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Reimagining public service: OPS’s digital transformation journey

What does it take to reimagine government for millions of citizens? The Ontario Public Service (OPS), an organization that serves 16 million Canadian citizens across Ontario, is answering that question—delivering faster, more equitable, and more trusted services through digital innovation. By harnessing Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and responsible AI, OPS is setting a new standard for public sector transformation, proving that technology can drive meaningful change for both citizens and employees.

Citizen impact: Faster, frictionless, and more equitable services

OPS’s modernization initiative is more than a technology upgrade—it’s a reimagining of the citizen experience. Since launching its digital transformation:

  • Customer satisfaction has surged by 11%, with 80%+ approval across services.
  • Service times are 50% faster, saving Ontarians an estimated 80,000 hours annually.
  • License plate renewals are now automated, eliminating 90,000 hours of manual effort each year.
  • Contact center efficiency is up, with 14% faster call resolution and lower call volumes.

As Roy Thomas, Head of Citizens and Business Experience Practice at Ontario Public Services, explains, “We are really trying to focus on customer satisfaction and building frictionless services for our end users—the general public in Ontario. From services we’ve implemented, we’ve realized over 11% increase in customer satisfaction scores. Over 80% of our users are really satisfied with the services.”

Platform adoption: Scaling innovation across ministries

OPS’s success is rooted in a shift from isolated projects to a platform operating model. Standardized governance, reusable patterns, and shared KPIs ensure every new build is faster, safer, and more scalable. Knowledge bases and case flows are reused across ministries, accelerating delivery and improving consistency.

“We’ve been really looking at the onboarding and adoption of our enterprise platforms,” says Thomas. “That incremental uptake across different services—health card, driver vehicle, human resources—shows ongoing growth. Indicators like knowledge base activity signal that the platform model is working.”

Responsible AI: Building trust and accountability

OPS’s approach to AI is rooted in ethics, transparency, and public trust. An ethical AI policy ensures transparency and consent, while privacy impact assessments, guardrails and security testing uphold high standards of accountability.

“In the Ontario government, we have ethical use of AI policy, which we’re really trying to onboard and follow across all our implementations,” Thomas shares. “We’re building transparency so people know what we’re doing with their information. It’s an ongoing journey we continue to invest in and demonstrate.”

Microsoft partnership: A differentiator for OPS

The partnership with Microsoft is a key driver of OPS’s success and empowers them to align innovation with public service obligations. Cost efficiency, enterprise scale, and long-term investment in OPS’s mission set Microsoft apart.

“The reason we led towards Dynamics is really the partnership with Microsoft,” says Thomas. “It’s not just about initial delivery, but sustaining it across the board. Having a partner invested in what we’re doing is huge for us. Just by leveraging solutions, including Microsoft Dynamics, we were able to find the ministry over $20 million in savings.”

Looking forward: AI-driven public services

OPS is exploring AI in HR, licensing, and inspections, pointing to a future where human-agent teams are driving public services with AI agents automating routine tasks and employees focused on higher value work. The focus on both citizen and employee experience ensures services are seamless, more consistent, and more human-centered.

“We’re focusing on reimagined service journeys, not just supplementing with chatbots but changing the journey so agent services are upfront,” Thomas notes. “Technology handles standard scenarios, allowing people to focus on the complex ones.”

The north star

OPS’s AI journey is about making government services simpler, faster, and more transparent—so every interaction builds trust and delivers value to Ontarians. As Thomas puts it, “The real driver for people like me is bringing value to the public. That’s what most public servants really value and cherish.”

Interested in learning more about how Microsoft empowers public sector transformation?

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