2024 to 2025 Departmental Plan: Vision, mission, raison d’etre and operating context

Raison d’être, mandate and role

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) plays an important role in the daily operations of the Government of Canada. It is a strategic partner to federal departments and agencies in the achievement of their mandated objectives as their:

• central purchasing agent
• real property manager
• linguistic authority
• treasurer
• accountant
• pay and pension administrator
• common service provider

The department’s vision is to excel in government operations. Its mission is to deliver high-quality services and programs that meet the needs of federal organizations and ensure sound stewardship on behalf of Canadians.

The department, founded in 1841, was instrumental in the building of the nation’s:

• canals
• roads
• bridges
• Houses of Parliament
• post offices
• federal buildings

The Department of Public Works and Government Services Act, passed in 1996, established the current department and set out the legal authorities for PSPC’s services. As a common service organization providing government departments, boards and agencies with support services, PSPC delivers on its mandate through 5 core responsibilities:

• purchase of goods and services
• payments and accounting
• property and infrastructure
• government-wide support
• procurement Ombudsman

PSPC’s goal is to manage its business in a way that demonstrates integrity, accountability, efficiency, transparency, and adds value for its client departments and agencies, and Canadians. 

The portfolio of the minister of Public Services and Procurement includes Shared Services Canada and 4 Crown corporations:

• National Capital Commission 
• Canada Lands Company Limited 
• Defence Construction Canada 
• Canada Post Corporation

The minister is also responsible for:

• the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Dispute Advisory Panel

The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (OPO) also reports to the minister but operates at arm’s length from the department. Details of the operations of the Crown corporations and OPO are provided in separate annual reports that are tabled in Parliament by the minister.

Operating context

PSPC plays a key enabling role in the daily operations of the Government of Canada as a provider of goods and services that help federal departments and agencies meet their mandated objectives. Its fundamental values of respect, integrity, excellence and leadership guide the way it supports the government, people and communities.

With over 17,000^{Footnote 1} full-time equivalents across the country, and offices located in communities from coast to coast to coast, the department manages an annual budget of over $4 billion^{Footnote 1}.

PSPC has expertise in a wide variety of fields, from professional purchasers to translators, from accountants to banking experts, and from architects and engineers to sustainable development experts. Its people manage a variety of programs and services and are its greatest asset.

In line with the government-wide Policy on Results, PSPC’s Departmental Results Framework outlines 5 core responsibilities:

• purchase of goods and services
• payments and accounting
• property and infrastructure
• government-wide support
• procurement ombudsman

The department also supports the delivery of mandate commitments and key initiatives in support of Government of Canada priorities (more information on mandate commitments can be found in the Minister’s mandate letter). Within these, priorities for 2024 to 2025 were identified in the 2024 to 2025 Departmental Plan to guide PSPC’s efforts.