The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) was created in December 2003, when Human Resources Development Canada was split into two separate departments: HRSDC and Social Development Canada. Though they continued to share many common services and operations, HRSDC was to focus on workforce-related aspects of the former HRDC portfolio, while SDC was to focus on social support programs for children, families and seniors. The split was given formal legal effect when the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Act and the Department of Social Development Act were enacted in July 2005.