Future Trends in Digital Government BC

What will define successful digital government in 2026? At the recent Government Innovation Showcase BC 2025, we had the pleasure of welcoming a panel of senior leaders moved beyond trending tools to outline the foundational work required for real impact. The consensus was clear: the coming year is about perfecting fundamentals, from how we modernize systems to how we design for people. Roman Santos, Director and Country Lead - Canada Enterprise and Public Sector, Genesys led the discussion as the moderator. 

Modernization: Think Iterative, Not "Big Bang"
Greg Frog, Executive Director & Chief Technology Officer,Information Services Division, B.C. Social Sector, championed a practical “strangler fig” method to de-risk modernization. His advice was to move iteratively—understand user value, run old and new systems in parallel, and release in small, manageable components to avoid the peril of a single, high-stakes overhaul.

Interoperability: A Governance Challenge First
Genevieve Lambert, Senior Executive Director with the Ministry of Citizen Services, stressed that true data sharing is primarily a challenge of governance and policy. “We need the system to help us do the right thing,” she noted. The goal is to build the frameworks that make pre-filling citizen data “the easiest path” for teams, enhancing both efficiency and public trust.

Inclusive Design: Shattering Assumptions
Blair Neufeld, Director General of Client Experience at Service Canada, provided powerful evidence for co-design. He shared that digital services developed with seniors and persons with disabilities achieved over 80-90% self-service, proving that inclusive design isn't a niche concern but a driver of widespread adoption and satisfaction.

Building Future-Ready Foundations
Christine Bagdasarian, Director of Digital Public Sector Transformation at KPMG, highlighted the dual need for secure foundations and strategic foresight. She pointed to verified digital identity as critical for trust, while also urging organizations to explore emerging technologies like quantum computing responsibly, noting that “those who prepare now will be in the lead for innovation.”

The Path to Tangible Trust
The mandate from the Showcase is to build adaptable, human-centred foundations. Success in 2026 hinges on perfecting the fundamentals: iterative modernization, governed data sharing, genuine co-design, and strategic foresight. By prioritizing these human-centric, resilient foundations over chasing trends, we transform technology into a lasting tool for public trust and seamless, effective service.