Minister of Citizens’ Services Discusses Modernizing Government Services in the Digital Age at FWD50 Conference

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

News release

November 6, 2023               Ottawa, ON              Employment and Social Development Canada

The Government of Canada is creating new digital solutions to make it easier for Canadians to find, apply for, and manage benefits and services using their preferred method with the government. At this year’s FWD50 event in Ottawa, Minister of Citizens’ Services Terry Beech discussed how the government is taking a digital-first, user-centric approach to improving government services.

Minister Beech highlighted the Benefits Delivery Modernization program as the largest single Information Technology (IT) enabled transformation in the government. The program aims to ensure that Old Age Security (OAS), Employment Insurance (EI), and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefits are delivered to Canadians accurately and reliably. This is a long-term strategic endeavor that will transform service delivery to Canadians, streamline an outdated operating model, and address aging technology. In June, the new system successfully transitioned 600,000 OAS clients, which is a significant milestone in the rollout of the new platform.

Minister Beech also discussed other digital initiatives, including:

  • the launch of an online passport application status checker
  • making Social Insurance Numbers (SIN) available to view through a My Service Canada Account
  • a new OAS benefits estimator and retirement hub
  •  the move of the proven team of professionals in the Canadian Digital Service to the department of Employment and Social Development Canada, to continue to help drive digital transformation and service delivery improvements

In addition to discussing modernization, Minister Beech also highlighted that a digital-first approach does not mean being digital only, and underscored his commitment to reducing wait times, shortening lines, and providing services where Clients are, including in rural, remote and northern communities.
 

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Quotes

“At its core, the Government of Canada is here to serve. Accessing services is the most frequent and important way Canadians interact with the government. By improving each interaction that Canadians have with our services, be it digitally, over the phone, or face-to-face, the government can ensure that benefits and programs are reliable and easy for Canadians to access.”

  • Terry Beech, Minister of Citizens’ Services 

Quick facts

  •  In the past year, the Government of Canada has delivered $136 billion in EI, CPP and OAS to nearly 10 million Canadians.

  • Since it launched in March, more than 1.3 million Canadians have used the online passport application status checker to search for the status of their application in real time.

  • Over 265,000 unique visitors have used the OAS Benefits Estimator since its release this summer.

  • There were over 300,000 new registrations to MSCA, with over 12,000 of those from eSIN, since August, 2023.

Associated links

Contacts

For media enquiries, please contact:

Erik Nosaluk
Director of Communications and Issues Management
Office of the Minister of Citizens’ Services, Terry Beech
erik.nosaluk@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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