Evaluation of the Celebration and Commemoration Program 2016-17 to 2020-21

Evaluation Services Directorate
September 27, 2024

On this page

• List of tables
• List of figures
• List of acronyms and abbreviations
• Executive summary
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Program profile
  • 2.1. Program objectives, expected outcomes and activities
  • 2.2. Program management and governance
  • 2.3. Program resources
• 3. Evaluation approach and methodology
  • 3.1. Scope, timeline and quality control
  • 3.2. Calibration
  • 3.3. Evaluation questions
  • 3.4. Data collection methods
  • 3.5. Evaluation limitations and mitigation strategies
• 4. Findings
  • 4.1. Relevance
  • 4.2. Effectiveness
  • 4.3. Efficiency
• 5. Conclusions
• 6. Recommendations, management response and action plan
• Annex A: Evaluation Matrix
• Annex B: Complementary tables
• Annex C: Bibliography

List of tables

• Table 1: Expected outcomes of the Celebration and Commemoration program
• Table 2: CCP planned expenditures, including Can150, RT 2017 and WW ($ millions), 2016-17 to 2020-21
• Table 3: CCP actual spending, including and excluding Can150, RT2017 and WW Gs&Cs ($ millions), 2016-27 to 2020-21
• Table 4: CCP total planned and actual full-time equivalent positions, including and excluding Can150, 2016-17 to 2020-21
• Table 5: Evaluation questions by core issue
• Table 6: Summary of methodology
• Table 7: Evaluation limitations and mitigation strategies
• Table 8: Achievement of medium-term results, by day of significance, 2016-17 to 2020-21
• Table 9: CCP expenditures by fiscal year (millions of $), 2018-19 to 2020-21
• Table 10: Recommendation 1 – Action plan
• Table 11: Recommendation 2 – Action plan

List of figures

• Figure 1: Operational cost as a percentage of total expenditures, by region, 2018-19 to 2020-21

List of acronyms and abbreviations

BCAH

Building Communities through Arts and Heritage

Can150

Canada 150

CCP

Celebration and Commemoration Program

EBP

Employment Benefit Plan

ESD

Evaluation Services Directorate

FAA

Financial Administration Act

GBA Plus

Gender-Based Analysis Plus

GCIMS

Government of Canada Information Management System

Gs&Cs

Grants and Contributions

HUB

Resource Management Services (internally named the HUB)

IDEA

Inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility

RT2017

Road to 2017

O&M

Operations and Maintenance

OLMC

Official Language Minority Communities

PCH

Department of Canadian Heritage

TBS

Treasury Board Secretariat

WW

World Wars

Alternate format

Evaluation of the Celebration and Commemoration Program 2016-17 to 2020-21 [PDF version - 7.70 MB]

Executive summary

The evaluation examined the Celebration and Commemoration Program (CCP), which has 2 components: Celebrate Canada and Commemorate Canada. Together, they provide funding to organizations for community-based activities that celebrate days of national significance or commemorate nationally significant historical figures, places, events, and accomplishments. The evaluation focused on the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of CCP activities occurring from 2016-17 to 2020-21, with specific focus on those related to the 4 days of Celebration, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day, Canada Day, as well as National Acadian Day.

The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach which consisted of program document and administrative data review, literature review and key informant interviews with funding recipients and PCH representatives.

Key Findings

Relevance

The CCP supports organizations across the country to provide Canadians with the opportunity to have shared experiences related to significant days and events. Events for Canada Day generate the highest number of project applications. Recent additions to the program such as National Acadian Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation have increased demand on the program.

The program has begun to adapt to emerging needs and societal expectations such as those related to the ongoing legacy of colonialism in Canada. It has incorporated the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and undertaken actions meant to remove barriers to program access for Indigenous institutions and governments.

Other PCH programs have been put in place over time with content or funding type connections to the themes of CCP-funded activities. These other programs focus on official languages, Indigenous languages and culture and multiculturalism and/or involve the funding of festivals and other large events. There is an opportunity to better leverage content expertise while ensuring minimal overlap between programs in the future.

Effectiveness

Program data confirms that by providing access to events and activities, the program achieves its short-term intended results. Participation rates met the intended medium-term targets for the program. The evaluation was not able to fully assess the results of the program because of limits in performance data and the program theory.

