Horizontal enterprise capabilities
Shared services, systems or capabilities that can be used across multiple departments or organizations.
Plain English
Shared systems, services or tools that more than one department can use, instead of each department building its own.
If you’re new here
Something the whole government can share (like one payroll system used by many departments) rather than each team building a separate one.
What they probably mean
“Someone else probably already built this. Go look before you spend money.”
Interpretation offered as humour, not authoritative guidance.
Seen in the wild
“The organization shall leverage existing horizontal enterprise capabilities where feasible.”
Translate this sentence →En français
Services ou systèmes partagés que plusieurs ministères peuvent utiliser.
Bureaucracy level
How much government-speak this phrase carries. Playful indicator, not a judgement of anyone using it.
Related terms
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Important
GC Simplified is an independent tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Canada, and it does not provide official advice. Plain language is an interpretation, and interpretations can be wrong. Always verify against the source and your organization’s own guidance before acting.