SAMS

Dr. Wayne Lewchuk1 School of Labour Studies and Department of Economics McMaster University July 2016 1 A number of people helped in the preparation of this report. Dale Brown helped in all phases of the project. As a former systems analyst and designer of software systems for large public institutions, her knowledge of computer systems...

Toronto – Dr. Wayne Lewchuk has delivered a stinging rebuke to the Ontario government over implementation of its Social Assistance Management System (SAMS). In a 55-page report released July 19, the McMaster University economics professor labelled SAMS a “health and safety disaster.” The Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS) rolled out the system in...

Despite 18 months of problems associated with the software responsible for tracking Ontarians on social assistance, the Ontario government has awarded a two-year $32-million IT contract aimed at servicing the software to the same company that created it. The union representing workers using SAMS — short for "social assistance management system" — is not happy that the contract has been awarded to IBM....