Efficiency

The most substantial change to program efficiency which occurred during the evaluation period was the introduction of the Track-1 process. By providing a rapid assessment process for lower-cost Celebrate Canada applications, the process enabled the program to expedite funding decisions and decrease operational costs in all regions over the last 3 years of the evaluation period. The evaluation found that service standards have been achieved by the CCP most of the time and there are no major concerns about program efficiency.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1: To better achieve CCP and broader PCH intended outcomes, the evaluation recommends that the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Sport, Major Events and Commemorations engage with other PCH programs and external stakeholders to review roles and responsibilities regarding providing support for the celebrations of days of significance.

Recommendation 2: The evaluation recommends that the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Sport, Major Events and Commemorations review the program logic model and performance measures to ensure that they are: relevant to the cultural context of Canada; measurable; and, attributable to CCP activities.

1. Introduction

This report presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations resulting from the Evaluation of the Celebration and Commemoration Program (CCP). The evaluation was conducted to address evaluation requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Policy on Results (2016) and the Financial Administration Act (FAA).

The evaluation was conducted as prescribed in the Canadian Heritage (PCH) Departmental Evaluation Plan 2021-22 to 2025-26. It covers the 5-year period from April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2021, and examines the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the program.

2. Program profile

The CCP provides funding through grants and contributions (Gs&Cs) to organizations for community-based activities. It has 2 components:

• Celebrate Canada, supports events celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27 and Canada Day on July 1; and
• Commemorate Canada, provides funding for commemorations with a national scope that commemorate and celebrate nationally significant historical figures, places, events, and accomplishments, including but not limited to, activities for National Acadian Day on August 15 and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30.

2.1. Program objectives, expected outcomes and activities

The CCP aims to support Canadians’ pride and sense of belonging to the country and to each other. The expected outcomes for the CCP are shown in Table 1.

Source: CCP original documentation

The program activities target all Canadians, including members of Indigenous communities, official-language minority communities, ethnocultural communities, and youth. The funded activities are intended to improve access to events, activities and commemorations and, to promote participation in celebrations and commemorations and strengthen understanding of shared history. According to the program logic model, providing access and the ability to participate in such activities is expected to contribute to Canadians feeling connected to Canada and each other.

2.2. Program management and governance

The CCP is under the responsibility of the Major Events, Commemorations and Capital Experience Branch, which is part of PCH’s Sports, Major Events and Commemoration sector. The Celebrate Canada component is coordinated by PCH Headquarters and delivered primarily by the Regional Offices^{Footnote 1}. The Commemorate Canada component is delivered by PCH Headquarters.

2.3. Program resources

As shown in Tables 2 and 3, the planned total program spending from 2016-17 to 2020-21, including those for Canada 150 (Can150) and Commemorate Canada projects related to Road to 2017 (RT2017) and World Wars (WW), was $285.8 million. The total actual spending was $308.4 million and $126.9 million excluding the Gs&Cs related to Can150, RT2017 and WW^{Footnote 2}.

Source: PCH Financial Management Branch

Source: PCH Financial Management Branch

Table 4 shows planned and actual full-time equivalent positions available to the program, including and excluding Can150. The available data did not allow for a breakdown of FTE across all program-funded components. Only data for Can150 was available and is presented below. In general, the program was delivered with fewer staff than planned, except for 2016-17, a peak year for Can150.

Source: PCH Financial Management Branch

3. Evaluation approach and methodology

The evaluation was undertaken by PCH’s Evaluation Services Directorate (ESD) with support from an evaluation consulting firm. This section outlines the evaluation approach and methodology including scope, timelines, calibration, evaluation questions, data collection methods, limitations, and mitigation strategies.

3.1. Scope, timeline and quality control

The scope of this evaluation includes the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of the CCP from 2016-17 to 2020-21. However, while questions related to effectiveness include all aspects of the program, those related to relevance and efficiency focus on the Celebrate Canada component and National Acadian Day. To simplify the reading of this report, the evaluation refers to CCP overall, unless information refers to a specific area of the programming.

Can150 and Commemorate Canada projects related to RT2017 and WW are excluded from the scope as they were the subject of separate evaluations.

Initial scoping interviews were held with program officials, including senior management, to determine specific information needs and to refine the evaluation scope. Key information needs were related to validating the relevance of celebrations in light of changing contexts, and better understanding the results of recent administrative changes such as Track-1 processing. National Acadian Day, while part of the commemoration activities, was also highlighted as it was only added to the program in 2019-20 on a temporary basis.

