes with the job.

Final shots

• Federal technology delivery, shared services, and procurement are being pulled closer together under one organization.
• Ottawa plans to use its own technology purchases to give Canadian digital and AI companies a way into the government purchase process.
• Budget, headcount, transition timing, and the full scope of the organization haven’t yet been disclosed.