Computer Revamp Costs Soar, Program Goes Up 25% And Lags Far Behind Schedule

Designed to integrate 12 disparate immigration and citizenship information computer programs while streamlining cumbersome and controversial deportation process, the system is suffering from setbacks similar to those that drove the gun registry to almost $2 billion. Along with indecision and delays, the costs for both programs were lifted into the fiscal stratosphere by unforeseen computer complexities.

Following the twists and turns of a project heading off the rails is as instructive as it is familiar.

Toronto Star [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on April 23, 2006]

Note: Toronto Star