GC hosting : The foundation behind the services Canadians depend on
GC hosting
The foundation behind the services Canadians depend on
Behind every online government service is GC hosting—a secure, reliable foundation that powers the digital services Canadians rely on every day.
Every time you apply for a passport, receive a benefit payment or check the weather forecast, hosting technology is working behind the scenes to make it happen.
That technology needs to be secure, reliable and available 24 hours a day.
At Shared Services Canada (SSC), that’s what Government of Canada (GC) hosting is all about.
We provide the digital environments in which government systems run, protecting important information and services that millions of Canadians use every day.
You probably use GC hosting without realizing it
In fact, you’re using it right now—you just don’t see it. This Canada.ca page runs on the same hosting infrastructure that supports many of the Government of Canada’s online services.
You’ve probably never thought about where government websites and applications “live.”
And that’s exactly the point.
When technology works the way it should, it stays behind the scenes.
But GC hosting is quietly at work every day:
Supporting major national operations
GC hosting provides the secure, reliable foundation that keeps government services available—even during periods of high demand. Modern hosting environments can adapt as demand changes, ensuring critical programs remain secure, resilient and available when Canadians need them most.
Enabling modernization
GC hosting helps departments modernize in different ways, from moving websites to the cloud and supporting major application releases to transforming critical digital services.
See how SSC is enabling GC organizations to modernize the technology behind the digital services Canadians rely on.
Powering specialized computing
Some government services rely on specialized computing environments to process massive amounts of data and perform complex calculations. GC hosting provides the infrastructure behind these critical operations.
Discover how Government of Canada supercomputers turn weather observations into the forecasts and severe weather warnings Canadians rely on every day. How Government of Canada supercomputers turn clouds into forecasts.
Whether it’s supporting major national operations, modernizing digital services or powering specialized computing, GC hosting is the invisible foundation that helps keep government services secure, reliable and available when Canadians need them.
Why does government need different types of hosting?
Not every government application has the same job.
Some systems process millions of transactions.
Some store highly sensitive information.
Some need enormous computing power.
Others need to scale quickly when demand suddenly increases.
That’s why GC hosting brings together a combination of public cloud, private cloud, enterprise data centres and specialized computing environments, such as High Performance Computing supercomputers—to host each workload where it performs best.
Rather than relying on a single hosting solution, SSC places each application in the environment that best meets its business, security and operational needs.
This approach helps keep government services secure, reliable and ready to adapt as technology and Canadians’ needs evolve.
Building government for the future
Government technology is constantly evolving.
SSC is expanding cloud services, strengthening government-wide hosting, and reducing reliance on aging technology so organizations have access to faster, more flexible and more secure digital platforms.
This work delivers on Budget 2025 (PDF) priorities to strengthen Canada’s digital infrastructure, providing the GC-wide hosting foundation that enables digital transformation across government and supports secure, reliable services for Canadians.
Together, these investments are building a stronger digital foundation for what’s next. For example, SSC and IRCC achieve major IT upgrade for better service to Canadians.
This means:
- fewer outdated systems
- more standardized solutions
- better value for taxpayers
- stronger cyber security
- faster delivery of digital services
Hosting powers innovation
Modern hosting isn’t just about keeping systems running.
It creates opportunities for innovation across government.
Secure cloud platforms, databases, container technologies, and AI-ready environments allow organizations to develop new digital services faster while maintaining strong security and governance.
Modern hosting also gives researchers and scientists access to the computing power they need to solve complex problems more quickly. For example, High performance computing: Reducing the time to science with Jamal Ayach.
By providing shared platforms, GC hosting ensures government organizations spend less time managing technology and more time delivering better outcomes for Canadians.
One foundation, thousands of services
Thousands of government applications rely on GC hosting.
Some support internal operations.
Others deliver services directly to Canadians.
Together, they form the shared digital foundation that supports government operations every day—quietly, securely and reliably.
Whether supporting internal operations or the services Canadians use every day, GC hosting helps government organizations focus less on managing technology and more on delivering services.
What’s next?
SSC continues to modernize the Government of Canada’s hosting environment by:
- expanding hybrid cloud services
- reducing legacy technology
- increasing automation
- building AI-ready infrastructure
- improving resilience across government
By replacing aging technology with modern, GC-wide solutions, GC hosting is strengthening the foundation behind modern government—keeping critical services running today while building for what’s next.
For more information, visit Closing the door on legacy problems.