Combating Tax Evasion and Clandestine Work
IPAC Presents Top Award
Fredericton, August 25, 2009 – The Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) proudly presented Revenu Québec with the Gold award in the 2009 competition for the IPAC Award for Innovative Management.
The Award recognized the development of an expert system used to identify taxpayers who do not report all amounts payable. Analyzing more than 200 billion pieces of information from different sectors and sources, this novel system uses a number of cutting-edge computer tools, including one of the largest data warehouses in eastern Canada. Since its implementation, the Wealth Indicators project has recovered more than $189 million in tax revenue, a huge return considering the modest annual cost of $5 million.
At IPAC’s 61st Annual Conference “Turnarounds: Transformations in Government and Society”, other award-winning public-sector organizations that have successfully “turned around” or dramatically improved a part of the public sector were celebrated.
Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment was awarded Silver for their Drinking Water Safety Net project, a pragmatic and strategic framework that guides the government’s approach to delivering safe drinking water. Developed and implemented by Ontario following the tragic events in Walkerton in 2000, this significant turnaround has rendered Ontario’s drinking water among the best protected and highest quality in the world.
Alberta Infrastructure tied for Bronze for their Alberta Schools Alternative Procurement Project (ASAP), an innovative solution to address the shortage of schools in Alberta. Through the introduction of core school designs, re-locatable modular classrooms and a public-private partnership (P3) procurement approach, the eighteen new schools will save the government $118 million, will be delivered twenty-four months sooner and will achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification.
The Bronze was also awarded to British Columbia’s Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development for WelcomeBC.ca, a no-nonsense, one-stop website offering a wealth of information on everything a potential newcomer needs to know about the province. With this single online source for authoritative information, potential BC immigrants no longer have to search across 16 provincial ministries, four federal websites and a host of local government and NGO sources to find relevant information.
Other 2009 finalists include:
- Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for introducing full public reporting on eight patient safety indicators in hospitals as part of a comprehensive plan to create an unprecedented level of transparency in Ontario’s hospitals.
- City of Calgary Information Technology for using robotics to implement fibre optic cabling into existing city storm drains and dramatically reducing capital costs.
- Ontario Office of Francophone Affairs for the promotion of French-language Services (FLS) through the successful development and implementation of a strategic FLS Performance Measurement Framework, and the creation of innovative resources designed to support ministries (i.e.; online Compendium of effective FLS practices; “FLEX” leadership training program).
- Clerk of the Privy Council for developing “Canada@150”, a federal project which brings together 150 public servants in the early stages of their careers for a hands-on learning experience in policy development.
The jury for 2009 for this year’s IPAC Award for Innovative Management which was chaired by George Ross, Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation included:
- Michael Shaw, Associate Deputy Minister, Saskatchewan P3 Secretariat
- Lesley A. Rogers, Vice President, Efficiency New Brunswick
- Kim DeVooght, Vice President, IBM Canada Ltd.
What stood out for the jury in assessing this year’s submissions was their direct impact on Canadians, and the wholesale transformation at all levels of the organizations. “These aren’t just one-off projects” George Ross continued to state “They’re rewriting how public service both works and is perceived – and directly and positively affecting Canadians in the process.”
The IPAC Award for Innovative Management, launched in 1990 to celebrate and encourage innovative managerial initiatives in the public administration of Canada, is sponsored by IBM Canada. IPAC is building a database of all entries, available at: http://www.ipac.ca/InnovationAwards to enable easy access to the wealth of ideas created by this award.
The Institute of Public Administration of Canada, founded in 1947, is a dynamic association of public servants, academics, and others interested in public administration. Rooted by its Regional Groups, it is a membership-based organization that creates effective knowledge networks and leads public administration research in Canada. Since the early 1990s, it has been a major player in exporting Canadian public –sector expertise around the world.
For more information, please contact:
Institute of Public Administration of Canada
Carole Humphries
Director of Membership and Marketing
416-924-8787, ext. 234
chumphries@ipac.ca / www.ipac.ca
"As a new professional, I find the networking opportunities that IPAC offers to be invaluable. Like many of my peers, I have found mentors who have guided me throughout my career in the public service...."
Lesley Matthews - City of Vancouver
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