Delivering Digital Solutions Together for Canada
Powering world-class technology for the Government of Canada
Delivering Digital Solutions Together for Canada (Digital Together) is Shared Services Canada’s (SSC) strategic approach to equip Government of Canada (GC) departments and agencies with modern, standardized tools. It strengthens collaboration and improves services for Canadians.
Digital Together aligns with Budget 2025 priorities by accelerating government-wide digital transformation and AI adoption through enterprise platforms, sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure, and scaled shared solutions. In a period of fiscal restraint, SSC is driving modernization and cost efficiency by reducing legacy systems, consolidating and standardizing infrastructure and licensing, and promoting automation and enterprise approaches. Together, these efforts help departments reduce duplication, improve security and user experience, and deliver more efficient digital services across the GC.
Aligned with the Government of Canada’s Digital Ambition, Digital Together focuses on four key areas to drive excellence in technology and operations:
- Connectivity services – A model of connectivity services that leverages commercial and public networks and wireless technologies to meet the needs of users.
- Digital services – A reliable and sustainable hosting ecosystem where workloads can be transferred from any hosting location without impacting operations and where enterprise application data can be transferred across GC infrastructure at speed and scale.
- Hosting services – Users have a common digital experience with full access to a standardized core bundle of tools, anywhere at any time, from any GC-approved device, with seamless collaboration between work environments.
- Cyber security services – An approach to security that is based on constant verification (Zero Trust), where users can seamlessly and securely access the tools they need through a single secure digital identity.
Achievement highlights for 2024–25
In 2024–25, SSC advanced Digital Together by strengthening the digital foundations that federal organizations and Canadians rely on. Highlighted in the 2024-25 Departmental Results Report, SSC achievements show progress in modernizing infrastructure, enhancing service delivery and enabling departments to better serve Canadians. These results reflect the continued momentum needed to modernize at scale and support a more unified enterprise approach across government:
Connectivity services
- Installed 515 Low Earth Orbit satellite terminals for remote regions
- Expanded Wi‑Fi in over 250 buildings
Hosting services
- Launched GC Cloud One multi‑cloud platform
- Deployed GC Private Cloud and onboarded 345 applications
- Hosted 98 cloud experiments for 11 science‑based departments
- Deployed GCaPaaS to centralize and modernize applications
- Supported ATIP modernization via GCaPaaS
Digital services
- Deployed 97,000 softphone accounts
- Decommissioned 44,500 fixed phone lines
- Standardized IT solutions for 220,000 smartphones
- Rolled out CANchat 2.0
Cyber security services
- Established the Cyber Security Program Management Office
- Initiated procurement of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution
- Enhanced secure remote access
Cost savings
As a common service provider, SSC drives enterprise-wide efficiencies by modernizing services, consolidating legacy systems and leveraging government-wide buying power. Through Digital Together, these efforts reduce duplication and generate cost savings for departments and Canadians. For example, SSC:
- advanced the Federal Science DataHub (estimated $334M–$442M in duplication cost savings) and modernized connectivity for Laboratories Canada
- implemented Cloud FinOps and enterprise discounting, reducing cloud spend by $4M and securing 15% price reductions for departments
- introduced GC Cloud One (GCCO), a multi-cloud platform simplifying cloud service adoption
- launched the GC Private Cloud, providing secure, scalable hosting tailored to GC needs
- closed 25 legacy data centres and migrating workloads to modern hosting solutions, which continues to generate operational efficiencies
- implemented initiatives such as bulk procurement of mobile devices, rationalizing fixed phone lines, and deploying softphones, resulting in over $20M in annual savings and laying the foundation for further efficiencies across the Government of Canada
Supporting federal departments and agencies
Who we work with across the Government of Canada, from traditional office environments to frontline service delivery, rely on SSC to deliver secure, reliable digital infrastructure that supports critical services for Canadians. Through Digital Together, SSC strengthens Canada’s digital foundation, reduces duplication and helps ensure consistent, accessible services across government. For example, SSC:
- supported National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces by enhancing secure connectivity, hosting and cyber security infrastructure to strengthen digital modernization and operational readiness
- helped Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada migrate to Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, improving collaboration and security for employees serving Canadians worldwide
- partnered with Employment and Social Development Canada to modernize networks in 96 buildings, deploy Low Earth Orbit satellite connectivity in Iqaluit, and advance Contact Centre as a Service procurement for improved citizen services
- worked with the Canada Border Services Agency to launch the CARM digital initiative, streamlining customs duties and tax collection for faster trade flow
- collaborated with Statistics Canada to deliver a virtual contact centre and cloud-based scanning solutions, ensuring readiness for the 2026 Census
- enabled science-based departments to conduct secure cloud experimentation, launched the Federal Science DataHub, and upgraded connectivity for Laboratories Canada facilities
- supported small departments and agencies by onboarding them to enterprise IT infrastructure, expanding advanced cyber defence and connectivity services to 33 organizations
For more achievements and results, consult SSC’s 2024-25 Departmental Results Report.