The following quality assurance measures were in place for the evaluation:

• it was led by professional, experienced evaluators;
• multiple sources of primary and secondary data were used to ensure reliable findings;
• findings were validated through appropriate analysis and triangulation; and
• preliminary findings were reviewed with program representatives and evaluation management to ensure clarity of communication and analysis.

3.2. Calibration

In addition to consultations with program officials to understand information needs, this evaluation was calibrated in terms of effort and time by:

• reducing the number of evaluation questions;
• focusing on existing data sources where possible;
• undertaking targeted data collection; and
• streamlining the report.

3.3. Evaluation questions

The questions used to guide the evaluation are presented in Table 5. The evaluation matrix included as Annex A provides additional detail on the data sources and indicators linked to each of the questions.

3.4. Data collection methods

The evaluation relied on a mixed-methods approach, including a program document review, program administrative data review, literature review and key informant interviews with funding recipients, internal PCH representatives and other PCH program area representatives. Table 6 provides a brief description of the data collection methods.

The following legend was used throughout the report to indicate the proportion of individuals interviewed that responded in the same manner:

• Few: findings reflect less than 25% of the observations.
• Some/several: findings reflect at least 25% but less than 50% of the observations.
• Half: findings reflect 50% of the observations.
• Majority: findings reflect more than 50% and less than 75% of the observations.
• Most: finding reflect 75% but less than 90% of the observations.
• All/almost all: findings reflect 90% or more of the observations.

3.5. Evaluation limitations and mitigation strategies

Table 7 describes the key limitations to the evaluation and the mitigation strategies used to minimize their impacts.

4. Findings

The evaluation findings are presented according to the 3 evaluation themes: relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency.

4.1. Relevance

4.1.1. Relevance: ongoing need for the program

Evaluation question: To what extent does the CCP continue to meet a demonstrable need?

Key findings:

• Overall, the program has strong demand for funding that generally outweighs available resources. Many events would not proceed or would be of smaller scale without the support of the CCP.
• The CCP has generally been responsive to changing contexts and needs including reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the COVID-19 pandemic. There are opportunities to further address reconciliation and to address some questions related to how the CCP could better collaborate with other programs that have ties to content, or the types of activities funded.
• Given lower application and approval rates, the purpose and admissibility of the Canadian Multiculturalism Day may not be clear for potential applicants.

The demand for CCP funds is high

The CCP received 9,441 applications to its 2 components during the evaluation period of 2016-17 to 2020-21^{Footnote 7} with Celebrate Canada receiving close to 94% of the requests.

Demand for CCP funding outweighs available resources and internal stakeholders describe the program as oversubscribed. The approval rate for Celebrate Canada is 91% of all applications; only 55% of the amounts requested by these applicants were approved. Tables B-1 and B-2 in Annex B present the number of applications received and approved by both CCP components over the evaluation period by fiscal year.

The number of requests to Commemorate Canada increased over the years of the evaluation, mainly due to the integration of National Acadian Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation into the program starting in 2019-20. Commemorate Canada approved an average of 69% of applications, and 92% of the funding amounts requested were approved.

Events would be smaller in scale or would not occur in the absence of CCP funding

All funding recipient organizations interviewed for the evaluation indicated that the CCP funding is important to their events marking days of significance. Most of these recipients indicated that without the funding their events would be much smaller in scale; a few suggested that without the CCP their event would not occur at all.

Canada Day is the most funded celebration with less demand for other days

Roughly three quarters of funding applications were for Canada Day events (76%) followed by events for National Indigenous Peoples Day (8%), Canadian Multiculturalism Day (5%) and Saint Jean Baptiste Day (4%).

With the second fewest applications, some stakeholders interviewed indicated that the timing of Canadian Multiculturalism Day events may be partially responsible for the relatively low number of applications. Schools are not in session, limiting the involvement of activities among student age populations, and the date celebrated does not align with other multiculturalism days or weeks that exist at provincial or territorial levels.

