Shared Services Canada’s 2025-26 Departmental Plan

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From the Minister

I am pleased to present Shared Services Canada’s (SSC) Departmental Plan for 2025-26, which outlines our strategic priorities, objectives, and key initiatives for the year ahead. As the Minister responsible for SSC, I look forward to working with our dedicated employees to provide the Government of Canada (GC) with essential IT infrastructure and services.

In our fast-evolving world, technology continues to advance and integrate into our daily lives. As a result, the demand for digital access to government services is growing rapidly and requires us to transform the way we deliver services. This means modernizing the GC’s digital foundations and addressing longstanding challenges such as, aging systems and infrastructure to ensure secure, efficient and responsive service delivery for Canadians.

SSC plays a vital role in enabling government-wide digital transformation. As the GC's enterprise IT service provider, SSC supports departments and agencies by managing and procuring the technology solutions they rely on to serve Canadians. With operations across 4,000 locations in Canada and abroad, SSC supports everything from traditional office work to frontline service delivery, national security, and defence operations.

SSC’s strategic approach, One SSC to Deliver Digital Solutions Together for Canada, emphasizes close collaboration and transparency with other government departments as the key to achieving the GC’s Digital Ambition. With this approach, SSC continues to ensure that departments are equipped with the modern, standardized tools they need. This is essential for effective service delivery to Canadians.

SSC’s Departmental Plan is centered on the following key priorities:

• Modernizing and reducing costs: We will upgrade our systems to enhance resilience and security, and to reduce legacy infrastructure. This includes improving data delivery speed and service availability, and implementing standardized security measures
• Enhancing digital tools: We will continue to develop tools to support the GC’s evolving needs. This includes improving access to essential services and benefits for Canadians
• Improving service delivery: We will continue enhancing the tools and processes that support the efficiency and effectiveness of our service delivery

I support SSC’s efforts to build a more accessible, secure, and efficient digital government. Through collaboration and transformation, SSC is enabling departments across government to deliver better services to Canadians. Please read the Departmental Plan to learn about SSC’s work equipping the GC to best serve Canadians.

The Honourable Joël Lightbound, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Government Transformation,
Public Works and Procurement,
and Minister responsible for Shared Services Canada

Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibility : Common Government of Canada IT Operations

Description

Using a government-wide approach, SSC delivers reliable and secure IT Operations, IT Infrastructure, and communication and workplace technology services that support and enable government-wide programs and digital services for the Public Service.

Quality of life impacts

SSC’s core responsibility, Common Government of Canada IT Operations, contributes to the “Good Governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada. More specifically, SSC supports “Confidence in institutions” through the delivery of its programs and services to partner departments and clients:

• Canadians expect that government services are digitally enabled, accessible and available 24/7. By providing common IT infrastructure and services, SSC enables digital services that allows the GC to meet the expectations of Canadians. Reliable and available services, by extension, increases the confidence in federal institutions.
• SSC, along with its strategic partners, provide the cyber security infrastructure that safeguards the personal information of Canadians as they interact with government institutions.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the 3 most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2025-26 for Common Government of Canada IT Operations. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 1: Government of Canada benefits from reliable and responsive networks and SSC-managed security services that protect the information of departments, agencies, and Canadians

Table 1 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Common Government of Canada IT Operations.

Table 2 : Public servants have access to the collaboration tools and workplace technology needed to work effectively to deliver services to Canadians

Table 2 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Common Government of Canada IT Operations.

Table 3: Government of Canada benefits from responsive and reliable hosting solutions that support its applications and data used to deliver services to Canadians

Table 3 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Common Government of Canada IT Operations.

Table 4: Government of Canada benefits from enterprise IT and client-specific solutions that support the delivery of programs and services to Canadians

Table 4 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Common Government of Canada IT Operations.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for Common Government of Canada IT Operations in 2025-26.

SSC manages and procures technology solutions for the GC’s consolidated, modern IT infrastructure and associated services, which are the backbone of digital government. As technology advances, the expectations for digital government services grow. By consolidating and modernizing the GC’s IT infrastructure, and through close collaboration with departments, SSC is central to building and improving digital services for Canadians.

SSC’s strategic approach Digital Together, supports collaboration with partners and provides clarity about the future of GC IT infrastructure. By building strategic roadmaps for its 4 key service areas—Connectivity Services, Hosting Services, Digital Services and Cyber Security Services—SSC is providing predictability, consistency and transparency about its plans for partners and clients. This allows them to prepare the IT plans accordingly and supports informed decision-making for IT investments, ultimately preventing duplication and identifying gaps in infrastructure and services.

Networks Security and Access: Government of Canada benefits from reliable and responsive networks and SSC-managed security services that protect the information of departments, agencies, and Canadians

SSC provides network infrastructure and connectivity services to more than 400,000 users (including employees, military personnel, police officers and more) across government departments and agencies to effectively deliver services to Canadians. As the government transforms and becomes increasingly digital, this has resulted in significant growth in the need for network speed and capacity. SSC provides modern connectivity services with integrated security that meet the needs of users, using a networking model that leverages commercial and public networks, including managed services and wireless technologies.

