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Executive Council March 16, 2007
IT Sector to Benefit from Budget 2007 Fostering growth in advanced technology sectors is a cornerstone of Newfoundland and Labrador�s competitive strength in a global economy. In recognition of this the Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced that the upcoming Provincial Budget will include increased funds of $14 million for Information Technology (IT) and Information Management (IM) related initiatives. This funding will flow through the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), and will bring the total OCIO budget to approximately $66 million. "Our government is extremely cognizant of the importance of investing strategically in the information technology and information management growth of the province," said Premier Williams. "In 2005, we created the OCIO with a view to streamlining the IT functions of government, and also to create a government entity with a mandate of supporting the IT and IM industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. Under the strong leadership of the OCIO, we have made great progress. The result is more modernized and efficient technologies, which benefits our residents and businesses. Equally as important, these investments have contributed significantly to the global competitiveness of our province�s economy as we support local industry." The additional $14 million funding in Budget 2007 will advance the positive work already being undertaken by the OCIO. $6.6 million of these new monies will go directly to information technology operations and new initiatives, such as replacing current K to 12 School Administration Systems and implementing the HRLE Client Pay System, among other important projects. $870,000 will be directed to IM initiatives to advance work in ensuring the transparency and accountability of government and in supporting the public�s right to access to information and the right to privacy, which are covered under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. (See backgrounder for additional information). "Our government has recognized from day-one the strategic and practical value of investing in strengthened IT and IM initiatives," added the Premier. "The increased funding we are announcing this year underscores this government�s commitment to continuing to update our IT and IM functions, while also facilitating increased partnerships with local IT companies. From e-services for government clients, to disaster recovery and maintenance, we know this is money well spent." Since its inception in April 2005, initiatives undertaken by the OCIO in modernizing government's IT and IM functions has generated annual savings of $3.4 million. The OCIO also announced today the awarding of four separate contracts related to government�s data centre and IT and IM professional services requirements. This minimum guaranteed investment of $47million will significantly influence growth in the province�s IT sector and best position government with a modernized and more efficient approach to IT and IM. For more information on this announcement view the March 16, 2007 News Release. -30- Media contact: BACKGROUNDER The Office of the Chief Information Officer
The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) was established in April 2005, bringing eight diverse IT divisions within government departments into a central organization. The OCIO operates as an entity of Executive Council. Projects planned by the OCIO for 2007-2008 valuing a total investment of $20.4 million include:
Work on this new system will include the improvement and integration of budget processes. Many of these processes are manual or use multiple pieces of software, making the completion of budget related tasks often time consuming and cumbersome.
Many of government�s applications are dated and use technology that is obsolete or at the end of its useful life. The implementation of this strategy will guide the replacement of these systems such that the replacement effort is well coordinated and effective on a government wide basis.
This system is about implementing an integrated corporate system capable of managing the Provincial Government�s human resource. This system will improve our human resource management capability. It will facilitate the sharing of information and support proactive reporting and decision-making, complemented by self-service initiatives for current and new employees.
The current system used in the K-12 education system to administer schools does not take advantage of advances in technology to share data through a centralized approach. Implementing a new system will generate significant improvements for the allocation and management of resources involved in education delivery.
This system is used by the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment to administer the income support program. Improvements will enable the department to improve services in the areas of career employment and youth services.
This system which will be used by Regional Health Authorities, will support more consistent financial eligibility requirements across the province, tighten the authorization process and increase capacity to track financial information about payment programs. Highlights of the OCIO�s activities and accomplishments in 2005:
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