Canadian Multiculturalism Day related requests also had the lowest application approval rate among all days (76%) over the evaluation period. Internal stakeholders interviewed indicated that there may be a lack of understanding of the objectives of Canadian Multiculturalism Day among some applicants resulting in ineligible applications. They suggested that more community outreach may be important. Furthermore, some key informants noted that having one day to celebrate the multiculturalism of Canadian identity may be less important now that there are other weeks and theme days that do the same or focus on similar themes.

Regarding lowest demand for Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, this may not be surprising for similar reasons. Some stakeholders interviewed indicated that it did not resonate with all Francophone communities across Canada. The inclusion of National Acadian Day under CCP in 2019-2020 confirms this idea as this additional day was meant to recognize the contribution of Acadians to the Canadian cultural fabric, recognize their historical presence on the land, and recognize their cultural specificity in all its diversity.

The CCP has adapted in response to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples

There are evolving ideas about celebrating Canada Day and other long-standing events and historical figures as Canadians learn more about the history of colonialism and examine ways to support reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. The CCP was adapted to better address the ongoing legacy of colonialism in Canada in two important ways:

• The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was incorporated into CCP activities in 2019-20 and has supported more than 200 events since its establishment.
• Program guidelines were revised in 2020-21 to include Indigenous institutions and governments as eligible organizations with funding provided to some recipients to undertake meaningful collaboration and consultation with Indigenous representatives to ensure that Canada Day celebrations continue to evolve in an inclusive manner. For example, the annual Canada Day event in Vancouver was renamed “Canada Together” and adopted the theme “weaving together the fabric of a nation”. Some stakeholders mentioned that with support from the CCP, event organizers worked collaboratively with representatives of local First Nations to create the day’s events and have committed to working in the same manner to plan future Canada Day events.

Following the discovery of unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools in 2021, Canadians and community organizations began to reflect on the most appropriate way to mark Canada Day. Many communities began to integrate more indigenous stories and other elements into their celebrations. In addition, “#CancelCanadaDay” became a relatively popular social media tag promoted by the Indigenous rights advocacy group Idle No More, which reported that more than 50 municipalities across Canada had canceled July 1 celebrations in 2021.^{Footnote 8} For example, in Victoria, B.C., a virtual Canada Day broadcast was set aside in 2021 following the discovery of the remains of 2,015 children at a former Residential School.^{Footnote 9} Victoria resumed Canada Day celebrations in 2022 with event programming that started with a canoe protocol followed by Indigenous cultural performances, blessings and a traditional blanket ceremony presented in collaboration by the City and the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

Media reports and stakeholder interviews reveal that as Canadians learn more about the history of colonialism in Canada and about Indigenous culture, there are changing ideas about how to celebrate Canada Day and other long-standing events and historical figures. At the same time, there is a growing interest in celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The CCP responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by permitting changes to proposed projects

The CCP responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by permitting and supporting funding recipients to modify activities to be delivered virtually and to be consistent with social distancing guidelines. Due to public health restrictions on large gatherings, most events were virtual during 2020 and 2021.

The funding recipients interviewed for the evaluation reported that the CCP was flexible and adaptive in allowing virtual events and other activities to occur during the COVID-19 pandemic, when typical in-person events could not occur. Most recipients described adapting their planned event in 3 ways: entirely virtual events, such as a television or online broadcast; small, socially distanced outdoor activities, such as concerts or scavenger hunts; or hybrid events that combined in-person and online. A few interviewees indicated that their events did not occur at all in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

4.1.2. Relevance: alignment with government roles, responsibilities and priorities

Evaluation question: To what extent is the CCP aligned with government roles, responsibilities, and priorities, including those related to equity, diversity and reconciliation?

Key findings:

• The CCP demonstrates alignment with departmental and federal government priorities, particularly regarding equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation.
• There are opportunities to further improve alignment with priorities related to reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The CCP appears to be well aligned with PCH and federal government priorities

By funding activities specific to Canadian Multiculturalism Day, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Canada Day, National Acadian Day, and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the program demonstrates alignment with government roles, responsibilities, and priorities, including those related to equity, diversity, and reconciliation.

The delivery of major celebrations and commemorations contributes to the Department’s Strategic Outcome - Canadians share, express, and appreciate their Canadian identity – this supports the mandate of fostering a stronger Canadian identity through active, engaged, inclusive citizenship, and the recognition of the importance of both linguistic duality and a shared civic identity.