Running a flexible, reliable and secure network requires constant upgrades to include the latest technology and security enhancements. SSC continuously assesses technology trends and developments to ensure it builds and adjusts a GC network that is responsive to current and future needs. SSC has been modernizing its network services for the GC and has moved to enterprise solutions that employ the best connectivity solution for operational needs of federal departments and agencies.

In recent years, SSC has made major upgrades to networks to provide more bandwidth to allow GC employees to easily use modern tools that increasingly leverage video and data. Network access needs to have the ability to handle rapid fluctuations in bandwidth demand. By providing network services that are scalable, SSC is able to improve the performance of network services.

Results we plan to achieve:

GC Networks Hubs

SSC introduced GC Networks Hubs that are distributed across the country to improve data delivery speed, service availability and reliability of network services. SSC continues to evolve these hubs by upgrading capacity and adding capabilities. By managing connectivity and security from the GC network to external networks, such as the Internet and public cloud, SSC is increasing the network bandwidth and reducing the amount of delay on a network or internet connection while improving security. Following the success of its domestic hubs, SSC is exploring opportunities to establish International hubs that would support partner departments working abroad.

GC Network Services

SSC is focused on helping modernize and improve the delivery of network services for the GC as part of the next step in strengthening the foundation for network modernization. SSC has been establishing various networking procurement vehicles to replace expired or outdated contracts.

In 2025-26, SSC will implement Dark Fibre and Optical Network Services. As a result of the updated infrastructure along with the establishment of more competitive supply arrangements, Optical Network Services provide a cost-effective service with high-capacity bandwidth over long distances. This type of network service supports connections between sites, such as data centres and GC Networks Hubs, to allow the transfer of very large volumes of data to a wider area. Leased dark fibre services provide significantly higher bandwidth capabilities compared to traditional leased lines and will allow SSC to control and customize the network infrastructure based on specific needs. Moreover, this initiative enhances connectivity infrastructure for government locations across Canada, including the North, to provide faster and more reliable, flexible, and secure network services. Through the modernization of its network services, SSC will enhance its operational efficiency, security, network performance, resiliency, and control. SSC is also continuing to implement and improve services in rural and remote areas using Low Earth Orbit Satellites.

Wi-Fi Services

Public servants rely on Wi-Fi more than ever to do their jobs. Wi-Fi has evolved from a "nice-to-have" to a critical investment for employees to be more productive and mobile within the workplace. Enterprise Wi-Fi allows GC employees to access secure Wi-Fi service in government-owned or leased buildings using their GC-issued laptops or mobile devices for work purposes. SSC has shifted to providing Wi-Fi service for an entire building and leverages either SSC enterprise solutions, commercial Wi-Fi service or a combination of both. In 2025-26, SSC will continue to deploy Wi-Fi to approximately 250 GC buildings.

Cyber Security of GC IT

The GC, like other organizations worldwide, faces persistent cyber threats from bad actors on a national and international level that require constant vigilance. GC cyber security is a shared responsibility between SSC, the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Office of the Chief Information Officer (TBS-OCIO), collectively known as the GC IT Security Tripartite.

In 2024, TBS released the GC Enterprise Cyber Security Strategy to support a resilient cyber security posture that will allow the GC to effectively respond to and recover from cyber events in a timely manner and maintain the continuous delivery of government programs and services. SSC plays a key role in the implementation of this strategy as it constantly works to keep GC systems secure by strengthening enterprise infrastructure and security services, as well as improving the governance of IT and cyber security. In 2025-26, SSC will continue to transition its cyber security services towards a zero trust framework, where constant verification replaces the outdated idea of security based on physical location. This framework focuses on the authentication of every request and it restricts users’ access to only what they are authorized to see.

Reinforcing GC Cyber Security

With the growing number of global cyber threats, SSC must be increasingly proactive to implement cyber tools, identify and remediate vulnerabilities and scan the GC IT infrastructure for threats. To address this need, SSC has implemented a collaborative and enterprise-wide initiative that seeks to reduce the cyber threats and incidents across all GC assets, thus increasing the GC’s security posture. SSC will oversee the implementation of vulnerability scanning across all managed assets, thereby reducing blind-spots that could potentially be exploited.

SSC continues to build redundancy into the IT infrastructure to ensure that there are multiple layers and levels of security keeping digital information safe. By using multi-factor authentication and a zero trust approach, SSC provides GC devices and user credentials with increased levels of trust, facilitating access management and providing additional security.

In the Cyber security strategic roadmap, SSC has outlined its priorities to mitigate any critical cyber security gaps. In 2025-26, SSC will continue to advance cyber security projects that will support the GC’s transition to zero trust. For example, the Administrative Access Control Service will give SSC the capability to manage privileges, rights, and accesses across all SSC services effectively and efficiently in an enterprise-wide and standardized way. The Privileged Access Management component of this service will provide partners and clients with the control to manage the administrative/privileged access in their environment. This solution is a modernized approach to managing access and will replace outdated processes. In addition, the Network Device Authentication service will contribute to the overall GC IT security by ensuring that only authorized devices can connect to the SSC network. This new service will be available in 2025-26. Similarly, the Attack Surface Management initiative is the initial phase of a cyber security project that will improve vulnerability identification, validate technical security controls and identify unknown assets.

