[HALIFAX, NS] — The province is considering cutting two government departments and as a result 110 civil service jobs are at stake in Halifax.
Department of Finance spokeswoman Michelle Lucas confirmed the Corporate Information Systems division and Health Administrative Systems Project are part of the more than $20-million dollar a year SAP program, which the province is currently reviewing.
Lucas said the affected employees were informed of the proposed plan Monday.
According to Lucas, both departments’ work would be outsourced to a ‘globally recognized’ IT company looking to set up in Halifax.
“Essentially it would be a different service model,” said Lucas.
A contract has yet to be signed with the unnamed company but Lucas said a final decision should be made in the next two weeks. The name of the company could not be disclosed for confidentiality reasons, she said.
Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union were meeting with potentially affected employees Tuesday and a spokeswoman said the group wasn’t in a position to comment on the situation.
No jobs losses are expected. But the majority of the jobs would be privatized because the company would hire most of the employees and a small number would remain employed with the province.
“In the few weeks we certainly would have more to tell our employees,” said Lucas.
Lucas wouldn’t disclose the financial details of the proposed contract. But she said it would be in the best interest of Nova Scotians.
A review into the provincial government’s IT department has been operating under the codename “Project Kayak.”
Before he resigned from cabinet, former Finance Minister Graham Steele called SAP a “big, expensive system,” but said the province was not considering moving away from it.