As part of the Digital Together approach, SSC uses four strategic roadmaps to guide how connectivity, hosting, digital services and cyber security evolve across government. These roadmaps outline the capabilities needed across business lines and help departments plan and prioritize modernization efforts. Together, they support SSC’s goal of delivering secure, reliable digital, network and hosting services that enable public servants to work effectively and improve service delivery to Canadians.
| Benefits for SSC | Benefits for federal departments and agencies |
|---|---|
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The roadmaps provide guidance as SSC plans and prioritize initiatives by:
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The roadmaps enable SSC to:
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Roadmaps:
Connectivity services
… that bring us together.
Through the Digital Together approach, SSC delivers fast, reliable and secure network services using modern technologies that connect government anywhere, anytime, from any device. As network demands evolve, these services adapt to maintain a seamless user experience and expected service levels. Supporting the “anytime, anywhere” work environment means shifting workloads toward the network edge and enabling low-latency options. The evolution to a Zero Trust network architecture is changing how networks are accessed and secured, with skillsets increasingly focused on software, automation and AI-driven decision making rather than traditional hardware management.
Roadmap: Connectivity services
| Target state vision | Enterprise value | |
|---|---|---|
Site Connectivity |
A resilient, high-speed and secure network fabric that seamlessly connects to all enterprise sites, including offices, data centres and cloud environments. This includes SD-WAN for dynamic routing, direct cloud interconnects for low-latency access, and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) for secure perimeter-less connectivity. |
Seamless, secure and scalable connectivity across all enterprise locations and cloud environments, ensuring optimal performance, availability and agility to support digital transformation and business growth. |
Intra-Site Connectivity |
A fully integrated, high-performance internal network infrastructure that supports ubiquitous wireless access, high-speed LAN, IPv6 adoption and IoT readiness. This includes Wi-Fi 6/6E or 7 for dense environments, segmented LANs for security, and robust support for smart building technologies. |
Future-ready internal network that ensures fast, reliable and secure access for all users and devices, enabling smart workspaces and digital innovation through pervasive connectivity and intelligent automation. |
Conferencing |
A seamless conferencing experience where integration, ease-of-use (e.g., one-touch join) and consistency support our hybrid workplace. | Modernized workspaces using hybrid communication platforms that offer scalability and flexibility to enable collaboration across locations. Addition of secret/classified video-conferencing capabilities and boardroom standards for faster implementation. |
Foundational |
A robust, automated and intelligent foundational layer that ensures consistent network identity, availability and observability. This includes centralized DDI (DNS, DHCP, IPAM) platforms, resilient DNS architectures, and AI-driven monitoring and analytics for proactive issue resolution and performance optimization. |
Resilient and intelligent foundation for enterprise connectivity through automated DDI, secure DNS and real-time observability, enabling proactive management and continuous improvement of the network ecosystem. |
Hosting services
… that support our work.
Through Digital Together, SSC provides secure, modern and flexible hosting services that support all GC use cases through public, private and hybrid cloud and data centre hosting services. These services enable rapid deployment, high availability and cost-efficient operations, while supporting essential IT environments for government applications and data. By offering a unified, enterprise approach to digital transformation, SSC reduces the overall IT footprint through shared application hosting that improves collaboration, streamlines operations and enhances service delivery to Canadians.
