COVID-19 impact on government operations
COVID-19 impact on government operations
The COVID‑19 pandemic disrupted life in Canada and around the world. As the outbreak of the disease evolved rapidly, governments – Canada’s included – needed to act quickly to respond to the crisis.
The Canadian federal government has had to act on many fronts: providing financial support to people and businesses, stabilizing the economy, and acquiring vaccines. These priorities have required a coordinated response across many federal government departments.
Federal departments and organizations had to quickly realign their resources and efforts in order to focus on emergent needs. Programs such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) were designed and implemented in a matter of weeks. Consultations, costing, and other program elements needed to be quickly considered with no knowledge of how long programs may be required. Expediency was the order of the day, balanced against accountability and transparency.
In October 2020, the Auditor General of Canada acknowledged the significant challenges government has and continues to face in taking action to support Canadians during the COVID‑19 pandemic. She noted several ways the Office of the Auditor General of CanadaOAG is adapting their audits to minimize demands on federal public servants while delivering reports that provide value for government, Parliament and Canadians.