The federal government spent at least $4.8 million last year on 33,213 Microsoft licences and subscriptions that no employee used, according to government records reviewed by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), the National Post reports.
The figures came in response to a written question from Conservative MP Adam Chambers, tabled in the Commons in April. A further 19,860 unused licences were also bought, but their cost was not disclosed. The CTF estimates the total could reach about $7.67 million.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada had the largest number of unused licences, 7,443. Statistics Canada had the biggest bill, close to $1.2 million. CTF federal director Franco Terrazzano said cancelling subscriptions nobody uses should be the first step for a government seeking savings.
Source: National Post
Photo: Centre Block, Ottawa, Southeast view 20170422 1 by DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative image of Ottawa.