Application forms and monitoring reports include sections related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, such as sections on equity group membership, engagement of equity groups in funded events, compliance with the Official Languages Act, and conducting sustainability assessments when events are held on public property. However, some internal stakeholders indicated that there is a gap in data on how the program responds to equity community needs and that more outreach to these communities was needed.

Regarding reconciliation, the Interdepartmental Committee on Commemorations, on which PCH is co-chair, has a working committee on Indigenous affairs. In addition, the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation was incorporated into CCP activities in 2019-20 and has supported more than 200 events since its establishment. CCP guidelines include all Indigenous organizations as eligible for funding since 2020-21.

All applicants are required to complete an Official Languages checklist that defines the linguistic profile of their community and provides details on the actions the client will take to involve and/or include the linguistic minority in their activities. In addition, some Official Language Minority Communities (OLMC) apply directly to the program and receive funding to host events in their communities. Furthermore, CCP funding recipients are required to report on Official Language measures implemented for their projects.

The Program requires that all funded events be accessible to all and free of charge. Funding recipients interviewed for the evaluation highlighted this aspect as very important for participation to their events. All recipients indicated that their events are inclusive and accessible, centrally located, and free of charge for participants to attend.

4.1.3. Relevance: extent of complementarity or duplication

Evaluation question: To what extent does the CCP complement or duplicate other initiatives in Canada?

Key findings:

• The role of the CCP in the celebration and commemoration space is well-established and there is little spending overlap with other PCH programs.
• Even so, there are questions about the role and place of CCP in relation to delivering certain activities, such as those related to reconciliation or multiculturalism, without the content expertise of other programs.
• Increased collaboration with other departmental or federal government entities with content expertise may address concerns related to overlap or duplication.

There appears to be little overlap with spending of other similar programs

Most internal interviewees indicated that there is little, if any, spending overlap between the CCP and other PCH or federal government programs. About half of key informants interviewed mentioned that some funding tends to be available from private sector sponsors, but also that those funds are typically only available by leveraging CCP funding.

For the most part, any risks of overlap with spending between PCH programs are being managed through a combination of communication, coordination, and eligibility criteria. For example, the risk of overlap between the CCP and Building Communities through Arts and Heritage (BCAH) has been effectively mitigated by clear eligibility criteria for BCAH funding which excludes projects already funded by CCP. While eligibility criteria are well-articulated in BCAH guidelines, the criteria for CCP and other PCH programs do not clearly state that its recipients cannot also receive funding through another PCH program. However, some internal interviewees mentioned that even if these programs don’t have specific eligibility criteria restricting duplication of funding, when applications are made to other PCH programs in connection with CCP-funded celebration days, applicants are automatically referred to CCP.

Opportunities to leverage content expertise from other entities

While no clear duplication with other programs was identified in the evaluation, there is room for better coordination given the changes to the CCP and the additional PCH branches and programs that have been put in place over time to support recent priorities. Other PCH programs now have content connections to the themes of CCP-funded celebrations and there are risks of overlapping content expertise between programs in the future.

Some internal stakeholders raised questions about the CCP supporting certain days when other branches and programs within PCH and other departments have more knowledge, expertise, contacts with communities, and therefore could potentially better shape the desired direction for these celebrations. Furthermore, a few internal key informants suggested opportunities to enhance the connections and coordination between the CCP and certain other PCH programs or federal government departments to better align activities and confirm roles, mandates and expertise needed to deliver programs that address similar content or priorities. Specific examples were:

• Other programs that support Official Languages in the context of Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day and National Acadian Day.
• Indigenous Services Canada or the programs within PCH working closely with indigenous communities.
• Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program in the context of the reflections surrounding Canadian Multiculturalism Day.

4.2. Effectiveness

4.2.1. Effectiveness: achievement of expected results

Evaluation question: To what extent is the CCP achieving the expected short, medium, and long-term results?

Key findings:

• CCP achieves its short-term intended results related to Canadians having improved access to events and activities that celebrate Canadian identity and to nationally significant commemorations that highlight Canada’s cultural heritage, Canadian identity and values.
• Medium-term expected outcomes are achieved most of the time.
• It appears that the CCP contributes to the long-term expected result that Canadians feel a better connection to Canada and each other.
• There are gaps and opportunities to improve program’s logic model and performance measurement.

