Departmental Plan 2023-24 — Canadian Heritage

Errata

Following the tabling of the 2021-22 Departmental Results Report, it was determined that the result for the indicator "Percentage of Canadians who agree that Canada’s two official languages (English/French) are an important part of what it means to be Canadian." for the year 2021-22 should be 60% rather than 66%.

The result was corrected in the Departmental Results Report 2021-22, the Departmental Plan 2023-24, and in GC InfoBase.

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

The Honourable Marci Ien, P.C., M.P.
Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

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Message from the ministers

Pablo Rodriguez
Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Ahmed Hussen
Marci Ien
Pascale St-Onge

As ministers, we are pleased to present the Department of Canadian Heritage’s 2023–24 Departmental Plan.

These are challenging times for Canadian society, and we are navigating them with resilience, courage and mutual support. Many sectors supported by Canadian Heritage have seen their activities gradually resume in recent months. The Department plans to provide more strategic and long-term support through its regular programs, while remaining responsive to changes in society. In the coming year, equity, diversity, inclusion and reconciliation will remain at the heart of all our work.

In the areas of arts and culture, Canadian Heritage will continue to modernize Canada’s legislative framework to ensure a level playing field for online platforms in Canada, fair compensation for news publishers, and a safe and inclusive online environment. As the rising cost of living may have an impact on the cultural sector, the Department will continue to be attentive to new realities, including workforce needs and the reopening of the cultural sector.

Celebrations of our history and heritage are unifying projects that bring us together and include everyone in community life. The Department will support local heritage celebrations and renew the Canadian Museum Policy in collaboration with the heritage community and the Canadian public. On the road to reconciliation, the Residential Schools National Monument project will move forward, as will our conversations with Indigenous organizations to develop National Day for Truth and Reconciliation projects. Finally, we will continue to support the efforts of Indigenous communities to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen their languages.

In response to the call from Canadians for a more socially inclusive sport culture, the Department will champion a safe and welcoming sport environment across the country. We will support the work of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner in implementing the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport. We will strengthen our safe sport requirements for the organizations we fund. We will also renew the Canadian Sport Policy, while promoting access to safe and welcoming sport experiences for all, including members of Indigenous communities, women, girls, and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

In 2023–24, the Department plans to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and an Action Plan on Combatting Hate. These initiatives build on our commitment to fight racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate, and to promote the development of all people, including Indigenous persons, Black and racialized persons, and members of religious minorities. We will continue to promote respect for human rights. We will also provide opportunities for young people to learn about Canada, connect with each other, and appreciate the diversity and shared aspects of the Canadian experience. We will plan for the next State of Youth Report in 2025 and support the activities of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council.

Finally, the Department will continue to modernize and strengthen the Official Languages Act, taking into account the unique reality of the French language in Canada, including in Quebec. We will begin implementing the new Action Plan for Official Languages, which will cover the period 2023–28. This initiative demonstrates our government’s commitment to promoting our two official languages and official-language minority communities across the country.

Canadian Heritage will achieve its mission through a flexible hybrid work model in which the principle of accessibility is central. By fostering a healthy, respectful and inclusive workplace, we aim to provide high-quality programs and services to every Canadian.

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez
Minister of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen
Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

The Honourable Marci Ien
Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

The Honourable Pascale St-Onge
Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

Plans at a glance

In 2023–24, the Department of Canadian Heritage will support Minister Rodriguez, Minister Petitpas Taylor, Minister Hussen, Minister Ien and Minister St-Onge in carrying out their mandates and in achieving results to advance the Department’s five core responsibilities, as outlined in its Departmental Results Framework.

Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture

Core responsibility 2: Heritage and celebration

Core responsibility 3: Sport

Core responsibility 4: Diversity and inclusion

Core responsibility 5: Official languages

Internal Services

Innovation

Canadian Heritage will contribute to building a future-fit organization through the Innovation and Impact Program. The program would provide guidance on public service innovation and experimentation, and access to resources such as funding, technical experts and senior leadership to support innovation activities. This will equip the Department with the experience, skills and resources required to make transformative impact, leading to an organization that is relevant to Canadians.

