Report on service

Canadians are on the go. They want government services to be fast, simple and as easy and convenient as anything else they do online. The Government of Canada is working to make that happen — to provide a service experience that’s responsive, efficient and streamlined everywhere, every time.

We analyzed data from surveys of Canadians to find out how we can serve them better. We found services weren’t always meeting users’ needs — and confirmed that Canadians’ expectations are changing. Since then, we have set out to reduce wait times, make processes simpler while making the right information easier to find. We are doing this, and a whole lot more to improve your service experience whether you’re filing taxes, getting a passport, applying for CPP benefits — whatever you need to do.

While there are challenges to solve and many things to fix or build, we are making real progress. In 2017, we created a service strategy that sets out to improve how services are delivered to Canadians through digital technologies, enhancements, and collaboration. This website is a report on our efforts so far, what’s driving them, and our vision for the future of government services.

This website also serves as a record of how we are designing efficient, effective services that deliver value for money. We are committed to responding to the needs of Canadians to meet their expectations and take service to a whole new level.

“ Why do I have to enter the same information twice? ”

“ I wish this process had fewer steps. ”

“ I want information that’s easy to understand. ”

Did you know?

2/3 of Canadians want to be able to submit information once and have it shared across departments.^{Footnote 1}

Nearly 8 in 10 Canadians have said they have some level of trust in our Government to protect their personal information.^{Footnote 2}

24% of Canadians say they know nothing about Government of Canada service standards.^{Footnote 3}

The reputation for the Government of Canada services has been improving over the past ten years from a service index of 51 in 2008 to 58 in 2018. The best jurisdictional score in 2018 was 64 for municipal services. The Government of Canada ranked 3rd.^{Footnote 4}

Source: ^{Return to footnote 1 referrer}Public Opinion Research (March 2018); ^{Return to footnote 2 referrer}Ibid; ^{Return to footnote 3 referrer}Ipsos Public Affairs, Citizens First 8 (April 2018); ^{Return to footnote 4 referrer}Citizens First 2018

A vision to serve you better

The Government of Canada service strategy touches services in every part of people’s lives from birth through school to work and retirement. We’re committed to delivering easy-to-use, seamless, digitally enabled services that put your needs first, whatever they are, at any point in time.

We have set three goals to strengthen service delivery:

1. Ensure client-driven design and delivery regardless of the channel

However you choose to access our services — in person, over the phone or online — we want to ensure the experience is designed to best meet your needs. That means:

We think of your needs first when designing services
You can get what you need with minimal effort and input
You can access services wherever you are and in the official language of your choice or by using assistive technology
Your experience is consistent regardless of the service channel you use

2. Make the digital service experience effortless

Government services should be as easy to use as everything else you do online. We’ll make that happen by:

Making online services so easy clients choose the digital channel
Delivering services with secure, simple and convenient processes
Enabling services to be accessed on any device, anywhere you are and at any time

3. Provide a seamless service experience

You shouldn’t have to resubmit information you’ve already given us to access a new service. We plan to create a seamless service experience by providing:

Integrated services and simplified application processes
Service enhancements to ensure you get what you need at your first point of contact
Links between Government of Canada services and provinces and territories securing access to multiple services across jurisdictions

Answering the call

The Service Strategy has identified 10 work streams to make concrete improvements in the short-term. Click one of the service areas below to learn about the work we’re doing right now to make services better and more responsive for our clients.