2002/03 Annual Service Plan Report Ministry of Management Services

Performance Reporting

The Ministry of Management Services was formed in 2001. Over the course of 2001/02 and 2002/03, the Ministry underwent significant transformation as related activities were brought together. As the Ministry moves to a more client-centred and responsive service-delivery approach in 2003/04, performance measures will continue to be refined.

For 2002/03, the Ministry of Management Services identified five goals that are derived from its mandate and the direction received from government.

All of the data used to develop and report on the following performance measures were derived from the Ministry's internal information systems and comply fully with government accounting policies and practices.

Goal 1: Taxpayers get value from the way government runs its internal operations

Goal 2: Citizens of British Columbia have access to government when and how they need it

Goal 3: Government's procurement of goods and services is fair, open and competitive

Goal 4: Public has confidence in the way government and regulated bodies manage the information they hold

Goal 5: To be a high performing organization

Deregulation

Management Services conducted a deregulation review of its existing legislation in late 2001. As directed by Cabinet on July 10, 2002, the Ministry established performance targets to demonstrate how its deregulation commitments would be met by June 2004.

In accordance with the Key Projects outlined in the Premier's Letter to the Minister of Management Services, which instructed the Minister "to review the Information and Privacy legislation to increase openness in Government and to reduce compliance costs", a comprehensive review of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP Act) was conducted to recommend possible ways of eliminating unnecessary regulation. The review identified that most of the regulatory requirements in the FOIPP Act do not affect the general public and that the regulatory requirements for Government officials are intended to ensure the rights and interests of the public are safeguarded. Elimination of these regulations could have consequences contrary to one of the key principles of the deregulation initiative, which is to make it easier and less expensive for the general public to deal with government. As a result, it has been determined that — although the FOIPP Act contains the majority of the Ministry's regulatory requirements — only a small number can be eliminated. However, action has been taken to amend the FOIPP Act to improve privacy protection, increase openness and accountability, and reduce overall compliance costs.

In the Spring 2003 legislative session, the government introduced the Personal Information Protection Act to protect the personal information of British Columbians held by the private sector. The Act covers BC businesses not federally regulated and allows a privacy regime to be developed in cooperation with the private sector that is plain language and "regulation light". Extensive stakeholder consultations have confirmed that a provincial Act can reduce regulation in some areas and clarify regulatory requirements where regulation is needed. While the end result will be an increase in regulation with respect to the use of personal information in the private sector, consultations have confirmed that this is the preferred approach. This new legislation will provide British Columbia businesses (those not federally regulated) with the necessary foundation in privacy protection to enable them to compete in the global e-commerce economy.

Also in the Spring 2003 legislative session, the government introduced a new Procurement Services Act. The Act replaces an outdated Purchasing Commission Act, and enables Solutions BC to provide best practices procurement services to ministries and other participating public sector agencies. In keeping with the spirit of deregulation, the new Act does not contain any regulatory requirements. This new legislation represents an important step toward Procurement Reform, an initiative designed to develop the capacity within government to achieve fair and open results-focused procurement.

Deregulation Initiatives

As the new Procurement Services Act does not contain any regulatory requirements, no regulatory review was undertaken.