Notice #494 - Changes to collecting sex data on Registered Disability Savings Plan application forms and updates to the Canada Disability Savings Program system Interface Transaction Standards
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Information bulletin
Number: CDSP/PCEI-2023/24-002-494
Date: August 15, 2023
Subject: Changes to collecting sex data on Registered Disability Savings Plan application forms and updates to the Canada Disability Savings Program system Interface Transaction Standards
Purpose
The purpose of this information bulletin is to inform issuers/agents that the Canada Disability Savings Program (CDSP) has updated its approach to collecting sex and gender information. It provides information on updates to the Interface Transaction Standards (ITS) and the updates required to Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) application forms.
Background
The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that its policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive of all Canadians.
In September 2018, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) and the Department of Justice Canada recommended ways to modernize how the Government of Canada handles information on sex and gender. The resulting policy direction for the whole-of- government touches on both service delivery for people in Canada and the role of the government as Canada's largest employer.
The policy direction aims to balance the following objectives:
- promoting the respect, inclusion and personal safety of transgender, non‑binary and two‑spirit people
- supporting the collection of correct sex and gender data for government operations, analysis and evidence‑based decision‑making; and
- protecting the personal information of individuals
CDSP has reviewed its processes and practices to consider impacts on transgender, non‑binary and two‑spirit people. As a result, it has updated its approach to collecting sex and gender information to align with the objectives included in the policy direction.
The CDSP uses sex/gender information to confirm identity. However, sex/gender on its own does not impact the registration of a disability savings plan or the payment of disability savings incentives. CDSP also collects and uses different variables, such as gender, for several reasons, including:
- to inform demographic and statistical analysis
- to monitor the design and delivery of the program, and
- to support the program's and the department's capacities to conduct gender‑based analysis plus (GBA+), which is a Government of Canada requirement and commitment
Interface Transaction Standards updates
The CDSP system Interface Transaction Standards (ITS) version 3.3 updates are as follows:
| Section | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Various sections | Replace | Replaced the word ‘sex' with the word ‘gender'. |
| 6.4.2 The 101‑02 transaction – Record component layout – Contract registration – beneficiary information | Add | Updated the data element name from ‘beneficiary sex' to ‘beneficiary gender'
and added: 3 – another gender 4 – not provided |
| 6.4.3 The 101‑03 transaction - Record component layout – Contract registration - holder information | Add | Updated the data element name from ‘holder sex' to ‘holder gender' and added: 3 – another gender 4 – not provided |
| 6.6.1 The 201‑02 transaction - Record component layout – Update beneficiary information | Add | Updated the data element name from ‘beneficiary sex' to ‘beneficiary gender' and added: 3 – another gender 4 – not provided |
| 6.6.2 The 201‑03 transaction - Record component layout – Update holder information | Add | Updated the data element name from ‘holder sex' to ‘holder gender' and added: 3 – another gender 4 – not provided |
| 6.6.3 The 201‑13 transaction - Record component layout – Add holder to contract | Add | Updated the data element name from ‘holder sex' to ‘holder gender' and added: 3 – another gender 4 – not provided |
The changes to the CDSP system as reflected in the CDSP system ITS updates will take effect as of the January 2024 production run.
Data version 3.3 will appear in the header record of all files created by the CDSP system as of January 2024. Issuers are not required to add this new data version to the header record in their files.
There will be no industry testing required for these updates.
Required updates to RDSP application form
As per the ITS and the Canada Revenue Agency's (CRA) circular on RDSPs (IC99‑1R3), gender remains a mandatory datum that issuers must collect to register an RDSP. CRA's circular does not specify which gender options must be included on a RDSP application form. However, to align with the changes made to the ITS, issuers will be required to replace fields on their RDSP application form labelled as "sex" with "gender". Also, a third non-binary gender (another gender) will need to be added as an option in the gender field along with the existing male and female options.
If a client chooses not to make a selection in the gender field, the issuer should accept the application form with the gender field left blank. However, a "prefer not to say" option will not be included. The non‑selection of a gender option should not be promoted to beneficiaries and holders. Issuers must continue to send a response in the gender field to inform CDSP, even if no gender was chosen on the forms. For this reason, the ITS has been updated to give a fourth option for issuers that represents no data provided. As per the ITS updates above, the 4 options for reporting gender to the CDSP system are:
- female
- male
- another gender
- not provided
Employment and Social Development Canada's (ESDC) forms related to the Canada Disability Savings Grant and Bond do not collect sex or gender data of RDSP beneficiaries or holders. As such, there is no impact on any CDSP forms published by ESDC.
Mandatory use
Issuers must submit gender-based data to the CDSP system, as per the updated ITS, beginning May 1, 2024. Updates to gender fields on RDSP application forms must be completed before this date to make sure gender‑based data is being submitted by May 1, 2024.
Contact us
If you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact us:
- by using our online contact page
- by e-mail at rdsp‑reei@hrsdc‑rhdcc.gc.ca
- by phone at 1‑866‑204‑0357
Our business hours are from 8 am to 5 pm, Eastern Time.
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