Enterprise Security Service Edge

The Enterprise Security Service Edge is a service SSC provides that protects and monitors the GC information going through cloud-based software applications over the Internet. This service will provide standardized security services across the enterprise and improve the security posture for GC services, information and IT assets. The service also provides increased security visibility between GC devices and software applications to enhance security detection and protection of GC data. In 2025-26, SSC will continue with its phased implementation of the enterprise security service edge and plans to onboard 3 partner departments. This will provide a standard enterprise-wide cloud security service to improve the security of all GC departments.

Small Departments and Agencies (SDA)

The SDA Initiative is a joint collaboration between SSC and the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE) to provide SDAs with a curated bundle of network, security and digital services, such as Enterprise Internet Services, Secure Remote Access, Email, and standardize the cyber security posture of 43 SDAs to the enterprise level. Integrating SDAs into the enterprise IT infrastructure will enhance their overall IT security. In 2025-26, SSC will continue onboarding remaining SDAs to cloud-based email and deploying network and security services.

Digital Workplace Services: Public servants have access to the collaboration tools and workplace technology needed to work effectively to deliver services to Canadians

The GC’s collaboration tools and workplace technology are the digital tools supporting public servants day to day. These include email, telephony and videoconferencing. SSC continues to modernize and transform the digital tools for the GC to support the evolving workplace and adapt to emerging technologies. Effective digital tools ensure that public servants can work efficiently in a digital environment.

Establishing standard digital tools across the GC will also provide public servants with a common experience and supports efficient communication and collaboration between departments. Enterprise tools will streamline and simplify the delivery of digital tools, allowing SSC to provide IT support to partner and client departments more efficiently and resulting in cost-savings for the GC. SSC is working with partner and client departments to reduce their legacy tools and migrate towards modern solutions that will improve financial, operational and cyber security impacts for the GC.

In addition to providing support to public servants, there are also digital tools that allow the GC to communicate with Canadians and support the delivery of programs. The GC is committed to enhancing access to vital services and benefits for Canadians in a convenient and efficient manner. For example, contact centres play a crucial role in delivering these services effectively by providing Canadians with the ability to connect with the GC and receive assistance required to access programs and services.

In 2025-26, SSC will focus on continuing to migrate towards modern digital tools and providing a seamless, common user experience across work environments and devices.

Results we plan to achieve:

M365 Exchange Online Onboarding

SSC is onboarding partners and clients to M365 Exchange Online, which involves migrating email services to the enterprise email service hosted on this platform. The migration process includes tasks such as data migration, user provisioning and configuring standard email service settings to ensure a seamless transition and optimal security for all users. By migrating to this modernized cloud platform, SSC aims to significantly reduce the on-premises server footprint in the long term and reduce the use of legacy technology.

In 2025-26, SSC will continue working with partners to complete preparatory work required on their end prior to migration and complete migration for departments that are ready. This will provide a seamless transition to the new platform and offer access to enhanced features.

Conferencing and Collaboration Meeting Space Service Modernization

SSC will continue to modernize and enhance its enterprise meeting space service by stabilizing and harmonizing cloud-based technologies and standardizing the approach across the GC to ensure a consistent user experience. This service will be made available to partner departments, using modern, standardized, robust and secure endpoints and cloud platforms to facilitate seamless conferencing, content sharing and real-time collaboration.

Additionally, SSC will implement a “Boardroom in a Box” approach, standardizing conferencing technologies for small, medium and large boardrooms across the GC. This strategy streamlines procurement and deployment processes to facilitate delivery of this service, and ensures that meeting spaces can work together and provide a consistent user experience.

Telecommunications Modernization

Telecommunication technology has grown well beyond traditional wired telephones, and SSC is taking action to continue offering high-quality, efficient, and affordable tools across the GC. Aligned with efforts to modernize and reduce existing legacy tools, SSC is focused on implementing a softphone telephony solution for all public servants, including those stationed at missions abroad. The softphone service enables external dialing capabilities over the Internet using a computing device or compatible handset and will be included in the SSC Service Catalogue as an option within Telecommunications services. Designed to enhance the security of the GC, softphone provides secure access and proactive monitoring while protecting information at the enterprise level.

SSC will continue to collaborate with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to initiate a softphone pilot in 2025-26, and assess requirements for deployment both domestically and internationally. This modern solution will replace outdated systems, allowing users to make and receive calls over the Internet using M365 from any GC-issued device, anytime and anywhere, at a reduced cost. This technology can also be used to support call centers that provide direct help and support to Canadians.

Hosting Infrastructure: Government of Canada benefits from responsive and reliable hosting solutions that support its applications and data used to deliver services to Canadians

To support a transformative digital government, SSC is dedicated to ensuring secure, resilient, and sustainable management of the GC's IT infrastructure. Enterprise data centres and cloud services provide partner and client departments with the flexibility of hybrid hosting options to store their applications and data. Digital activities on the GC’s hosting infrastructure has enhanced safeguards in place for Canadians’ security and privacy of their information and data.

In 2024, TBS introduced the 2024 Application Hosting Strategy, a new approach to addressing the evolving hosting needs across the GC. The approach focuses on choosing the most suitable hosting model for applications, based on cost effectiveness and business value, to deliver digital services to Canadians. SSC is responsible for delivering hosting services to GC departments and creating a transparent environment around performance, consumption and costs, providing a stewardship function to support the GC’s hosting infrastructure.

