Our vision at Code for Canada has been the same since our founding — that everyone in Canada has access to inclusive, equitable and responsive digital public services.
But every year, the path we take to get there changes. That’s because, while we’re always setting goals and plans to reach them, we are true believers in the importance of embracing change through iterative design and agile development.
This year that shifting path included taking on some of our biggest-ever projects, welcoming new team members and new types of roles and launching an innovative program dedicated to championing the Canadian civic tech movement.
Our core values and theory of change underpin all of these developments. We believe that everyone, not just some people, should feel heard and represented by services made to serve them. We believe that public benefit organizations need to be able to design, develop and sustain digital services to achieve this. And that private sector organizations should believe in and support this work.
We hope this report will show how we’ve worked towards these goals this year. In it, you’ll find some humble stats on our impact so far, stories of the progress we’ve made and lives we’ve changed, and where we’ve set our sights for the year to come.
Of course, this is only possible with the community of practitioners, contributors, public servants and advocates who are the beating heart of the digital government and civic tech movement. Whether you’ve been following our work from day one or are just hearing about us now, I want to thank you for being here, and I hope you’ll be part of our next chapter.
Dorothy Eng
Executive Director
As 2023 comes to a close, it’s been a pleasure to reflect on Code for Canada’s progress on behalf of our board.
In a period of accelerated change, how can public benefit organizations (governments and nonprofits) embrace digital transformation to better serve their residents? And how can Code for Canada be part of that change?
This year, Code for Canada answered that question through innovative projects with partners nationwide. They brought in talented digital professionals to work alongside dedicated public servants, using best practices to create digital prototypes that will save our government time and resources while better serving the Canadian public.
On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I couldn’t be prouder of what Code for Canada has accomplished this year and the tireless effort of its staff to fulfill our mission to create digital public services that meet the needs of people across this country. The board is also equally excited about what's to come in 2024.
On a personal note, I’m always looking to have conversations about civic technology and digital transformation in the public sector. Please don’t hesitate to reach out at winter@silostrategy.ca.
Winter Fedyk
Board Chair
People across Canada need to be safe from poorly stored and managed explosives. The Explosives Regulatory & Business Services Branch (ERBSB) of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) works hard to ensure they are.
As part of Canada’s Explosives Act, explosives inspection staff complete routine inspections of manufacturers, importers, exporters and vendors of explosives.
They create a plan at the beginning of each fiscal year to conduct these inspections. The issue? A clunky Excel sheet and some Python scripts were breaking down more and more often, leaving 40 inspectors and their managers in the lurch.
Using Microsoft Dynamic 365 Power Apps, our team of collaborators carefully built a new web application, feature by feature.
The low-code application let the team combine workflow automation, scheduling algorithms and data analytics to set ERBSB staff up for success.
The team created a Minimum Viable Product that they then tested with users, asking them to rate its effectiveness on a series of scales.
The result? Fewer hours logged on an inefficient system, more taxpayer money saved, and people across Canada will continue to be protected from poorly stored explosives.
Back in 2019, Code for Canada worked with Street ART Toronto (StART) to create an easy-to-use map of murals and other street art in the city. While the map MVP was an initial success, the StART team found they needed ongoing external support to keep it working and up-to-date.
Over the last few years, Code for Canada helped StART find a low-code solution for their map, along with an internal digital hub to manage everything from incoming artist applications to existing projects.
The first half of 2023 was spent helping the team build out new feature sets for the map and hub, allowing them to filter information based on which stakeholder was using the tool.
Halfway through the year, a new solution was reached — the Code for Canada staff member who had been working closely with the team, Flavi Anastasi, was brought on as a full-time Product Manager at StART, allowing them to significantly increase their internal digital capacity while continuing to build on the work that Flavi had helped them accomplish so far.
Code for Canada has continued to assist Flavi and StART in a coaching capacity, building up Flavi’s product management skills so StART will have the internal digital capacity it needs to continue developing the map and future digital solutions - to the benefit of all Toronto artists and denizens!
If you’re living in Canada, there’s a strong chance you or someone you know is struggling to find a family doctor.
It’s an issue facing many communities nationwide, but it has become particularly acute in BC.
In response, the BC government is creating a way for residents to find a primary care provider on their digital health platform Health Gateway 2.0.
But, it wasn’t enough for the province to introduce a new feature. It needed to know the platform was helping the people it was intended to serve — especially those with higher barriers to securing care, from newcomers to those who have never had a family doctor.
That’s where Code for Canada came in. The government’s research team tapped us for access to GRIT (Gathering Residents to Improve Technology) to ensure they got the inclusive and diverse feedback they needed.
We carefully sought out a group of ten BC residents with a wide range of lived experiences to ensure that the platform would work for all, not just some, residents.
Our GRIT team ensured that the process was smooth and uncomplicated for each participant, taking their specific needs into account and creating a tailored experience just for them.
The insights we surfaced from actual users allowed BC’s team to make informed changes to the design and build of the service. Now, the team can adjust the platform to make it more inclusive, accessible and effective for BC residents.
Non-profits and charitable organizations across Canada often struggle to access the digital solutions they need to serve their communities. Between the competition for top tech talent, the cost of upskilling internal staff, and the difficulty of outsourcing technical projects, they face an uphill battle. To succeed, they need support tailored to their unique circumstances.
Enter: The Civic Tech Marketplace (CTMP). This new project from Code for Canada will be a central platform for non-profits looking to create best-in-class digital products and services.
The online platform will eventually offer a central hub for charitable organizations to post challenges, RFPs (Requests for Proposals) and open roles while browsing existing open-source software solutions, digital resources and support. It will also be a one-stop shop for civic technologists and digital professionals looking for meaningful work to find ways to apply their skills to projects that resonate with them.
This year, we launched the MVP version of the CTMP, supporting HQ Toronto, a collaboration of diverse health agencies, to find volunteer UX and data experts to improve the accessibility, reach and quality of their patient care services.
In the new year, we’ll be looking to partner with even more charitable organizations as we continue to develop and eventually launch the online platform. Watch this space!
Despite the challenging economic climate, we were able to navigate obstacles with solid financial management, and were able to remain focused on our mission throughout the year.
Download the full financial report here.
People across Canada deserve access to modern digital services. The stakes are high, and the clock is ticking — as trust in government continues to fall, there isn’t time to delay.
At the beginning of this year, we made our pitch that when it comes to digital transformation in the public sector, there isn’t time for business as usual. This is a time for being bold, to embrace change and the necessary risk of doing things differently.
We’re more invested in our goals than ever before, and we’re proud of the steps we’re taking to reach them. We’re forming new exciting partnerships with teams at all levels of government and across the country; we’re expanding our user research and testing service to ensure digital products and services actually meet the needs of the people they’re intended to serve; and we’re finding new and innovative ways to support Canada’s incredible civic tech community.
Does any of this strike a chord with your goals for 2024? Drop us a line – we’d love to work on something amazing together.
Reach out at hello@codefor.ca