For more information on Canadian Heritage’s plans, see the “Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks” section of this plan.

Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks

This section contains information on the Department’s planned results and resources for each of its core responsibilities. It also contains information on key risks related to achieving those results.

Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture

Description

Ensures that a wide range of Canadian artistic and cultural content is accessible at home and abroad. Provides opportunities for Canadians to participate and engage in Canada’s creative life, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion. Fosters creativity, innovation, growth and employment opportunities in Canada’s cultural sector, and in the creative economy. Support policy, legislative and regulatory measures; deliver funding programs that support creation, professional training, cultural infrastructure and arts presentation; business development and marketing initiatives; and the establishment of partnerships in Canada and abroad.

Planning highlights

Canadian Heritage contributes to Core Responsibility 1 through several programs: Arts; Cultural Marketplace Framework; and Cultural Industries Support and Development.

At a high level, Canadian Heritage supports marketplace conditions for a strong, innovative, competitive, and equitable cultural sector through policy development and advice to ensure a responsive legislative and policy framework. This includes advice on horizontal fields like discoverability of Canada’s creative industries internationally to help creators reach their export potential, and matters related to the digital environment, including advice on content providers in the digital age and disinformation. The Department fosters a vibrant Canadian artistic sector by increasing opportunities for Canadians to connect with the arts, explore artistic excellence and become full partners in supporting a resilient arts sector. Canadian Heritage also encourages the creation of and access to Canadian cultural content, as well as fosters the competitiveness of Canada’s music, book publishing and periodical industries, and film and video.

In 2023–24, the culture sector will continue to move forward from the pandemic’s impacts. A recent survey of recipients of the Recovery and Reopening Fund temporary pandemic measure showed that 98% of recipients are operating and plan to continue operating, and approximately three quarters (76%) had recovered from the pandemic’s impacts to a large or moderate extent. Due to the changing environment, including venues reopening, in 2023–24, the Department will shift from supporting culture organizations through short-term COVID-19 emergency and recovery measures to more strategic supports, while staying abreast of future needs of stakeholders in the arts and culture sectors.

Alongside this direct industry support, the Department is working on renewing the enabling frameworks that establish the rules around which the sector operates to ensure that these are updated to better align with the current industry trends, and support integration and fairness within a changing environment. This includes:

Looking forward, Canadian Heritage is also monitoring potential emerging challenges related to the increasing cost of living that may impact the costs for culture organizations as well as consumer spending habits in the culture sector. The Department will explore these emerging research questions as well as the issue of audience return to cultural activities and labour shortage issues.

In addition, the Department will continue to ensure that the implementation of its activities be done in consultation with Canadians, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous people, and equity-deserving Canadians and in alignment with Government of Canada horizontal priorities. The activities of the Department have an impact on inclusion of different equity-deserving groups and Indigenous reconciliation. The Department will:

In addition to the social impacts of the culture sector, the culture sector is also important to the Canadian economy. On the economic front, the arts and culture sector accounts for 3% of Canadian gross domestic product (GDP) and will continue to contribute to the vitality of the Canadian economy through jobs and training, economic inclusion, capital investments, and funding that supports local economies across Canada.

The planned budget allocated to this core responsibility is $581,358,679 and activities are supported by a total of 454.0 planned full-time equivalents.

Creative industries are successful in the digital economy, foster creativity and contribute to economic growth.

To help achieve this departmental result, the Department will undertake the following activities in 2023–24, in addition to its normal business activities and programming, by:

Canadians are able to consume Canadian content on multiple platforms.

In addition to its normal business activities and programming, the Department will undertake the following activities in 2023–24 to help achieve this departmental result by:

Creative industries are successful in global markets.

In addition to its normal business activities and programming, the Department will undertake the following activities in 2023–24 to help achieve this departmental result by:

Professional arts experiences are available to Canadians in their community.