In 2025-26, SSC will gradually implement the 2024 Application Hosting Strategy to improve service delivery of modern hosting solutions. As GC cloud adoption continues to accelerate, SSC has launched key initiatives to improve and evolve its cloud procurement. Establishing new long-term cloud procurement vehicles will enable the GC Hosting Strategy as these vehicles are in sync with the strategy and address every detail in an agile way to ensure long-term stability, better pricing and effective processes. In addition, SSC has recently launched the GC Hosting Services Portal and GC Cloud One to support the request process and access to hosting services and will continue to refine, expand and improve upon these services in 2025-26.

SSC will remain focused on reducing legacy hosting infrastructure to ensure that GC hosting is not only robust and secure but also agile and responsive to the rapidly changing digital landscape. SSC will also continue to collaborate and engage with stakeholders to ensure that SSC hosting solutions for the GC align with the needs of departments and Canadians.

Results we plan to achieve:

Stewardship and Predictability of Cloud Services

SSC remains committed to supporting partner and client departments through enhanced transparency, optimized costs, and improved decision-making processes. SSC has developed an Enterprise Cloud Financial Operations (FinOps) service that provides cloud cost optimization across the GC by offering cloud cost reporting and optimization opportunities to the enterprise GC partners. SSC will be expanding its FinOps capabilities to improve the ability to track and understand cloud costs and gain an enterprise view of cloud spending. This will support partner and clients in decision-making and allow SSC to identify opportunities for optimized savings.

In addition, SSC is establishing a secure private cloud service for exclusive use by GC departments to provide partner and clients with a consistent client experience and enhanced internal tracking and metrics. In 2025-26, SSC will work to add additional layers to the full private cloud solution to improve the capabilities of the service. This will provide partners with standard capabilities across all enterprise hosting environments.

Enhance Service Delivery Through Automation

In support of SSC’s commitment to improving service delivery to its partner and client departments, SSC is developing and enhancing automation and self-serve tools and technology to optimize business processes. This enables SSC to provide high-impact services while reducing costs, and enabling the reallocation of resources to higher-value work. Implementing automation has led to reductions in service times, faster service delivery, quicker incident responses, and better reporting.

SSC will introduce a module to the Windows operating system used by partner and client departments that will offer an automatic monthly patching service. This will regularly complete quick fixes to address any bugs to ensure that all servers receive consistent and standard patching which reduces the vulnerability of the servers.

Flexible Hybrid Hosting Options

SSC is evolving from traditional data centre hosting services to a hybrid hosting that aims to expand, optimize and strengthen SSC hosting service offerings by combining cloud and on-premise hosting options to address partner needs and deliver greater value while providing GC safeguards.

Edge computing is a service where information processing is located closer to the end-user to provide faster response times. SSC is developing a strategy that will present timelines, strategic opportunities, and outline a framework for the use of on-premise hosting services. SSC is establishing ownership and accountability through collaboration and shared responsibility to be able to offer this service to partners and clients as a hosting solution.

Standardized and Modern Hosting Solutions

Standardized and modernized hosting solutions drive efficiency and innovation, ensuring consistency and security across government operations while reducing technical debt accrued from maintaining legacy systems. SSC’s work includes standardizing operating systems, mainframes, storage, and high-performance computing – all of which contribute to more reliable and responsive service delivery to Canadians. For example, high performance computing capacity is indispensable to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) weather supercomputer that delivers weather and air quality forecasts and alerts, as well as climate projections. SSC will continue to regularly upgrade the underlying infrastructure to meet the latest technology needs and increase the high performance computing capacity. This will ensure ECCC has access to timely and accurate hydro-meteorological information, services, projections and alerts. In 2025-26, SSC is planning to complete the third upgrade of this infrastructure since its implementation.

Reduce Legacy and Aging Data Centres

While some partners will continue to require their legacy data centres for specific needs, SSC is focused on reducing legacy hosting infrastructure where possible and migrating partners to more modern solutions. By closing aging legacy data centres, Partner workloads are moving into more robust hosting options such as cloud and enterprise data centres. This supports the reduction of aging IT systems to improve reliability and also reduces costs for unplanned repairs and maintenance. In 2025-26, SSC will continue closing legacy data centres as workloads are migrated to Enterprise Data Centres or to the cloud.

Service, Projects and Enterprise Advice: Government of Canada benefits from enterprise IT and client-specific solutions that support the delivery of programs and services to Canadians

As an integrated service delivery organization, SSC is focused on collaborating closely with partner and client departments to ensure that they have the tools and services they need to serve Canadians with excellence. In addition to providing greater transparency and predictability of the services that SSC is providing, SSC will continue to modernize how it interacts with partners and clients when it comes to enterprise IT service requests by simplifying the provisioning of SSC services, improving timeliness of service delivery, and enhancing operational excellence through the modernization of its management and operational systems. SSC will create efficiencies through process transformation and the introduction of integrated automation and self-service tools, which will simplify and transform processes and services to ultimately help partners and clients deliver their services faster.

In addition, SSC plays a supporting role for partner and client departments to complete projects and maintain public-facing services, as well as supporting partner departments such as Science-based departments with specific IT requirements.

