Question Period Note: GC Readiness For Return to Worksite

There are concerns that when large numbers of public servants return to the worksite, the underlying information technology infrastructure will not effectively function.

• Shared Services Canada (SSC) is continuing to work with its partners to implement the technology and network upgrades necessary to enable effective communication and collaborative tools for government employees
  • To enable virtual work, SSC quickly implemented major upgrades to the enterprise network, government-wide internet and network security, and has continued to provide improved collaboration tools
  • Now, SSC is making significant upgrades to networks and boardrooms to enable employees to collaborate from worksites with their remote colleagues as well as support bandwidth-intensive videoconferencing tools
  • This will support the return to the worksite and move to hybrid work, as well as prepare the foundational infrastructure for future ways of working and delivering services to Canadians

Videoconferencing, mostly via MS TEAMS, has become the defacto communication channel given the work from home environment.

These technologies use much more bandwidth. As a result, same user experience cannot be supported from within GC buildings, nor is it clear that extensive video conferencing will be required post return to worksite.

There are in excess of 3,500 buildings connected to the GC network.

It is not required, feasible nor cost effective to upgrade all of the sites. SSC is focused on prioritizing with our client departments the most critical sites in support of Canadians and Government Operations.

The work required to address return to worksite is not solely SSC’s. Each department must engage in proactive testing and analysis of their respective operations.

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