To help achieve this departmental result, the Department will undertake the following activities in 2023–24, in addition to its normal business activities and programming, by:

Canadians are better equipped to counter the effects of online disinformation.

In addition to its normal business activities and programming, the Department will undertake the following activities in 2023–24 towards achieving this departmental result by:

Gender-based analysis plus

Various programs under this core responsibility will seek to ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians in the cultural landscape in 2023–24:

Screen industry
Disinformation
Arts
Creative Export
Magazine industry
United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Various activities under this core responsibility will seek to contribute indirectly to the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals by:

Key risks

Small and medium-sized enterprises, not-for-profit cultural organizations, freelancers, and self-employed workers are the backbone of the creative sector. In 2023–24, the program areas of this core responsibility will continue to support the creative sector and Canadians, and provide world-class services and programs. There is, however, a risk that some planned departmental initiatives or commitments could be impacted by increases in the cost of living that could affect operating costs for cultural organizations as well as consumption patterns in the cultural sector. To mitigate these risks, programs will continue to prioritize activities that provide direct and immediate support to the sector and its stakeholders. Also, exploratory research will be conducted with stakeholders to monitor trends so that the Department can appropriately pivot.

In recent years, viewers have been consuming more content outside of the paid television subscription model. If this trend increases, it would continue to lead to further declines in television subscriptions and therefore to private sector contributions to the Canada Media Fund. To mitigate this risk, the Department will continue to provide the Canada Media Fund with an annual top-up to offset this decline. In addition, the Department is exploring phased approaches to updating the Canada Media Fund program to address these issues and ensure ongoing alignment with the modernization of the Broadcasting Act and Telecommunications Act and any subsequent legislative or regulatory changes.

Planned results for Creativity, arts and culture

The following table shows, for Creativity, arts and culture, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2023–24, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Departmental result Departmental result indicator Target Date to achieve target 2019–20 actual results 2020–21 actual results 2021–22 actual results
Creative industries are successful in the digital economy, foster creativity and contribute to economic growth. Gross domestic product (GDP) of the Canadian cultural sector $56 billion March 2024 n/aFootnote 1 $51 billionFootnote 2 $61 billion
Number of jobs in the cultural sector. 615,000 March 2024 n/aFootnote 1 578,697Footnote 3 653,780
Canadians are able to consume Canadian content on multiple platforms. Number of Canadian Television productions. 1,190 March 2024 n/aFootnote 1 n/aFootnote 1 n/aFootnote 4
Number of Canadian theatrical feature films produced. 117Footnote 5 March 2024 n/aFootnote 1 n/aFootnote 1 n/aFootnote 4
Number of Canadian-authored books published. 6,000Footnote 5 March 2024 n/aFootnote 1 n/aFootnote 1 n/aFootnote 6
Number of magazines in Canada producing Canadian content. 1,000Footnote 7 March 2024 1,380 1,212 1,079
Number of non-daily newspapers in Canada producing Canadian content. 950 March 2024 1,047 974 950
Market share of Canadian artists on the top 10,000 domestic streaming chart. 15%Footnote 5 December 2024Footnote 8 n/a n/a n/aFootnote 9
Creative industries are successful in global markets. Value of creative exports. $20.0 billionFootnote 5 March 2024 n/aFootnote 1 n/aFootnote 1 n/aFootnote 1
Professional arts experiences are available to Canadians in their community Percentage of Canadians with access to new or improved cultural facilities in their community. 40% March 2024 40% 41% 41%
Number of not-for-profit Canadian performing arts companies making arts experiences available to CanadiansFootnote 10 1,729Footnote 11 March 2024 New indicator New indicator New indicator
Canadians are better equipped to counter the effects of online disinformation Percentage of projects with at least two new research products available to Canadians on disinformation and efforts to prevent and counter itFootnote 12 80% March 2024 New indicator New indicator New indicator
Percentage of citizen-focused activity participants reporting an increase in media literacyFootnote 13 88% March 2024 n/a n/a 88%