Results we plan to achieve:

IT Service Management

SSC is continuing the implementation of the IT Service Management (ITSM) tool, to manage IT services from initial ticket request to final delivery. This tool supports more efficient service management by enhancing automation and improving the quality of data to more accurately manage service standards. While most services SSC provides to partners and clients have been onboarded to this ITSM tool, SSC will continue the migration of the remaining SSC services.

In 2025-26, SSC will update its ticketing system to include automation wherein the information will be updated and synchronized automatically in the ITSM tool in real time. This will allow both SSC and departments to receive quicker updates which will reduce service delivery time. SSC will continue to onboard the remaining 5 partners whose ticketing systems have not migrated to the enterprise ITSM tool with the goal of finalizing the onboarding by 2026-27.

SSC will also continue to advance the transformation of the SSC Enterprise Business Intake process used by SSC to receive requests from its partners and clients for IT services. SSC will conduct a pilot to transition workloads from the current legacy system into its enterprise ITSM tool. This modernization of the technology along with updates to processes will not only directly improve service delivery to partner and client departments, it will also indirectly support the transition to enterprise services.

Monitoring of IT Infrastructure

SSC is evolving how it monitors IT infrastructure on an enterprise scale so it can restore outages as quickly as possible or even anticipate problems before they occur. Through the Enterprise Command Centre, SSC will continue to expand visibility of outage alerts, refine and configure the appropriate thresholds resulting in a reduction of alerts and reduced corresponding response time. This will lead to a rationalization of legacy tools resulting in a more manageable suite of tools and cost savings across the enterprise.

Serving Government Website Modernization

Serving Government is a GC extranet site that provides partner and client departments key information about SSC services. It is SSC's primary digital channel to communicate with its partner departments and agencies’ IT decision-makers. Employees from client and partner departments use the website to get information about SSC activities and how to order its services. SSC has created an authenticated portal that provides partner departments with a personalized view of information about SSC’s services to support IT decision makers, improve communication with partner departments and facilitate collaboration in the delivery of services. This includes tailored reports for each partner department with details on their services and a targeted communication channel for Infrastructure Change Notices and Incident Notifications that will impact their services. To date, this has been launched to 6 partner departments and in 2025-26, SSC will continue onboarding additional partner departments.

Government of Canada application Platform as a Service (GCaPaaS)

The GCaPaaS allows many departments to use a single platform for common GC business applications, rather than have one for each department. This approach was successfully used by SSC to significantly reduce the costs and improve the interoperability of an enterprise internal audit application. This is a managed platform that supports the use of innovative processes and technology in a scalable and secure manner. GCaPaaS offers departments access to standardized versions of enterprise applications and a simplified intake process provides better cost certainty, which allows departments to better plan expenses. This delivery method is also more efficient for departments and lowers the service delivery costs for the GC.

In 2025-26, SSC will implement 2 new enterprise applications through GCaPaaS for partner and client departments. This will include one application that will support departments with the GC standard for Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) and another deployment of a GC standard Statistical Analytics Software to support financial processes. SSC continues to explore new opportunities for common GC applications.

Digital Services for Federal Scientists

SSC created the Science Program to support GC priorities on modernizing and securing research in Canada and to better enable scientists with digital infrastructure and services to support their respective mandates. SSC collaborates closely with partners such as Laboratories Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) to ensure that new and enhanced IT solutions and services are in place to support the delivery of science-based facilities and science optimization objectives. SSC also plays an important role in supporting the Open Science Roadmap which involves sharing data, information, tools, and research results, and eliminating barriers to collaboration.

In January 2024, The Federal Open Science Repository of Canada was officially launched, making publicly available scientific research outputs, science articles and publications. In 2025-26, SSC will continue to evolve the repository by adding new capabilities that will increase public visibility and access.

SSC is also operating and evolving the Federal Science DataHub. This is a cloud-based GC solution that provides federal scientists and researchers data infrastructure with scalable storage, advanced analytics and data tools, and allows them to work together in one platform. In 2025-26, SSC will implement access capabilities that will allow external collaborators to use the platform and access modern data analytic tools. This evolution of the Federal Science DataHub will increase the collaboration between federal scientists and researchers with non-federal researchers and entities.

Customer-Led Projects and Partner Support

Strong engagement and communication strengthen the relationship between SSC and its partner departments. In addition to large-scale enterprise initiatives, SSC also provides support to partners for the implementation of several of their projects. SSC’s client executives play a key role in supporting partner departments and serve as the single point of contact for Chief Information Officers (CIOs) for IT services offered to partner and client departments. In 2025-26, SSC will continue to work closely with partner departments and agencies and focus on advancing the implementation of several of their projects. Some examples include:

• 2025 G7 Summit: SSC will be establishing the IT infrastructure and provide all necessary IT support for the successful hosting of the 2025 G7 Summit. This will support all GC departments participating in hosting the Summit as well as participants and their delegations.
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Network Capacity Improvement Strategy (NCIS) – Digital Network Modernization Initiative: SSC is working with the RCMP to increase network capacity and reliability by integrating advanced technologies to meet their specific needs. This includes services such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, traditional Local Internet Access Service and Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solutions. The objective is to ensure that the RCMP has sufficient bandwidth to support their initiatives and that their sites, including remote sites, have the necessary high-performance connectivity to support their operations.
• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Network Modernization Project: This project is a collaborative, long-term initiative between ESDC and SSC to upgrade and modernize ESDC’s network infrastructure. It addresses technical debt and implements SSC’s latest GC enterprise network technologies, including networks hubs and cloud connectivity which seeks to enhance network performance and connectivity. This will include deployment of Wi-Fi to ESDC buildings, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellites for northern sites and implementation of GC Networks Hubs.

