A federal plan to build an “easy to use” website for Canadians to file benefits claims has already cost $6.6 billion, nearly four times the original budget, and remains incomplete after eight years.The program, launched in 2017 with a $1.8 billion budget, was supposed to modernize access to Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan, and Old Age Security. Blacklock's Reporter says records show the cost ballooned to $2.2 billion in 2022 and then to $6.6 billion in 2024, with no final budget disclosed.Officials now estimate the new system will not be fully operational until 2030, with promises of a “cloud-based platform” that is integrated, adaptable, and secure. .Departments admitted they still lack in-house expertise and are increasingly relying on outside consultants. “Building this kind of system is complex and requires certain specialized tools and expertise we don’t have in-house,” said a departmental note.The government has also launched procurements for “digital credentials,” electronic versions of physical documents such as work permits and licenses that could be stored in a digital wallet. .Officials argue the move will offer quicker, safer, and more cost-effective access to services.Canadians currently navigate more than 60 different government systems, each with its own login requirements. Ottawa says the modernization will eventually create a single sign-in portal, but the timeline and cost remain uncertain.A 2024 Department of Employment report said public expectations are rising. “Service delivery in the private sector has evolved rapidly through ever-advancing technologies,” it said. “As a result clients increasingly expect the delivery of government services to keep pace.”
