Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

Chapter 4: Making Transformation Work: Process and Structures
The steering committee would direct ministers and their ministries to develop proposals and
implementation plans, and provide a schedule for reporting these proposals to Cabinet.
The steering committee would also guide a number of working groups created to conduct
research and analysis of the major cross-cutting issues: labour and compensation; overlap
and duplication; new delivery models; and optimization of assets. These groups would be
a resource both to the steering committee and to ministries as they develop specific
transformation proposals that have implications for other ministries, as many of them will.
The steering committee could also commission independent research to inform the working
groups on key areas of analysis.
Ministries will bring forward their transformation proposals and plans to a Premier’s results
table on strategic reform for its consideration and input prior to formal Cabinet consideration.
The results table would be chaired by the Premier and composed of a mix of senior Cabinet
ministers and independent experts with experience in cost-cutting and transformational
change within their organizations (either public or private). It would be the main forum for both
championing and contesting reform proposals. The results table would be directly supported
by the steering committee, so there would automatically be direct involvement by senior staff
from the Premier’s Office and Cabinet Office, and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance.
Proposals that are more routine and not “transformational” in scale can proceed through the
normal channel of Treasury Board and on to Cabinet. The steering committee should continue
to monitor the progress of these initiatives, in order to have a comprehensive view of the
status of overall reform.
To support the Premier’s results table and Treasury Board, a technical spending review
mechanism should be established to review all reform or savings proposals from individual
ministries and the annual results-based plan submissions. This technical group would
comprise the necessary expertise from one or more private consulting firms that are
contracted via a competitive procurement process. It would provide a third-party review and
critique of proposals and submissions, ensuring accuracy and adherence to the principles
of reform.
Finally, we would recommend that this structure and the associated processes stay in place
for at least several years given the breadth, depth and likely length of the reforms. Some parts
of it, or at least modifications to it, should become permanent features. For example, we heard
so much evidence of confusing overlap and duplication in work across ministries
(e.g., economic development programs, social services, and training and employment
services) that we recommend that cross-cutting working groups or subcommittees of Cabinet
become a permanent feature to deal with these issues.
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