Key risks

SSC has identified the following Key corporate risks for 2025-26. SSC’s key initiatives and activities provide mitigation measures that reduce the impact and probability of these risks.

Table 5: Key corporate risks and risk statements for Common Government of Canada IT Operations

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 6: Planned resources to achieve results for Common Government of Canada IT Operations

Table 6 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Related government priorities

Gender-based analysis plus

SSC incorporates a Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) lens to improve outcomes for GC organizations and public servants and to support other GC organizations in their ability to deliver programs and services to Canadians.

In 2025-2026, SSC will continue to integrate GBA Plus into planning, reporting and decision making, including through Cabinet documents, programs, projects, procurements, promotion of an inclusive and diverse workforce and hiring processes. In 2024-25, SSC concluded a comprehensive review of its programs for GBA Plus impacts to better identify strategic and operational gaps. In the fiscal year 2025-2026, the findings from this departmental review will be used to improve GBA Plus tools and guidance. Furthermore, SSC will put forward a GBA Plus Implementation Strategy presenting branches with findings, raising awareness and creating opportunities to improve GBA Plus outcomes within the Department.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

More information on SSC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Innovation

SSC is continuously innovating and working to improve services and products for IT infrastructure and solutions. Although there are many innovative and emerging technologies with the potential to impact both SSC and the GC services, SSC is focusing on those with the most potential impact on GC efficiency and service to Canadians.

Artificial Intelligence

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of technological advancement and offers unprecedented opportunities to transform how the GC works, interacts, and innovates. As the department responsible for operating and modernizing the majority of the GC’s IT infrastructure, SSC plays a key role supporting the objectives of TBS led GC AI strategy. Additionally, SSC aligns with the priorities from the newly established Privy Council Office AI Secretariat to improve the efficiency of government operations.

SSC, in collaboration with the National Research Council and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, will establish the computing infrastructure to serve the AI computing needs of the GC in a protected and secure environment.

SSC is integrating AI and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) into its operations with a focus on strategic and ethical implementation and will continue to procure off the shelf AI enabled applications to test and explore ways they can bring efficiency to the GC.

SSC’s AI program (AIP) encompasses several critical components aimed at fostering a transformative and responsible AI ecosystem:

• Generative AI Ecosystem: the introduction of a pilot initiative CANchat, an advanced chatbot that helps employees with tasks such as research, content creation, translation, image interpretation and generation, data retrieval, and augmented generation. The Program also enhances the generative AI landscape by supporting open-source models and integrating the Program’s GC Large Language Model, tailored for the GC.
• Hub and Spoke Model: the implementation of a hub and spoke model to facilitate innovation and exploration of AI and intelligent automation across business areas and service lines. The model will enable implementation of AI within SSC in a responsible and ethical manner and ensure compliance with GC and departmental policy instruments and best practices, with appropriate safeguards and guardrails to ensure transparency, fairness, privacy, and security.

Quantum Readiness – Post Quantum Cryptography

In the next 5-8 years, quantum computers will pose a significant risk to conventional cryptography due to their ability to break the mathematical algorithms used to secure sensitive information. This threat necessitates the development of new encryption methods resistant to quantum computing, also known as Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC).

As part of its network monitoring, SSC will be responsible for upgrading, patching and in some cases, replacing all affected technology devices. This effort will extend beyond SSC devices to include all infrastructure and services managed and provided to partners.

SSC will create a comprehensive quantum readiness action plan, outlining specific steps, timelines, resource requirements and key performance indicators (KPIs). Objectively ensuring that all systems and services remain secure against emerging threats posed by quantum computing, thereby maintaining the security and integrity of sensitive information across SSC and its partner organizations.

Innovation, Collaboration and Experimentation Lab (ICELab)

Through the ICELab, SSC tests emerging technologies, providing a testing ground for innovative solutions, a collaborative hub for stakeholders, and a data-driven engine to guide decision-making. The ICELab is supporting the SSC Cyber Security Program by providing a flexible and secure environment for innovation, testing, and training. It helps ensure that cyber security investments are effective, tools are properly validated, and strategies are aligned with the Zero Trust model. Ultimately, these contributions will enhance the program's ability to maintain a robust and adaptive cyber security ecosystem that can respond to evolving threats in near real-time.

Program inventory

Common Government of Canada IT Operations is supported by the following programs:

• Networks
• Security
• Workplace Technologies
• Telecommunications
• Data Centre Information Technology Operations
• Cloud
• Enterprise Services Design and Delivery

Internal services

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• management and oversight services
• communications services
• legal services
• human resources management services
• financial management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• real property management services
• materiel management services
• acquisition management services

Plans to achieve results

This section presents details on how the department plans to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.

