Introduction - Service Canada - Improving the Delivery of Government Programs and Services

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Canadians Want Better Service from their Governments

Based on their personal experience with private sector customer service improvements, Canadians expect their governments to make similar efforts to improve services for citizens.

Research has shown that Canadians prefer a 'onestop' service experience. Many are frustrated by having to deal with a system built around individual programs and services, each belonging to its own department. Many criticize the delays involved in getting services, whether they go to an office or call on the telephone. People also say that finding information, let alone online services, on the government Web Site can be too complicated.

Simply put, Canadians want government services that meet their needs, are easy to access, and information that is easy to find. They want to be able to get services in different ways, in person at a service centre, online, or by telephone – in short, one-stop service that is a call, click, or visit away.

Building on Existing Improvements

The Government of Canada has been listening to Canadians. Beginning in 1999, a number of service delivery improvements have been introduced, recognizing that Canadians want:

• responsive, client-centred services that are as easy to use as the best services in the private sector;
• choice in how they get those services, whether from knowledgeable staff at offices in their community, through automated online self-service, or over the telephone anytime, anywhere; and
• efficient use of tax dollars resulting in reduced costs for taxpayers and savings for reinvestment in better services.

Canada has earned an international reputation for providing citizens with quality public services. As the recent Citizens First 4 study reports, Canadians say government service quality is continuing to improve for the 4^th time in a row.

This is certainly good news, but feedback from Canadians indicates that there is still room for improvement.

Listening to Canadians by Launching Service Canada

Service Canada is a way to ensure Canadians get what they want and need – transformed government service delivery built around citizens' needs, and more effective, responsive programs and services.

Service Canada is the result of careful research, analysis and planning. We have listened to what Canadians like and don't like about government services, and explored how the best public and private sector client service organizations around the world earn the support of their clients. This allowed us to identify the service issues that matter most to Canadians, and develop service strategies that will deliver the results they expect. Most importantly, we put citizens first in all that we do.

Service Canada delivers programs and services on behalf of a number of federal departments and other partners. In its initial stages, it brought the following service delivery operations together:

• a network of offices operated by Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) that provide in-person, outreach, and mail services to their communities;
• benefits processing operations for Employment Insurance (EI), Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS);
• telephone services such as 1 800 O-Canada operated by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), and call centres for programs such as EI, CPP and OAS;
• the canada.gc.ca Web Site managed by PWGSC;
• three centres for official-language minority communities in Manitoba, established through a partnership between the City of Winnipeg, the Government of Manitoba, and the Government of Canada.

When Service Canada was launched on September 14, 2005, we initiated a three-year plan to transform services for Canadians in obvious, measurable ways and make service delivery more efficient. This report shows what was achieved in Service Canada's first year of operation.

Vision Statement

Canadians are at the Heart of the Service Canada Vision

Effective, citizen-centred organizations know what they want to achieve and have clear goals. In building Service Canada, we listened to Canadians to determine what it would take, not just to improve service delivery, but to transform it.

Our Vision Statement is based on what Canadians have told governments they want from a service organization. It is what we are accountable for.

Our Vision

To achieve better outcomes for Canadians through service excellence.

Our Mission

To provide secure, knowledgeable, one-stop, personalized service to Canadians.

Our Mandate

To improve services for Canadians by working with partners to provide access to the full range of government services and benefits that Canadians want and need in person, by telephone, Internet or mail.

Service Canada – Strategic Objectives

1. Deliver seamless citizen-centered service...by providing integrated, one-stop service based on citizen needs and helping to deliver better policy outcomes.

2. Enhance the integrity of programs...by building trust and confidence in our programs and achieving siginificant savings in program payments.

3. Working as a collaborative, networked government...by building whole-of-government approaches to service that enables information sharing and integrated service delivery for the benefit of Canadians.

4. Demonstrate accountable and responsive government...by delivering results for Canadians and government, savings for taxpayers and transperancy in reporting.

5. Building a culture of service excellence...by supporting our people, encouraging innovation, and building the leadership and capacity to provide citizen-centered service.

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