24 January 2005

PUBLIC WORKS ISSUES IN~CANADA? ITS VALUE ANDRELEVANCE TO PUBLIC WORKS ISSUES IN SOUTH AFRICA

INTRODUCTION

Canada' is the second largest country in the world (after Russia) and has a population of 31,7 million people. It is one of the world's richest countries, with a Gross National Income per capita of US$23,9302. Life expectancy for men is 77 years and 82 years for women. The following statistics further illustrate Canada's standing as a well-developed and resourced country:"
• 97% of people over the age of 15 are literate.
• The Gross Domestic Product is US$958,7 billion.
• The unemployment rate is 7,8%.
• There is a comprehensive national health insurance scheme available to all permanent residents regardless of income.'*

Public Works issues in Canada are handled by the governmental department, Public Works and Government Services Canada.

PUBLIC WORKS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES CANADA (PWGSC)

This department has a workforce of nearly 14 000 people located all over Canada, serving nearly 140 federal departments and agencies' The major objectives of this department are:
• to serve the government's evolving needs by improving, initiating or developing new ways of delivering services;
• to be more integrated;
• to be more economical; and
• to ensure optimal benefits to the government and Canadians.

The PWGSC deals with the following matters:
• Acquisitions - for example, in 2003, the department purchased goods and services to the value of Can$11 billions, via over 60 000 contracts
• Audit and Ethics.
• Finance, Accounting, Banking and Compensation - for example, in 2003 the Receiver General of Canada processed more than 220 million payments with an on-time delivery error rate of less than 0.0008 percent.
• Government Information Services.
• Information Technology Services.
• Property.

• Service Integration - the PWSGC works in collaboration with all levels of government and the private sector to help improve the transparent delivery of common services to government departments and agencies.

• Corporate Services, Human Resources and Communications.

The approach of the PWSGC to service delivery is to respond quickly and efficiently to requests and problems. To this end, a National Call Centre has been set up, which handled its millionth call in 2003. In order to promote a culture of efficiency and public access to government services, the Canadian government has provided the citizens of Ontario with a one-stop facility which gives them access to a number of government departments, including: Canadian Heritage, Industry Canada, Correctional Services Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada, Health Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and the Department of National Defence.

THE PWSGC-CONSTRUCTION

The magnitude and scope of the construction work undertaken by the PWSGC is considerable, as the department manages more than 2 000 projects every year worth approximately Can$700 million. Another aspect of the department's construction work, is to ensure that its buildings preserve the heritage of Canada and protect the environment. The PWSGC also oversees the renovation, restoration, and reconstruction work on buildings in the Parliamentary Precinct, viz. Parliament Hill and the surrounding buildings. On average, the department enters into 500 architectural and engineering consulting and technical service contracts worth Can$75 million annualy Together with the private sector, Canadian universities and research institutes, the PWSGC invests millions of dollars annually in research and development in new construction, engineering and design techniques that improve the durability, safety, quality and environmental performance of federally owned buildings. In addition, the department uses innovative contracting to fund energy conservation retrofits in the buildings they manage, thus saving energy, water and money.

THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN CANADA

The construction industry is Canada’s largest industry, with a workforce of close to 1 million, producing Can $123 billion in goods and services.

By 2000, the Canadian construction sector included more than 218 000 firms. Construction firms are typically small-and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than five employees. Geographically, most of these firms are based in four provinces. In order of importance, Ontario has the largest number, with the Toronto area serving as the engine that drives construction activity in Canada ,followed by Quebec, British Columbia and finally, Alberta. The largest numbers of these companies operate in the residential construction, electrical, plumbing and equipment installation ,exterior finishing and interior finishing sectors. The Canadian construction industry breaks down into nine sub-sectors(refer to diagram below)

THE PWSGC - JOB CREATION

The PWSGC does not have a specific job creation programme. However, a the Government of Canada's real estate authority, strategic advisor am service delivery manager, the PWSGC's work (e.g. in construction procurement, information technology and interpretive services etc) stimulate local economies and creates tens of thousands of jobs in communities a across Canada." Through the department's contracting opportunities, man small- and medium-sized enterprises are offered business opportunities.

As Canada's largest buyer of goods and services, with about Can$10,5 billion annually in purchases that cover some 58 000 contracting opportunities for business, the department is a major role player in the nation's economy These opportunities spur on the economy and create or maintain jobs in ever sector

The department also has a particular focus on creating job, internship and training opportunities for the youth,l3 as is demonstrated by the following examples:

• A translation partnership programme with ten Canadian university provided training to 132 students.

• The department's partnership with the Master of Arts programme at the University of Ottawa's School of Translation was renewed.
• Work opportunities in the field of interpretation were provided to 69 students.

