Team

The Information Technology department is comprised of eleven (11) motivated and highly skilled staff who provide professional technical services to all City business units, internal clients and where necessary the public. The skill sets are divided into 3 operating units, Client Services, Technical Services and GIS (Geographical Information Services) all of which are essential to the successful operation of the City:

• Director – Marc Coyle
• Technical Services Supervisor, Network Administrator, Systems Administrator, Client Service Supervisor, Client Services Coordinator, Services Analyst, Applications Analyst
• GIS Supervisor, GIS Technician
• Information Assistant

Responsibilities

The Information Technology (IT) department is responsible for managing and supporting the technology infrastructure and services of the City. Key responsibilities include:

• Network and systems maintenance.
• Hardware and software management.
• Development and implement security policies and procedures, incident Response, data storage and backup, and data privacy and compliance.
• Develop and implement technical support and training programs.
• Develop and maintain software applications tailored to municipal needs.
• Plan, execute, and oversee IT projects that enhance municipal services and operations.
• Develop and maintain online services for citizens, such as payment systems, information portals, and public records access.
• Develop long-term IT strategies to support the City’s goals and improve service delivery.
• Explore and implement new technologies that can enhance municipal operations and services.

Governance

Municipal guiding documents and plans that govern the work of the People & Corporate Services department:

• Municipal Act – Governs the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Municipality.
• Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act – Provides the framework for the public right of access to and protection of information in possession of the municipality.
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act – Establishes a process for developing and enforcing accessibility standards.
• Canadian Anti Spam Legislation – CASL aims to protect Canadians from spam, malware, and other electronic threats. It regulates commercial electronic messages (CEMs), installation of computer programs, and prohibits misleading online promotions.
• Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA) and the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act. It seeks to modernize Canada’s privacy framework, giving individuals more control over their personal information and imposing stronger penalties for non-compliance.
• The CRTC regulates telecommunications and broadcasting in Canada, including aspects of net neutrality, telecommunications policy, and compliance with CASL.

Trends

Legislative/Governance

• The Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, 2024 would strengthen safeguards for children’s personal information and lay the foundation for the ethical use of artificial intelligence in the public sector. Costs of implementation are unknown
• Principles for Ethical use of AI (proposed Provincial legislation)

Economic

• Cost of Cyber insurance has grown dramatically – keeping systems secure to the standard insurance demands is very costly.
• Talent acquisition and retention is skilled trades continues to be a challenge.
• The trend from capital IT expenditures to operating expenditures continues, as annual costs are now the common model for major software vendors.