SSC’s internal services functions are vital for the efficient and timely delivery of services in support of departmental priorities. As a service delivery organization, SSC is focused on improving the way the department works to support efficient service delivery. This will make it easier for partners and clients to engage with SSC and benefit from enterprise IT services.

SSC is committed to fostering a culture that values psychological health, safety and well-being across all facets of the workplace. This dedication contributes to building an SSC workforce that is engaged, enabled, and empowered. This involves constantly seeking ways to streamline operations, eliminate redundancies, and explore opportunities for automation. It also means ensuring that the technology strategies in place that are oriented to the future and that will align with GC business requirements.

Skills and Workforce

Digital Enterprise Skilling

SSC is continuously increasing its digital literacy, technical skills and capacity by strengthening its understanding and adoption of emerging technologies to deliver better programs and services in the digital era. SSC’s digital enterprise skilling supports SSC’s workforce development by building capacity and skills to deliver on its mandate. In 2025-26, SSC will develop a Cloud literacy and skills development plan that will build Cloud awareness and expertise across the SSC workforce. Since its implementation, SSC’s digital skilling offerings have since expanded to include areas such as cyber security and Data Sciences (Data and Analytics, artificial intelligence, and robotic process automation). These learning opportunities will continue to be offered to SSC employees.

Financial Management

Departmental financial management system optimization and evolution

SSC will continue working to enhance its financial management system and optimize its Enterprise Resource Planning capabilities to help drive digital transformation across the GC. Enterprise Resource Planning services will improve financial stewardship and planning by improving cost transparency while standardizing and streamlining processes. In 2025-26, SSC is engaging with relevant stakeholders to document processes and requirements that will identify areas of improvement. SSC is focused on enhancing its forecasting and reporting capabilities to support informed decision making.

Material Management

Material Management Modernization

SSC aims to strengthen control mechanisms to improve effectiveness and accuracy in asset management reporting. SSC is focused on better controls over asset movements, optimized inventory usage, and prioritizing data integrity. SSC will streamline processes for material management by consolidating the lifecycle function. This will enhance control and standardize practices to improve asset management and data integrity while promoting efficient use of resources.

Real Property Management

Strategy for Regional Space Acquisitions

SSC is developing a strategy to respond to the geographical needs of the department and increase workplace capacity to accommodate regional employees. Increasing the regional footprint will respond to the operational needs of the department and allow SSC to better service partner and client departments. This will also ensure regional employees are compliant with the TBS directive on increased presence in the workplace.

Accessibility

Supporting Accessibility for the GC

SSC’s Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) program at SSC is a team of multidisciplinary experts with diverse experiences of disability. Their goal is to position the GC as a model employer by equipping employees with disabilities for success and aiding departments in providing accessible programs and services to Canadians. AAACT offers a wide range of services and IT tools for all public servants to enable equal participation in the workplace. These services include alternative approaches, training, resources and adaptive hardware and software. In 2025-26, SSC will continue to provide this service to support employees across the GC.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 7: Planned resources to achieve results for internal services this year

Table 7 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

Government of Canada departments are to meet a target of awarding at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses each year. This commitment is to be fully implemented by the end of 2024-25.

SSC remains committed to economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and will contribute to improved socio-economic outcomes by increasing opportunities for Indigenous businesses through the federal procurement process. SSC completed an analysis of the value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses historically for key commodities and services, including software, IT hardware, IT maintenance services and IT professional services and conformed that values of contracts expected to be awarded to Indigenous businesses in fiscal years 2024-25 and 2025-26 will meet or exceed the minimum 5% threshold.

SSC will continue to engage with commodity managers responsible for mandatory standing offers and supply arrangements (SOSA) to ensure qualified Indigenous suppliers are available to support SSC and other government departments in meeting their 5% target. SSC has implemented the following SOSAs with Indigenous considerations:‌

• Physical Infrastructure Supply Arrangement
• Workplace Technology Devices Microcomputers National Master Standing Offer
• Video Conferencing Procurement Vehicle

SSC’s procurement strategy documentation, the Procurement Summary and Risk Assessment (PSRA), requires SSC Contracting Authorities to document Indigenous considerations for all procurements. Further, SSC leverages departmental procurement governance committees to review opportunities to advance Indigenous criteria for procurements valued over $5 million.

SSC will continue to leverage ScaleUp to increase access to the procurement system for Indigenous businesses. Solicitations issued under ScaleUp are limited exclusively to Canadian micro and small businesses that are either Indigenous businesses or businesses owned or led by underrepresented groups such as women, visible minorities and persons with disabilities.

SSC does not have any planned Deputy Head (DH) exceptions for fiscal year 2025-26 and will avoid seeking an exception for procurements unless necessary.

Table 8: Percentage of contracts planned and awarded to Indigenous businesses

Table 8 presents the current, actual results with forecasted and planned results for the total percentage of contracts the department awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of SSC’s planned spending and human resources for the next 3 fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2025-26 with actual spending from previous years.

Spending

This section presents an overview of the department's planned expenditures from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Graph 1 Planned spending by core responsibility in 2025-26

Graph 1 presents how much the department plans to spend in 2025-26 to carry out core responsibilities and internal services.

