Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Core Review, released the Terms of Reference for the Core Review process today with a focus on ensuring the best possible use of government resources and respect for the interests of taxpayers.

The focus of the 2013-14 Core Review is different than the 2001-02 Core Review, given the cost-saving and efficiency work completed by the government over the past 12 years. This work has involved ongoing reviews of regulations, executive compensation, public-sector bargaining mandates and Crown corporations to help government achieve its budget targets.

Building on these successes, the scope of the Core Review has been established to include the mandates and program delivery models of all ministries, boards, commissions, Crown agencies and the SUCH sector (schools, universities, colleges, and hospitals).

The objectives of the Core Review include:

• Ensuring ministry programs and activities are focused on achieving government's vision of a strong economy and secure tomorrow.

• Confirming government's core responsibilities and eliminating programs that could provide better service at less cost through alternative service delivery models.

• Ensuring public-sector management wage levels are appropriate.

The Cabinet Working Group for Core Review expects to have a plan approved by end of summer. The review will include targeted industry and stakeholder consultations with recommendations expected before the end of fiscal year 2013-14 and completion of the process by Dec. 31, 2014.

Quotes:

Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Core Review -

"We made a promise to British Columbians that we would control spending, balance the budget and ensure we are structured for success. This will be an exhaustive and comprehensive process, and we look forward to moving responsibly, prudently and quickly."

"We intend to leave no stone unturned. We know government has already done a good job of managing costs, but we also know more can always be done. This review is about putting the taxpayer and families at the forefront of our decision-making process."

Learn More:

A backgrounder, containing the full Core Review Terms of Reference, follows.

Media Contact:

Matt Gordon
Communications Director
Ministry of Energy and Mines and Responsible for Core Review
250 896-4923

BACKGROUNDER

Core Review Terms of Reference

Purpose:

Government is committed to controlling spending and balancing the budget. Government also is committed to ensuring that the Province is best positioned for economic growth fuelled by a strong economy as the best way to ensure British Columbians can afford the high-quality public services required by our growing and aging population.

The overarching goal of the core review process is to ensure the best possible use of government resources and respect for the interests of taxpayers. The Cabinet Working Group on Core Review will be tasked to be bold in their ideas to ensure this goal is achieved.

More than 10 years have passed since government took a comprehensive mandate review to ensure that programs and services respond in an effective and efficient way to current service drivers, deliver results, and best position the Province to achieve the goals of a strong economy and secure tomorrow.

Scope:

The scope includes all ministries and their agencies, boards, commissions and all Crown agencies and the SUCH sector.

Role of the Cabinet Working Group on Core Review:

The role of the Cabinet Working Group on Core Review (CWGCR) is to oversee the process, review the analyses completed by ministries and make recommendations to Cabinet for final decisions. The CWGCR will ensure that the objectives of Core Review are achieved by Dec. 31, 2014.

Objectives:

The objectives for core review are to:

• Ensure that the programs and activities of ministries are focused on achieving government's vision of a strong economy and secure tomorrow.

• Ensure that government is operating as efficiently and effectively as possible by:

• Eliminating overlap and duplication between ministries and within the broader public sector.

• Reducing red-tape and unnecessary regulations that hinder economic development.

• Restructuring government program delivery and governance models where costs can be reduced and outcomes improved for the public.

• Confirm government's core responsibilities and eliminate programs that could provide better service at less cost through alternative service delivery models.

• Ensure budget targets are achieved consistent with Budget 2013 (June Update).

• Identify opportunities where further savings can be re-directed to high-priority programs.

• Ensure public-sector management wage levels are appropriate while recognizing the need for leaders who can positively impact the effectiveness and productivity of public-sector agencies.

The Core Review process will not make recommendations on those services provided to the most vulnerable of citizens except to the extent that they are not achieving intended results.

Timelines:

• Approval of a Core Review plan by the Priorities and Planning Committee by Aug. 30, 2013.

• Presentations on mandate by ministries in fall 2013.

• Refinement of ministry ideas, informed by targeted industry and stakeholder consultations during winter 2014.

• Cabinet approval of CWGCR recommendations before the end of fiscal year 2013-14.

• Complete by Dec. 31, 2014.

Media Contact:

Matt Gordon
Communications Director
Ministry of Energy and Mines and Responsible for Core Review
250 896-4923