The CCP achieves its short-term intended outcomes

CCP is achieving its short-term results related to providing access to events and activities that celebrate Canadian identity and to nationally significant commemorations that highlight Canada’s cultural heritage, Canadian identity and values. From 2016-17 to 2020-21:

• 7,405 events, an average of 1,481 annually, were funded through Celebrate Canada; and
• 393 events, an average of 79 annually, were funded through Commemorate Canada, of which 117 were for National Acadian Day events in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Despite the significant number of events and commemorations funded by the program, stakeholders suggested ways to improve the extent to which the program provides access to Canadians. These suggestions included undertaking more outreach to specific groups such as Indigenous and racialized communities and collecting of data to better measure the quality of access that results from funding events.

The CCP often meets its medium-term intended outcome related to public participation

Public participation rates in events were higher than the stated targets for most days included in the evaluation (Table 8). Key informants noted a range of reasons for lower than intended participation including the weather and security concerns but also, in 2020-21, the COVID-19 Pandemic. In 2 separate years, participation targets were not met for Canada Day; the one in 2020-21 was negatively affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Source: PCH Departmental Results Reports

The program contributes to a sense of belonging to Canada

Available data indicates that the CCP contributes to the achievement of the long-term expected results. Based on the most recent Statistics Canada data, 84.2% of Canadians report feeling a strong sense of belonging to Canada.^{Footnote 10} However, this data source is not updated annually and as with most long-term expected results of government programs, clear attribution is not possible given the wide range of other factors and initiatives that impact feelings of belonging to the country.

Most key informants agreed that the program allowed for Canadians to feel connected to Canada and each other to a great extent. Organizers of events for Canada Day interviewed for the evaluation described the profound impact holding citizenship ceremonies at Canada Day celebrations has on observers of the events and participants in the ceremonies.

Limitations in performance data and the program theory impacted the assessment of results

Evaluation theory and best practices reveal deficiencies in the current logic model and performance measures. The medium-term outcome is based on participation in the event, and it occurs simultaneous to the short-term outcome of providing access. There may be a more appropriate way to measure medium-term impacts that occur, based on the program’s theory of change, between the short-term impact of people having access to an event and the long-term impact of people feeling more connected to Canada and each other. Some internal stakeholders indicated that qualitative data was necessary to better measure performance of the CCP. The program and the department were working on this revision at the time of writing this evaluation report.

A lack of data from the program for the years 2016-17 to 2018-19 which impacted the assessment of progress towards medium-term outcomes. Data was available through this source for years 2019-20 and 2020-21. However, the figures did not match medium-term results reported by the program, suggesting the workbooks have incomplete data for those years.

4.3. Efficiency

4.3.1. Efficiency of CCP delivery

Evaluation question: How efficiently is the CCP delivered?

Key findings:

• The CCP is generally delivered in an efficient manner. The operational cost for CCP appears appropriate, and the program has practices in place ensuring efficiency.
• Most service standards are being achieved; however, timeliness of approval may be an area for further attention.
• Track-1 results in faster project approvals.
• The accessibility and efficiency of My PCH Online are a concern.

The CCP has practices in place to ensure efficiency

The average operational cost^{Footnote 11} to deliver Gs&Cs through the CCP, is 21%. Operational costs include salaries (19.7%) and O&M (1.5%) (Table 9).

Source: PCH Financial Management Branch

To help support the efficient use of resources, the program has practices in place aimed at achieving efficiency including templates and tools available to program officers, recipients, and partners in both languages, allowing for common understanding and consistent practices. In addition, monthly meetings are held with all CCP staff to share information and discuss issues and best practices.

Track-1 seems to have generally improved efficiency in delivering funding

In 2018-19, CCP implemented a rapid assessment process for Celebrate Canada applications of $5,000 and under. This process, called Track-1, is intended to expedite funding decisions for these applications that are considered low risk. As shown in Figure 1, all regions decreased their operational costs over the 3 last years of the evaluation period^{Footnote 12}, particularly due to the implementation of Track-1. There is an increase for the Prairies and North region, which spent 39% of total expenditures on operations in 2018-19 and 47% in 2020-21. This can be explained by the establishment of a national call centre in this region to meet the needs of applicants and recipients across Canada during the same period.

