Table of Contents

1. Content
2. Additional Resources
3. Related Topics

The Action Plan is informed by the best practices of businesses, leading governments, think tanks, thought leaders, the Ontario Public Service, and the best advice from MPPs on behalf of their constituents.

"The Residential Construction Council of Ontario applauds the bold and innovative ideas within the Action Plan released by Minister Bethlenfalvy and Treasury Board. Digitizing the development and construction approvals process will provide positive measurable results both in terms of increasing housing supply and fostering economic competitiveness. Construction will play a major role in Ontario's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and adopting a more streamlined system that reduces the development and approval processes is a much-needed game changer."

―Richard Lyall, President RESCON

"Ontario has a tremendous opportunity to expand on our education system's world-renowned reputation and also become a world leader in virtual learning. We are thrilled that the government has announced its plan to establish a virtual learning strategy so that Ontario can provide the best possible student experience for all learners, no matter what their learning style or where they live."

―Linda Franklin, CEO and President of Colleges Ontario

"As the province seeks to leverage leading digital technologies, including machine learning, to improve public services, we look forward to sharing our community's expertise around adoption. Given our vision to realize benefits for the economy and society, we are encouraged by the province's plans to create a digital wallet for Ontarians and give clinicians secure access to patients' records online. Projects like these, that aim to consolidate data and give Ontarians greater control and security over their digital identities, are foundations of innovation in the public sector."

―Garth Gibson, President & CEO, Vector Institute

"We are pleased to see the Government of Ontario's plan to modernize how it delivers programs and services in a way that is customer-centric, business-friendly, and measures outcomes. Now, more than ever, we need responsive government services to support Ontarians and Ontario businesses. Approaches like Ontario Onwards can contribute to the long-term fiscal responsibility of the Province. We look forward to working with government to bring detail to these important public policy initiatives."

―Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

"It's positive to see the Ontario government further its efforts to digitize government services with a focus on improving accessibility and making life easier for residents while increasing economic opportunities for domestic innovators. We are pleased by the province's move to establish a secure Digital Identity which would make Ontario one of the most digitally advanced jurisdictions while enhancing consumer privacy and economic growth."

―Benjamin Bergen, Executive Director, Council of Canadian Innovators.

"The Police Association of Ontario (PAO) commends the Ontario government for their commitment to further modernizing our province's justice system. Today's announcement will increase our members' ability to efficiently enforce probation orders in communities throughout Ontario, regardless of whether the original order is physically present. The PAO looks forward to working with the provincial government on future modernization initiatives for the policing and justice sectors on behalf of our 18,000 local sworn and civilian police personnel."

―Bruce Chapman, President of the Police Association of Ontario

"Red tape reduction is a critical part of COVID-19 economic recovery. Kudos to the Ontario government for taking even more steps to responsibly reduce red tape across government. Measures like coordinating all inspectors' visits to a business - a CFIB recommendation - will save valuable time, allowing business owners to get quickly back to business and work on reviving and growing the economy."

―Julie Kwiecinski, Director of Provincial Affairs (Ontario), Canadian Federation of Independent Business

"IO works closely with government to find new solutions that improve the value of public services and assets. Access to connectivity is a key part of any strategy to enable Ontarians to benefit from online eservices. IO is working closely with the Ministry of Infrastructure to evaluate various ways in which broadband activity can be extended across the province."

―Michael Lindsay, President of Project Delivery at Infrastructure Ontario

 "When governments embrace a digital agenda with a foundational focus on security and privacy, significant benefits can accrue, such as improved efficiency and productivity and better collaboration between government departments. The Government's Ontario Onwards Action Plan demonstrates that when a digital agenda is combined with a human-centered approach, the benefits to citizens are potentially enormous, and include increased public participation and higher-quality services in areas such as healthcare and justice, as well as greater convenience that supports work, family and community. We look forward to working with the government to make this plan a reality."

―Dr. Gillian K. Hadfield, Director of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society at the University of Toronto

"eCampusOntario is pleased to support the development of the province's Virtual Learning Strategy. Ontario learners and workers need a superior, accessible online education & training experience. The Virtual Learning Strategy will help ensure Ontarians have access to effective career preparation, and to assistance with career continuity following pandemic interruption."

―Robert Luke, Chief Executive Officer eCampusOntario

"Ontario pharmacists support the Ontario government's vision to enable all pharmacy professionals to practice to their fullest extent. The majority of Canadians (more than 90 per cent) feel comfortable speaking to their pharmacist about common ailments. Pharmacy professionals across Ontario remain committed to serving their patients and protecting communities by providing asymptomatic testing for COVID-19, immunizing patients against the upcoming flu season or managing their patients' care in other ways. As pharmacy professionals contribute to building capacity in our healthcare system, we look forward to working with the government to build a model that will allow for more timely access to care while providing fair compensation for these and other healthcare services."

―Justin Bates, CEO, Ontario Pharmacists Association

"The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police strongly supports the proposed amendments to the Provincial Offences Act by the Ministry of the Attorney General in its ongoing efforts to modernize the justice system. These amendments including the increased use of remote testimony, early resolution, and eliminating the requirement of having to attend in-person for certain administrative functions will only increase the accessibility and efficiency of the justice system."

―Dan Taddeo, Thunder Bay Police Service on behalf of Chiefs of Police

"FOLA has been proud to work with the Ministry of the Attorney General as they've accelerated modernization efforts throughout the COVID-19 emergency and the current recovery process. Many of the changes are long overdue and the improvements will go a long way to improve efficiencies while at the same time, making the system more accessible and affordable for Ontarians."

―William (Bill) Woodward, Chair, Federation of Ontario Law Associations

"I applaud the government's efforts to consolidate the Transfer Payment Agreement management across government. Currently, this complex system of management means both institutions and government spend countless person hours on unnecessary regulatory burden. This initiative will strengthen accountability while reducing useless Red Tape which ultimately allows us to focus more on delivering for students."

―Mohamed Lachemi, President and Vice Chancellor, Ryerson University

Additional Resources

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