Backgrounder
A Plan for Smarter Government

Ontario has a plan to bring the government into the 21^st century. Inefficient and outdated processes mean the government cannot easily respond to the needs of people in a timely and cost-effective way.

The government has a balanced and prudent plan that will make its processes and services smarter. The Province is finding ways to spend more efficiently while ensuring value for every taxpayer dollar, which includes strengthening partnerships and making smart investments.

Spending Smarter

In order to deliver on its commitment to make life more affordable, the government is adopting initiatives that reduce costs, eliminate inefficiencies and ensure the government services people rely upon every day are delivered with prudence and care.

Ontario is building a modern, centralized procurement system projected to generate savings of $1 billion annually and make it easier for companies of all sizes to do business with the Province.

Delivering Simpler, Faster and Better Services

The government is improving digital services that will make government services easier, more efficient and over time cheaper to deliver. By delivering simpler and faster online transactions, such as renewing a driver’s licence or getting a health card, people can access the services they want, when and where they want. To safeguard the investments the Province is making in digital services, the government is establishing a Cyber Security Centre of Excellence to support functions across the Ontario Public Service and broader public sector.

Strengthening Value for Money

Ontario is also making government agencies more efficient through opportunities for back-office consolidations, the use of digital tools and dissolving inactive or duplicative agencies.

To generate revenue, Ontario is selling surplus government property that is no longer needed to deliver programs. This will save taxpayers money on ongoing maintenance costs and will also provide new private-sector opportunities for economic development and job creation. The government is also exploring new non-tax revenue generating opportunities, such as advertising and naming rights for GO stations. These are revenues that can then support health care and education.

Ontario’s outcomes-focused plan is changing the culture of government and improving the customer experience by delivering simpler, faster and more easily accessible services for today and for the future.