Mr. Speaker, the Canada site is the primary Internet site for Government of Canada information and online services, serving Canadians and people all over the world who are looking for information about Canada and from its government. The Canada site was originally launched in 1995 and is now managed by Service Canada.
The Canada site’s main page design has continually evolved in response to client feedback and key Government of Canada initiatives and is funded from a periodical funding source as part of Service Canada’s annual budget.
It is sound business practice to keep such a key communications tool fresh and appealing, to attract and retain a growing number of users. Focus testing was carried out to guide and refine the latest changes, as is normal practice. The feedback was used to finalize the changes and ensure that the Canada Site remains a comprehensive and trusted source of information for Canadians.
On April 5, 2006 the revised Canada site design included improved layout, providing more direct access to popular services, providing more visibility to current news and government priorities, and adding a trivia section. The redesign of the Canada site was done by the existing Service Canada staff who are responsible for maintaining and updating the site.
The work was completed within the on-going budgets for the Canada site operations. Incremental costs of $56,200 were incurred for the purchase of new images, focus testing and additional hours for staff and technical support.