Government Response to the Independent Report: Lessons Learned from the Transformation of Pay Administration

The Government of Canada is pleased to respond to the independent, third-party report, Lessons Learned from the Transformation of Pay Administration, prepared by Goss Gilroy Inc.

The government thanks Goss Gilroy Inc. for its work, as well as the many stakeholders, including public service employees, who participated in the study. The scope of the review was extensive, covering the period between 2008 and April 2016, when the Phoenix pay system went live. It examined the management and implementation of the Transformation of Pay Administration (TPA), with the objective of identifying lessons learned that could be applied to other government transformation projects.

The government welcomes and agrees with the 17 lessons outlined in the report. They provide foundational guidance for current and future initiatives, particularly those that have government-wide implications. The emphasis on challenges related to the magnitude and complexity of the TPA are particularly noteworthy, as the government seeks new and better ways of managing large, multi-dimensional projects.

In fact, that change is already underway. The government is committed to building capacity in key areas such as project, information and technology management; revamping its approach and policies for project management and procurement; excelling in service delivery for the benefit of Canadians; and, supporting a culture change across the public service that encourages agility, openness and effective communication.

On pay transformation specifically, the government has already put new interdepartmental governance in place, both within the senior ranks of the public service and through a Ministerial Working Group. They are overseeing the government-wide response to resolve the pay issues, which includes significant investments in people and technology. Progress is being made; however, we fully recognize that there is still significant work to be done. The government has been clear that the pay problems experienced by Government of Canada employees are unacceptable and that it takes its responsibility to address these issues very seriously.

The government is giving careful consideration to all of the 17 lessons across the 6 areas outlined in the report. Work is underway on how best to implement the specific improvements system-wide in a manner consistent with the government’s vision for a modern, effective public service.