This blog post was written in partnership with Amazon Web Services.
Canada has long been an investor in the adoption of cloud technology to upgrade its services, better meet mission need, and serve its citizens more efficiently and in an agile manner. Canada’s cloud adoption strategy was set forth to achieve three main goals: to help bring the supply of IT service into balance with the demand for citizen services; to provide a consistent approach to managing the risks of cloud adoption; and to prepare the IT workforce for cloud.
“Modern IT infrastructure is the backbone of better digital service delivery,” said the Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board of Canada. “Responding quickly to the changing needs of Canadians while constantly improving Government of Canada services requires new, agile, cloud-based solutions.”
In fact, in 2011 to better meet this vision, the majority of IT infrastructure was consolidated under the management of a single organization: Shared Services Canada (SSC). SSC delivers infrastructure services related to email, data centers, telecommunications, and workplace technology devices for 43 federal agencies. Currently, SSC operates approximately 700 data centers running roughly 14,000 applications across the Canadian government.
To meet the future needs of the government and its citizens, SSC plans to drive efficiencies and augment their computing capacity through data center modernization and consolidation, and the adoption of cloud computing between 2017 and 2024.
“These cloud services bring an exciting new era in how federal services and programs will be delivered to Canadians,” said the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and minister responsible for Shared Services Canada. “The cloud will allow the Government of Canada to harness the innovation of private-sector providers to make its information technology more agile. Cloud services will make it easier for Canadians to access new digital services and programs such as geospatial systems which support our scientists and city planners.”
As part of that effort, SSC has announced the awarding of multiple contracts to six partners of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network for access to AWS cloud services. The AWS Partner Network (APN) is a global partner program that focuses on helping organizations build a successful AWS-based business by providing business, technical, marketing, and go-to-market support.
“At AWS we are proud to support the vision of a better digital service delivery to Canada,” said Rejean Bourgault, AWS Canada Country Leader for Public Sector. “We are passionate in working with our partners to support the many innovative projects that will improve access, security, and the quality of Canadian public services while allowing the Government of Canada to become agile, further scale and drive a fast pace innovation culture with AWS.”
To learn more about AWS and Shared Services Canada, read here, and below, find information about the six partners SSC awarded for access to AWS cloud services.
- Scalar Decisions, a solutions provider focused on security, infrastructure, and cloud, is an AWS Advanced Consulting and Public Sector partner, with offices in Toronto and across Canada.
- TeraMach Technologies, a technology solution provider and supplier of hardware, software and professional services, is an AWS Standard Consulting and Public Sector partner, headquartered in Ottawa.
- LINKBYNET provides IT managed services and hosting, along with tailor-made, adaptable, and hi-tech services and is an AWS Advanced Consulting and Public Sector partner, with offices in Montreal and Toronto.
- Infosys Ltd, an AWS Premier Consulting and Public Sector partner, offers consulting, technology, outsourcing, and next-generation services.
- DXC Technology helps migrate applications across traditional, private cloud, and AWS environments for clients, and is an AWS Premier Consulting and Public Sector partner.
- Unisys works with governments worldwide to develop hybrid approaches to digital transformation, and is an AWS Advanced Consulting and Public Sector partner.