Roadmap: Hosting services
| Target state vision | Enterprise value | |
|---|---|---|
Cloud Services |
Provide secure, scalable and flexible cloud solutions, including public, private and hybrid cloud to enable departments to rapidly deploy and manage digital services while optimizing costs. | Improved flexibility, scalability and user access while reducing upfront departmental costs. |
Data Centre Services |
Deliver reliable and resilient enterprise data centre hosting that consolidates and modernizes government IT infrastructure, ensuring high availability, efficiency and security. | Improved security and control over data and hardware for workloads that require high data privacy, localized data storage and processing. |
Core, Platform, Application, Data and Software Services |
Provide the essential IT environments for government applications and data. This includes operating systems, databases and storage to ensure secure, reliable and efficient digital services for departments. | Centralized GC delivery of data and application platform ecosystem, enabling operational efficiencies and secure, reliable service delivery. |
Enterprise Applications |
Support government-wide digital transformation by providing and managing shared applications that improve collaboration, streamline operations and enhance service delivery to Canadians. | Reduction of IT footprint and duplication, common repeatable process, consistent data sets and streamlined operations, improving service delivery. |
Hosting Enablement and Optimization |
Integrate financial stewardship (FinOps), contract lifecycle management and automation to enable all hosting services. This includes standard governance, enterprise contracts and a self-service platform to provide transparent costs, faster delivery and compliance with residency and sovereignty requirements. | Lower total cost of ownership; faster access to services; clear cost visibility across cloud and enterprise data centres; streamlined procurement; improved compliance and auditability; stronger resilience through sovereign backup and regional edge options. |
Digital services
… that help us help Canadians.
Through the Digital Together approach, SSC ensures every public servant has a consistent, modern and secure digital experience with products that enable seamless communication, collaboration and mobility between work environments and organizations. Standardized tools and improved interoperability support hybrid work and better service delivery.
Roadmap: Digital services
| Target state vision | Enterprise value | |
|---|---|---|
Telecommunications |
Enable secure and seamless voice communications that support increased GC worker mobility and productivity. | Mobility-enabled voice solutions keep workers connected, whether they are in the office, at home or in the field. |
Worker Technology Services |
Enable a common user experience through a digital toolkit that is accessible by design and improves worker productivity, mobility and collaboration across the GC. | A consistent user experience ensures that GC workers are better supported and seamlessly connected. |
Digital Communications and Collaborations |
Deliver a cloud-based suite of productivity and collaboration tools that allow GC workers to access and collaborate on documents, manage email and calendars, and communicate anywhere from any GC device. | A modern, cloud-based platform helps ensure that workers are aligned, informed and able to deliver consistent, high-quality client interactions across the GC. |
Contact Centres |
Provide flexible and scalable contact centre technology solutions (e.g., voice, email, chat) for partners that meet their service delivery objectives and support continuous service evolution, business transformation and adoption of emerging technologies. | Cloud-based engagement products allow for scalable, resilient service delivery, even during periods of high demand. |
Digital Identity |
Deliver a single GC Identity that follows a GC worker throughout their career, ensuring secure and resilient access to required services. | A single, secure identity enables faster onboarding, seamless role transitions, and uninterrupted access to critical services, all of which support smoother delivery to Canadians. |
Cyber security services
… that keep our data safe.
Through Digital Together, SSC builds and maintains a defensible, resilient and adaptable cyber architecture aligned with the GC Enterprise Cyber Security Strategy and Zero Trust principles. This ensures a robust and evolving defence against emerging threats targeting GC assets, supports compliance with SSC standards, and enables adaptability to evolving business needs and technologies.
Roadmap: Cyber security services
| Target state vision | Enterprise value | |
|---|---|---|
Monitoring, Visibility and Awareness |
Introduce a proactive security approach that uses continuous monitoring, automated response, and AI to find and fix vulnerabilities, ensure compliance, detect threats like insider risks and respond quickly to incidents. |
Reduced security risk profile, increased security compliance and faster threat response to protect us from evolving cyber risks with greater efficiency and confidence. |
Endpoint Security |
Maintain real-time visibility across all endpoints (including mobile) and reduce breaches through proactive, preventive security measures. |
Improved availability of endpoints and access to business services by mitigating risks to the digital working environment and GC data. |
Identity, Credential and Access Management |
Establish a seamless identity and access framework that manages and monitors all privileged identities with strong authentication and supports trusted digital identity across organizations through automated lifecycle management and interoperable credentials. |
Trusted digital ecosystems will improve operational efficiency and user experience, which enables the right entities to access the right resource, at the right time, for the right reason. Simplify the movement of users throughout the government. |
Perimeter and Network Security |
Enhance and modernize perimeter and network security by implementing robust, user- and data-centric access controls that focus on applying Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) principles to minimize risk and ensure continuous verification. Develop and integrate a resilient security architecture connecting identity and credential management, endpoint security and application systems to create a unified defence framework. |
Reliable and secure network infrastructure that ensures the integrity and availability of partner-hosted business applications to support the effective delivery of government programs and services. |
Data Security |
Sensitive data is protected through proactive cryptographic risk monitoring, enterprise data loss prevention and the adoption of quantum-resistant encryption. |
Clients can safeguard sensitive data and protect against emerging threats, while maintaining compliance across all stages of the data lifecycle. |