Public input on BC Services Care requested

Online public consultation on digital services underway

The Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services is inviting British Columbians to share their ideas on the future of digital services in British Columbia, and how the BC Services Card could potentially help enable better service delivery.

This open public consultation is one part of a broader process designed to help inform government of the values and needs of citizens with regards to the future of the BC Services Card and digital services.

From now until Dec. 5, 2013, to complete the survey and leave their comments, visitors can go to: http://gov.bc.ca/digitalservices.

The provincial government is interested in what services people see as priorities and their suggestions on how these services could be accessed, for example, through the BC Services Card. The survey asks for input on how digital services and tools can assist people in their daily lives, to help manage their children’s education or their small business.

People who do not have access to the Internet can also participate in the public consultation process by mailing their ideas directly to the province at PO Box 9029; STN PROV GOVT; Victoria, B.C.; V8V 9L9.

The http://gov.bc.ca/digitalservices site is one of three interconnected public consultation processes on the future delivery of digital services in B.C. The two other parts are a BC Services Card User Panel and a Specialists’ Forum, both taking place this November.

The BC Services Card User Panel consists of 36 randomly selected

British Columbians who met over two weekends this month. The panel reviewed the provinces’ digital service approach and provided direction around the services it believes are the highest priority to people. The panel also made recommendations to help guide the evolution of service delivery and the use of the BC Services Card.

The Specialists’ Forum took place on Nov. 13-14 in partnership with the existing IdentityNorth digital identity conference in Vancouver. Participants included privacy, security and technology experts, along with specialists in service delivery. The group discussed all aspects of B.C.’s digital services delivery strategy.

Once the three-part public consultation process is completed, a report will be published based on the results of all three components of the consultation process. This report will be used to guide future planning around digital service delivery and potential uses for the BC Services Card.

100 Mile House Free Press