From information to insight: SSC’s approach to transparency

Shared Services Canada (SSC) delivers IT services to the Government of Canada (GC) from coast to coast to coast. We constantly adapt and test new approaches to solve complex challenges.

Accountability depends on being open about what works—and what doesn’t. By sharing our data through Open Government, we enable Canadians to see how we learn, improve and move forward.

Why transparency matters

By sharing our goals, results and progress, we help Canadians better understand the digital services they rely on every day. Openness also fosters innovation across and beyond the GC by giving people access to reusable, accessible digital resources they can build on.

When Canadians dive into the datasets we share, they uncover a world of possibilities for growth and efficiency. Their feedback becomes the driving force behind our work. It helps us refine and sharpen our focus to ensure projects achieve the maximum impact. Open Government is also a chance to tell SSC’s story—showing where we’ve been, where we’re headed, what’s next and how we’ll get there together.

Open Government Portal

On SSC’s Open Government Portal, we currently have 115 information assets and datasets available, from our departmental plan to our employment equity benchmarks. We continue to identify opportunities to share new and updated information on the portal so Canadians can get a better sense of what we are doing.

For example, SSC’s Quarterly Financial Reports show how public funds are spent throughout the year, including updates on key projects and any changes from planned budgets. By publishing these, Canadians can track spending on digital services like cloud, networks and cyber security, and understand how priorities translate into real investments.

We also publish briefing documents about our parliamentary appearances. By sharing senior management’s speaking notes and key messages on the most pressing issues in the House of Commons, we ensure that every Canadian has insight into our processes. They can see us remain accountable through our detailed responses to auditor general reports and standing committees, including our proposed actions to address shortcomings.

For example, our documents for the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates outline our planned spending and ensure it aligns with governmental priorities —putting taxpayer dollars toward the most crucial services that Canadians rely on.

It’s what we do

By making data and information public, we empower Canadians and Parliament to truly gauge government performance. We proudly embrace our role in building trust, accountability and reliability across GC operations.

As we deliver the secure, reliable and efficient digital services that keep Canada running, we are also ensuring accountability and transparency in every step we take. It’s what we do.