Budgetary performance summary

Table 9: 3 year spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 9 presents how much money SSC spent over the past 3 years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services. Amounts for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.

Analysis of the past three years of spending

The total expenditure increase of $252.7 million or (10%) from 2022-23 to 2023-24 was mainly due to new funding for items such as Safeguarding Access to High Performance Computing for Canada’s Hydro-Meteorological Services, Reinforcing the Government of Canada’s Cyber Security, and increased spending for the Secure Cloud Enablement and Defence (SCED) Evolution and Departmental Connectivity and Monitoring initiative, Network Modernization and Implementation Fund, IT Repair and Replacement Program and Cyber and Information Technology initiatives.

The forecast spending for 2024-25 includes funding for the carry-forward from 2023-24, as well as new funding received in Supplementary Estimates (B) for the Presidency of the 2025 G7 Summit in Canada.

Table 10: Planned 3 year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 10 presents how much money SSC’s plans to spend over the next 3 years to carry out its core responsibility and for internal services.

Analysis of the next 3 years of spending

SSC’s planned spending reflects the amounts approved by Parliament to support the department’s core responsibility and internal services. The approved amount is net of vote-netted revenue of $853.0 million in 2025-26, and $793.0 million in 2026-27 and 2027-28. The reduction of $60.0 million is due to SSC’s Capital VNR authority for which the department will seek a renewal for future years.

The planned spending for 2025-26 includes new funding for the Presidency of the 2025 G7 Summit in Canada and funding from various organizations to support the transition to the Microsoft 365 E5 licence enterprise standard for the Government of Canada, offset by a reprofile request for Safeguarding Access to High performance Computing for Canada’s Hydro-Meteorological Services and reductions to implement the refocusing government spending initiative announced in Budget 2023.

As discussed in the Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services section under Hosting Infrastructure, SSC is responsible for delivering on the Application Hosting Strategy. Funding for this has not been included the above figures as they have not yet been approved by Parliament.

The decrease in planned spending from 2025-26 to 2026-27 is mainly due to decreases in funding for the SCED Evolution and Departmental Connectivity, Cyber Security initiatives, reductions to implement the refocusing government spending initiative announced in Budget 2023 and decreases in time-limited funding for the Presidency of the 2025 G7 Summit in Canada. This is offset by increases in funding for Reinforcing the Government of Canada’s Cyber Security and Safeguarding access to High Performance Computing for Canada’s Hydro-Meteorological Services.

The decrease in planned spending from 2026-27 to 2027-28 is mainly due to a decrease in funding for the Standardization of Mandatory Network, Security and Digital Services for Small Departments and Agencies from Budget 2022.

Table 11: Budgetary gross and net planned spending summary (dollars)

Table 11 reconciles gross planned spending with net spending for 2025-26.

Analysis of budgetary gross and net planned spending summary

SSC is required to provide specialized IT services to its partners and clients. The 2025-26 planned revenues of $853.0 million represents the vote-netted authority for SSC which enables the department to re-spend the revenues received to offset expenditures arising from their provision in the same fiscal year.

Funding

This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.

Graph 2: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a 6 year period

Graph 2 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a 6-year period

The departmental spending trend graph presents trends in the department’s planned and actual spending over time. The data representing actual spending (from fiscal year 2022-23 to fiscal year 2023-24), forecast spending (for fiscal year 2024-25) and planned spending (for fiscal year 2025-26 to fiscal year 2027-28), is broken down between statutory and voted expenditures.

Analysis of the variances in actual spending, forecast spending and planned spending are provided in the budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services section.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of SSC’s operations for 2024-25 to 2025-26.

Table12: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ended March 31, 2026 (dollars)

Table 12 summarizes the expenses and revenues which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers for 2024-25 to 2025-26. The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

Analysis of forecasted and planned results

The decrease from the 2024-25 forecast expenses to the 2025-26 planned expenses is mainly due to a decrease in funding for: the reductions to implement the refocusing government spending initiative announced in Budget 2023, the carry-forward in 2024-25, and various sunsetting funding related to Budget 2021 initiatives such as the Workload Modernization and Migration Program, the Information Technology Repair and Replacement Program and the Network Modernization and Implementation Fund, offset by an increase in funding from various organizations to support the transition to the Microsoft 365 E5 licence enterprise standard for the Government of Canada.

A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated Notes for 2025-26, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, is available on SSC’s website.

Human resources

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Table 13: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 13 shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents, for SSC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous 3 fiscal years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.

Analysis of human resources over the last three years

FTE increases throughout the fiscal years are mainly due to additional FTEs to address the increased demand for SSC’s services and to support service delivery improvements.

Table 14: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 14 shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents, for each of SSC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next 3 years.

Analysis of human resources for the next 3 years

The decrease from 2025-26 to 2026-27 and from 2026-27 to 2028-29 is mainly due to a reduction in funding related to time-limited initiatives such as the Presidency of the 2025 G7 Summit in Canada and for the Standardization of Mandatory Network, Security and Digital Services for Small Departments and Agencies.

Corporate information

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information table is available on SSC’s website:

• Gender‑based analysis plus

Information on SSC’s departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on SSC’s website.

Federal tax expenditures

SSC’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.

This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

Definitions