• Internship opportunities and student participation in various aspects of the department's construction of a new Government of Canada building in Chariottetown, was offered to students from Prince Edward Island's Holland College, with academic backgrounds in engineering technology, the environment and journalism.

• The department also offers summer vacation employment opportunities to students.

THE PWSGC - POVERTY ALLEVIATION

The PWSGC does not have a specific poverty alleviation programme. However, certain of its programmes, through the job creation aspect, do contribute towards poverty alleviation. Other examples of projects with an impact on the alleviation of poverty are:
• Assistance to the homeless

- To help shelter the homeless, the department transferred a surplus building in Toronto to the Canadian Red Cross as part of the Government of Canada's National Homelessness Initiative. This facility now enables the Red Cross to provide more street relief and support.

• Assistance rendered to Canada's First Peoples:

- The Department has a policy of sharing its management and service delivery expertise with Aboriginal peoples and of creating job opportunities for them within the public service.

- A rock removal and crushing project at the Portage Dam at Lake Nipissing provided training and job opportunities for the local Aboriginal community and resulted in the Dokis First Nation establishing its own construction business.

- As part of the federal (i.e. national) government's five-year Can$600-million First Nations Water Management Strategy, the PWSGC continued its work with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to safeguard water quality and wastewater disposal in over 600 First Nations communities across the country.

- In partnership with Correctional Services Canada, the department collaborated with the Beard/s-Okemasis Reserve and Band Council to build the Willow Cree Healing Lodge, a new 40-bed minimum-security correctional facility near Duck Lake, Saskatchewan. In the process, many members of the local community were employed.

DISCUSSION

Canada may be described as an affluent, high-tech industrial society, closely resembling the United States in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards (see Introduction). Comparisons with South Africa as a developing African country confronted with a wide array of socio-economic challenges, are therefore difficult. The stark socio-economic differences between the two countries are reflected in the different approach adopted by the Public Works departments in both countries. For example:

• Canada's equivalent department, the PWSGC, deals with a broad range of services, including several (such as auditing, finance and interpreting) which South Africa's National Department of Public Works (NDPW) does not.

• The NDPW, as befits an agency in a developing nation, places a heavy emphasis on job creation and poverty alleviation - both aspects of which are addressed in the department's Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). Unsurprisingly, since Canada is a developed nation with a well-resourced and adequately funded social security system, there is no equivalent socio-economic programme within the PWSGC. While this department's programmes have direct benefits for job creation and poverty alleviation, these are not its specific objectives.

• The PWSGC's budget is large (see above sections for financial details on construction, procurement, acquisitions and contracts) and adequately staffed with qualified personnel, enabling this department to carry out its mandate, while the NDPW by contrast, suffers from severe financial constraints' and inadequate numbers of staff. 18

• The PWSGC appears to be a well functioning, efficient department that is able to concentrate on higher-level operational issues such as innovation, excellent service delivery and public access to services. By contrast, the NDPW is beset by problems such as poor service delivery, corporate governance weaknesses' and a maintenance backlog of over 30 000 buildings in poor condition."

CONCLUSION

It may be said that there would be value for South Africa in closely examining Canada's approach to public works issues and its operation of the responsible department, the PWSGC. Certainly, there would be valuable lessons to be learnt from the PWSGC's positive approach to service delivery, service integration, ease of public access to government services, youth recruitment policies, internship and training programmes. However, the value of these lessons is limited by South Africa's position as a developing nation with severe budgetary constraints that impact negatively on its ability to implement procedures extrapolated from a 'First World' context.

Canada's PWSGC should therefore be regarded as an example of an efficiently functioning, well resourcedand adequately staffed department- a model for South Africa to strive towards as socio-economic conditions in this country improve, rather than as an appropriate model for South Africa to study at the present time.

REFERENCES
J Maseko, Budget preview presentation to the Select Committee on Public Service, Parliament of South Africa, 25 May 2004.
J Maseko, Strategic direction and key challenges for the NDPW, Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Public Works, Parliament of South Africa 26 May 2004. National Department of Public Works, Strategic Plan, 2004-2007.

Websites

About Health Canada

www.hc-sc.gc.ca

About Social Development Canada

www.sdc.qc.ca

Achievements, 2003

www.pwsgc.gc.ca

Building stronger communities

www.pwsac.qc.ca

Canadian Construction Association

www.cca-acc.com

Construction industry in Canada

www.strategic.ic.qc.ca

Country profile: Canada

www.news.bbc.co.uk

People helping people

www.pwsqc.gc.ca

Profile of the department

www.DWsac.qc.ca

Supporting aboriginal people

www.pwsgc.qc.ca

Supporting Canadian youth

www.pwsqc.qc.ca

The World Fact Book: Canada

www.cia.gov