Figure 1: Operational cost as a percentage of total expenditures, by region, 2018-19 to 2020-21

Since its introduction, Track-1 has become integral to the operation of the Celebrate Canada program, processing 69% of all applications made between 2018-19 and 2020-21. Importantly, it has resulted in faster average approval times. Projects evaluated under Track-1 have been approved on average 11 weeks after receipt. This has reduced the approval time for other projects to 17 weeks which is the overall average for Celebrate Canada prior to the implementation of Track-1.

About half of stakeholders who were asked to describe the impact of implementing Track-1 in their region agreed that the process is easier and simpler. Several were concerned with the loss of regional perspective and contact with clients, and the ability to monitor projects approved through Track-1. This finding was also raised in an internal review of the implementation and performance of Track-1 completed by the program in December 2022 which noted that this accelerated process may lack a degree of involvement from the regions that could lead to a deficit in regional knowledge. The internal review indicated that increased engagement with program staff in discussing risks and overlap would improve connectivity with the regions and allow for more accuracy when funding clients through Track-1. Table B-3 of Annex B presents the percentage of Celebrate Canada applications assessed with Track-1 process by fiscal year.

Most service standards are being achieved with timeliness of project approvals raising some questions

Overall, CCP exceeds its target of 80% on the various PCH service standards with averages of 97% for the acknowledgement standard, 91% for the funding decision and 91% for payment. However, the funding decision standard target was not reached by Celebrate Canada in 2020-21 as well as the payment standard target by Commemorate Canada for the same year. Tables B-4 and B-5 in Annex B present the CCP service standards for the 5 years covered by the evaluation for both CCP components.

Even though service standards related to the funding decision and the payment are being achieved, half of the funding recipients commented on the length of time it takes to receive a decision and for funding to flow. They reported having to cash-manage their project costs before knowing if they will be approved and for how much. Larger organizations are better able to manage this risk than smaller organizations.

My PCH Online brings challenges and benefits

Nearly all funding recipients indicated that they find the online application process to be efficient and easy to use once they gained some experience using it with a few describing an initial learning curve or burden when using My PCH Online. Funding recipients especially appreciated that they will not have to re-enter certain unchanged information each application cycle. However, even if out of scope of this evaluation, it seems that the 2022-23 intake presented several technical issues related to My PCH Online that were not program related.

The accessibility and efficiency of My PCH Online was raised by some internal stakeholders. Specifically, project officers reported inefficiencies resulting from the administrative burden of assisting people to complete the online application and to monitor the system for duplicate accounts and other data quality issues. Several interviewees expressed concerns related to equity implications for areas with poor quality or no internet access, as well as for some groups of applicants potentially less familiar with online applications^{Footnote 13}. While mail-in applications are possible, these would not benefit from the efficiency My PCH Online was meant to provide.

Opportunities to further improve program efficiency exist

Internal stakeholders raised opportunities to potentially improve efficiency such as reviewing intake deadlines; undertaking more consultations with clients; enhancing engagement of regional employees in identifying solutions; increasing delegated approval levels; and ensuring greater proportionality of funding by regions and by regional needs. The need to increase the current $5 000 maximum threshold for Track-1 was also raised by internal stakeholders in light of the rising costs to hold events.

Thoughts about whether CCP should continue to support certain celebration days in a context that has evolved since its implementation also raised questions about efficiency. Indeed, it seems inefficient to have multiple programs under different branches that cover the similar priorities. This makes it difficult to measure and achieve PCH outcomes. There appear to be opportunities to improve communication and coordination among potentially overlapping programs as mentioned in section 4.1.3 of this report.

5. Conclusions

Overall, the evaluation confirms the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the CCP during the 5-year period of 2016-17 to 2020-21. It notes key opportunities for improvement to further ensure continued relevance and performance moving forward.

The evaluation concludes that the CCP is relevant to many needs and to government mandate and priorities. The program responded well to changing needs brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the mass adoption of virtual events.

However, the environment in which the program operates has undergone important changes over the evaluation period and societal values are continuing to shift. The program made efforts to increase attention on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the priorities related to equity and diversity. There are opportunities to work towards even greater engagement of Indigenous peoples and for more outreach to equity communities, to better align PCH activities with the ongoing evolution of Canadian identity and to ensure that intended outcomes are reached.

The evaluation noted that while there is no clear duplication, there are risks of overlap between the CCP and other program areas within PCH and other departments meant to address more recent government priorities, including those related to multiculturalism, reconciliation and official languages. There are opportunities for the program to engage in better communication and coordination with these other programs.

