Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for having me for the first time here at the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
I'm pleased to be here to talk about a subject that directly affects the lives of millions of Quebeckers and Canadians: the government's ability to reliably deliver the benefits our citizens depend on.
At the heart of this initiative lies a fundamental responsibility. Every month, seniors, workers and families depend on programs such as old age security, the Canada pension plan and employment insurance.
These programs deliver hundreds of billions of dollars every year. They are predicated on a clear expectation that the system works—and works flawlessly. However, the fact is that a large number of these programs still rely on systems designed over 50 years ago. These systems have been adapted, extended and stretched, but now they've hit their limits. The more complex they become, the more they cost to maintain and the greater the risk of errors and disruptions. As Minister Hajdu said, the Auditor General identified those risks back in 2010 and described them as monumental for Canadians who depend on these benefits.
In a world where Canadians expect fast and reliable digital services, maintaining the status quo is not a responsible option. That's why we're taking action. Public Services and Procurement Canada, together with the Treasury Board Secretariat and Shared Services Canada, is supporting Employment and Social Development Canada as it undergoes a major transformation: replacing aging systems with a modern, secure platform capable of evolving as needed.
Our approach is rigorous. The role of my department, Public Services and Procurement Canada, is clear: to conduct open, fair and transparent procurement processes and ensure strict contract management. In 2021, following a competitive bidding process, a $120.5‑million contract was awarded to IBM for the technological platform: the Cúram software. At the same time, four integrators were selected to maintain competition and avoid excessive reliance on a single supplier.
We're already starting to see results. Old age security has been running on the new platform since 2025, a major milestone that demonstrates the transformation is well under way. To be clear, however, this kind of modernization doesn't happen overnight. It is a complex undertaking that must be carried out gradually to avoid any disruption to benefits.
The other options—either rushing things or doing nothing—would have posed far too great a risk to Canadians. We had a choice to make: continue investing in increasingly fragile systems designed for a different era—as my colleague mentioned, old age security is a 60-year-old program—or make the necessary and responsible decisions to modernize public administration and service delivery. We chose to act with discipline, transparency and a clear goal: ensure that Canadians can count on their benefits now and for decades to come.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.