Data brings forth new possibilities across Canada’s public sector

By Lisa Carroll, Canadian Public Sector Lead, Microsoft Canada Canadian organizations of all types have been investing heavily in technology to overcome challenges in response to the pandemic with no signs of slowing down. Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning and cloud have become essential tools to ensure success for government departments and agencies across Canada. Whether it’s enabling employees to work remotely, migrating paper-based processes to the cloud, or scaling citizen services, technology adoption has not only resulted in greater efficiency and cost-savings, but has also yielded unprecedented amounts of data. Data is one of the most valuable assets an organization can possess in today’s digital world. It enables organizations to better understand their customers, make more informed business decisions, stay competitive and accelerate growth and innovation. Concentrating on Canada’s public sector, government agencies that effectively use the enormous amount of information available to lead with data-driven decisions will fare better in the post-pandemic economy.   Understanding data’s potential Earlier this year, we unveiled findings from a new research survey of Canadian business decision-makers, which found the majority of decision-makers in government and public sector (67 per cent) understand the importance of data and agree that it’s integral to an organization’s success. However, while most see the value in data, less than a third (31 per cent) say their organization has a comprehensive data strategy and even fewer (22 per cent) feel their organization is data-led. Thriving in the post-pandemic economy means that government leaders must optimize their investments in technology and take full advantage of their data. To help public sector organizations implement a good data strategy and become data-led, we have established the Microsoft Government Innovation Centre in Ottawa. Operating under the umbrella of our Data Innovation Centre of Excellence (DICE) in Toronto, the Microsoft Government Innovation Centre will bridge government customers and partners with Microsoft expertise to address the technical, architectural and service delivery challenges that are unique to public sector leaders.   A case for Natural Resources Canada Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), responsible for the sustainable development of Canada's natural resources, has always been at the forefront of innovation in the federal government, supporting advancements in science and research to build a better future. Over the past few years, we’ve been working in collaboration with NRCan, including NRCan’s Digital Accelerator, on several data projects to help augment their existing work including:

• Energy Star Detective, developing a machine learning tool to identify online misuse, non-compliance and misrepresentation of the ENERGY STAR® name and mark.

• Electric Vehicle Grid Readiness, using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to identify patterns in electric vehicle charging data to provide insights for electric utilities on factors affecting electricity grid utilization.

• Mining Risk Mitigation, producing an interactive map of mining locations across Canada with layers to represent different structures found on mine sites.

Most recently, we announced a collaboration to apply digital solutions to support NRCan’s sustainable development and client action research. Using cloud, data and AI, NRCan is developing a platform for national and global science cooperation. “AI, machine learning and data analytics have been instrumental to our work at NRCan. By placing data at the heart of our programs and with support from industry partners, we’ve been able to pull out the strategic information needed to get closer to a cleaner future,” said Frank Des Rosiers, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and Innovation, Natural Resources Canada.   More cross-sector collaboration is needed Our collaboration with NRCan illustrates the power of public and private sector partnerships and the opportunities that data can bring. At Microsoft, we seek to empower government organizations at all levels to harness the power of data and cloud technology to accelerate their digital transformation and help sustain Canada’s momentum coming out of the pandemic. By working hand-in-hand with government leaders, we can establish a more innovative, resilient and stronger government for all citizens. To learn more about the power of data and cloud technology in the public sector, visit https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/industry/government/