Materiel management

The management of Government of Canada (GC) IT assets (equipment) is a shared responsibility between Shared Services Canada (SSC) and individual federal government departments.

Materiel management ensures IT equipment is properly managed throughout its lifecycle to support the delivery of programs and services to Canadians. It involves a combination of processes, tools, controls and policies to manage equipment responsibly.

Materiel management lifecycle

The GC follows a structured lifecycle to ensure IT equipment is managed responsibly and securely:

1. Assessment and planning – Identify equipment needs and review existing assets
2. Acquisition – Purchase equipment in line with federal policies
3. Receiving – Inspect, document and ship assets to workplaces across Canada
4. Operation and maintenance – Use, repair and maintain equipment, as needed
5. Divestment – Recycle, refurbish, donate, sell or dispose of equipment securely

Managing IT equipment

All federal departments must comply with the Directive on the Management of Materiel.

IT equipment is managed in two ways, depending on how the equipment is funded:

• Equipment purchased using SSC funds 
  • IT equipment purchased with SSC funds for enterprise services is managed by SSC throughout its lifecycle
• Equipment purchased by departments
  • Federal departments manage the IT equipment they purchase to support their internal operations throughout its lifecycle

Security and sustainability

At SSC, we are committed to protecting government information while also supporting environmental sustainability. While recycling and repurposing devices is important, our first priority is ensuring the security of government data stored on equipment.

To achieve these goals, SSC has a contract in place for mobile device refurbishment, repair and disposal. Our service provider handles devices in the following ways:

• When devices can be reused, the provider:
  • securely wipes the devices to protect GC systems and maintain information integrity
  • repairs and restores the devices, giving them a second life—either within government or externally
• When reuse is not possible, the provider:
  • salvages working parts to support future repairs
  • safely destroys and recycles remaining components in compliance with environmental standards

This process reflects our shared commitment to protecting GC data, managing resources responsibly and promoting environmental stewardship.