Teams are being set up in each provincial government department this week to evaluate all programs and identify programs that have potential for positive change.
Premier Pat Binns advised that the Program Renewal process began in June 2004 when departments completed an inventory of all programs within their mandate. “We are now taking the next step to engage employees in an open and inclusive process to evaluate and renew our programs,” he said.
Teams will use five criteria to evaluate their programs, including public interest, effectiveness and efficiency, affordability, accountability, and emerging trends.
Based on this evaluation, teams will identify programs that have potential for change. Their recommendations will be reviewed by a steering committee of deputies and presented to Cabinet early in the new year. Cabinet will then identify programs for further analysis and set priorities for program renewal.
Program Renewal teams include employees from all levels of the organization. They will consult with many other employees during the evaluation process. All employees will have opportunities to contribute in a variety of ways such as focus groups and an online suggestion box.
Horizontal teams are also being established to evaluate services which cross departments such as human resources and information technology.
The teams will be assisted by a Program Renewal Secretariat which includes program analysts and other staff from various departments.
Premier Binns advised that Program Renewal provides opportunities to evaluate the core business of government and engage employees in an ongoing quality improvement process. “Teams have not been given financial targets. Rather, they are being asked to take a close look at their programs using consistent criteria to identify what is working well and what could be improved,” he said. “Through this evaluation, Cabinet will be better able to make informed decisions on how resources should be allocated to address current demand and emerging trends.”
The process includes all government departments, agencies, boards and commissions.