There is evidence that the CCP is achieving its short and medium-term expected results. The CCP provides Canadians the opportunity to celebrate and commemorate important events.

There are challenges with program theory and performance measurement data which limit reporting on results and the availability of information to support decision making. The expected short- and medium-term outcomes occur simultaneously which does not fully capture the intended changes sought through the program funded events. There is evidence of contribution of the program towards the long term expected result of Canadians feeling connected to Canada and each other.

The evaluation finds that that the CCP is generally delivered in an efficient manner. While service standards are achieved most of the time, there are questions about the approval timelines and, to a lesser extent, the complexity of using the online application portal. The introduction of the automated Track-1 process in 2018-19 has decreased project approval times overall and improved operational efficiency across all regions by streamlining the application and approval process for low-risk, low-value projects.

6. Recommendations, management response and action plan

Based on the findings and conclusions, this evaluation offers the following 2 recommendations related to improving collaboration with other PCH programs and external stakeholders; and, improving and clarifying the program theory, logic model and performance indicators.

Recommendation 1

To better achieve CCP and broader PCH intended outcomes, the evaluation recommends that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Sport, Major Events and Commemorations engage with other PCH programs and external stakeholders to review roles and responsibilities regarding providing support for the celebrations of days of significance.

Management response

Recommendation accepted.

The program agrees with this recommendation and recognizes that greater engagement with other PCH programs and external stakeholders will contribute to enhancing the potential reach and impact of its funding.

Many years have passed since the creation of the CCP, and in this time, both Canadian Heritage and the Gs&Cs funding landscape have evolved in important ways. Today, there are several programs and branches within the Department that have mandates closely aligned to the themes and values highlighted by the 4 days within Celebrate Canada, as is the case in other federal departments. There are opportunities to work more closely with partners and stakeholders to collaborate and build synergies, ultimately to improve impact and maximize outcomes.

Accordingly, the program will reach out to colleagues in the Official Languages Branch, Indigenous Languages, and Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch, as well as federal partners at Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), to determine ways in which the program’s celebrations of days of significance can support, and similarly be supported by, work undertaken in these areas. Discussion will focus on funding, outreach and communications, each tailored to the realities of individual celebration days.

Full implementation date: September 2025

Recommendation 2

The evaluation recommends that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Sport, Major Events and Commemorations review the program logic model and performance measures to ensure that they are: relevant to the cultural context of Canada; measurable; and, attributable to CCP activities.

Management response

Recommendation accepted.

The program agrees with this recommendation and acknowledges that a review of the current logic model and performance measurement strategy would be beneficial to further demonstrate program relevance and inform decision-making.

The Departmental Results Framework was recently updated to ensure that the Branch’s long-term result is measurable and attributable to its activities, including CCP’s. The program logic model will be updated to include these recent changes and the performance measurement strategy will be reviewed to ensure it remains relevant to the cultural context of Canada.

Full implementation date: December 2025

Annex A: Evaluation Matrix

Annex B: Complementary tables

Source: Administrative data (GCIMS)

Source: Administrative data (GCIMS)

Source: Administrative data (GCIMS)

Source: PCH Service Standards

Source: PCH Service Standards

Annex C: Bibliography

Canadian Heritage. (2021). Service standards results for Canadian Heritage funding programs. Retrieved from Service standards results for Canadian Heritage funding programs - Canada.ca

Canadian Heritage (September 2019). National Celebrations, Commemorations and Symbols: Performance Information Profile.

Canadian Heritage. (2018). Evaluation of the Celebration and Commemoration Program 2011-12 to 2015-16. Retrieved from Evaluation of the Celebration and Commemoration Program - Canada.ca

Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day rather than St. John’s Days, City Council Says. (June 15, 2021). The Globe and Mail.

Idle No More website.

Minister of Justice. National Acadian Day Act (S.C. 2003, c. 11)

O’Brien, A. (June 16, 2021). One Canadian city has cancelled Canada Day: Should Toronto follow suit? CTV News Toronto.

Statistics Canada. Table 43-10-0064-01 Sense of belonging to the local community, town, province and Canada and trust in people, by groups designated as visible minorities and selected sociodemographic characteristics, 2020.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, 2024

Catalogue No.: CH7-16/2025E-PDF

ISBN: 978-0-660-75268-6