STATE OF THE SERVICE Canadian Innovation 2024

The Canadian public sector is navigating an era of rapid change, driven by evolving societal expectations, technological advancements, and the need for fiscal responsibility. Not only is the Canadian public sector expected to provide modern, equitable services to its people, it’s also contending with increasing budgetary constraints and a reduction in trust from the public.

In order to combat these pressures, not only must federal and provincial governments across Canada do more with less each year, but they must also do so with workforce shortages and a stagnating talent pool. For this reason, innovation has become a vital necessity.

The findings outlined in this year's 2024 State of the Service report on Canadian Innovation were sourced from the insights and data collected during the live events hosted by the Public Sector Network throughout the year. Hundreds of public sector professionals contributed to this research during controlled anonymized polling, and the consequent analysis is based on the thought leadership of our senior panel of speakers who shared their insights on stage at our Innovate event series. 

Read on for polling results, analysis and forecasting on the following topics:

• How governments are addressing talent shortages and bridging the digital divide
• The biggest obstacles preventing continuous innovation in the public sector, including budget constraints and red tape
• Navigating resource and talent limitations to drive progress in government initiatives
• Recognizing and tackling barriers to cultivating a digitally skilled workforce across government agencies
• Top public sector priorities over the next 12-24 months