Canadian government explores iPad use for high-ranking officials
Federal bureaucrats in Canada's capital city may be ditching their paper and pens and picking up iPads to conduct their official government business. A report from the Niagara Falls Review details a new initiative that could place the tablets into the hands of Ottawa's high-ranking officials.
A pilot program involving 20 treasury board workers has been in place since the fall, and early estimates suggest the iPad could save the government about CDN$700 per employee per year. Most of the savings would come from a reduction in paper and printing costs as documents (up to 30 pages of paper per day) would be disseminated digitally. Using iPads may also increase efficiency as government workers could use them for note-taking and document reading both within their office and from remote locations.
The current pilot program involves 20 employees outfitted with iPads at a cost of $23,500. Rolling out the tablet device to Ottawa's 6,743 high-level officials would cost a whopping $7 million. While the initial price tag would be high, the reduction in paper and printing costs may offset this initial investment.
Canadian officials are not alone in considering the use of the iPad. An iPad was recently spotted in the U.S. House of Representatives and the House is mulling changes that would allow regular usage of the tablet device on the House floor.
[Via MacTech]
