A year of delivering transparency and privacy across government
Canadians expect their government to be open, accountable and respectful of their privacy. At Shared Services Canada (SSC), that expectation drives everything we do, from enabling access to government records to ensuring personal information is protected in the digital age.
SSC’s newly published annual reports on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act highlight a year of measurable impact. With a 98.5% compliance rate and more than 163,000 pages reviewed, SSC continues to lead in delivering timely access to information and strengthening privacy practices across the Government of Canada (GC). These results reflect SSC’s role in building a more transparent, secure and privacy-conscious digital government that Canadians can trust.
To better understand how requesters experience our services, SSC launched its first ATIP Client Survey. The resulting What We Heard report provided valuable insights into how requesters interact with SSC’s access to information services. Respondents:
shared preferences for how they want to receive records
highlighted areas for service improvement
expressed interest in more proactive publication of SSC information
SSC is acting on this feedback by piloting a support service, improving communication practices and enhancing external web content. These improvements are making access to government information more transparent, efficient and user-friendly.
“Privacy is not just a policy. It is a promise to Canadians, we are proud to lead with transparency and innovation, helping departments build trust through responsible digital practices.”
TAPI: A privacy success story
This year, SSC launched technology assessments for privacy implications (TAPI)—a tool designed to safeguard privacy as government embraces new technologies. TAPI was developed in response to updated federal privacy policies, which shifted traditional privacy impact assessments (PIA) to focus on programs rather than technologies. Recognizing the need to fill this gap, SSC created TAPI to ensure every enterprise technology is reviewed for privacy risks before launch.
The first application of TAPI was with Microsoft 365 E5 software-as-a-service suite, setting a new standard for privacy by design across government. While TAPI doesn’t replace program-level PIAs, it complements them—providing a reference point for programs adopting new solutions and reinforcing SSC’s leadership in responsible innovation.
By proactively addressing privacy in technology adoption, SSC is not only meeting policy requirements but also strengthening public confidence in digital government. TAPI’s story is one of collaboration, foresight and a commitment to protecting Canadians’ information in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Learn more about the experts who improve IT services through their diverse work. Their efforts enable Government of Canada organizations to better serve Canadians.