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned budgetary spending for Creativity, arts and culture

The following table shows, for Creativity, arts and culture, budgetary spending for 2023–24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2023–24 planned spending 2024–25 planned spending 2025–26 planned spending
581,358,679 581,358,679 488,199,021 463,651,565

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned human resources for Creativity, arts and culture

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2023–24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents 2024–25 planned full-time equivalents 2025–26 planned full-time equivalents
454.0 432.7 414.2

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Core responsibility 2: Heritage and celebration

Description

Offers opportunities for Canadians to participate in celebrations and commemorations of national significance, and in local festivals and heritage events. Invests in the development of learning materials and experiences that give Canadians opportunities to enhance their understanding of Canada’s history. Facilitates access to heritage and provides support to heritage institutions to preserve and present heritage to all Canadians. Delivers projects, programs and services; grants, contributions and tax incentives; conducts research; provides authoritative information and expertise; and supports the implementation of heritage-related legislation.

Planning highlights

The Department contributes to Core Responsibility 2 through several programs: National Celebrations, Commemorations and Symbols; Community Engagement and Heritage; Preservation of and Access to Heritage; and Learning about Canadian History. Canadian Heritage offers opportunities for Canadians to participate in celebrations and commemorations of national significance, recognizes notable people, places, symbols, anniversaries and accomplishments of national significance across Canada, offers events and activities in the National Capital Region, and promotes and protects Canadian symbols. The Department provides funding in support of local festivals, community anniversaries and capital projects. Canadian Heritage ensures that Canada’s cultural heritage is preserved and accessible to Canadians today and in the future, assists Canadian museums in documenting and managing their collections, provides Canadians access to Canadian and international heritage through the circulation of artefacts and exhibitions in Canada, and helps Canadian heritage institutions compete with foreign institutions for the loan of prestigious international exhibitions. Finally, the Department encourages Canadians to learn about Canada’s history, civic life and public policy.

The planned budget allocated to this core responsibility is $135,638,306 and activities are supported by a total of 350.0 planned full-time equivalents.

Canadians are increasingly engaged in celebrations and commemorations of national significance.

In 2023–24, the Department will undertake notable activities towards achieving this departmental result and prioritizing Reconciliation, focusing on initiatives that are Indigenous-led and that engage Indigenous organizations:

Canadians across the country are provided regular opportunities to engage in their communities through local arts and heritage activities.

The Department will undertake the following notable activities in 2023–24 towards achieving this departmental result by:

The public is provided with access to cultural heritage

In 2023–24, the Department will undertake the following notable activities towards achieving this departmental result by:

Heritage objects and collections are preserved by heritage organizations for current and future generations.

The Department will undertake the following notable activities in 2023–24 towards achieving this departmental result by:

Other

The Canada History Fund will support the Canadian Studies Program at Glendon College, York University, to create and promote a video and podcast series to address inclusion and diversity in Canadian history with complementary learning materials for Canadian history teachers. The project is intended to reach an audience of 7,500 Canadian history teachers, teacher candidates, and other Canadian history educators. This project aims to support primary and secondary school students in learning about Canada’s past while addressing the traditional and often exclusionary narrative of Canadian history.

Gender-based analysis plus

Various programs under this core responsibility will seek to ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians in heritage and commemorations activities in 2023–24:

United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Various activities under this core responsibility will seek to contribute indirectly to the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals by:

Key risks

The upcoming year may see increased risks posed by global economic uncertainty, specifically inflation. Rapid inflation may put at risk events and projects due to significant cost increases. Adjustments may need to be made (reduction in travel, holding of virtual events for example) to allow for successful project delivery under these circumstances.

As the arts and heritage sectors emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, impacted organizations funded by the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program continue to face challenges related to the delivery of in-person activities. To mitigate this risk, the Program remains flexible in supporting organizations as they adapt so that they can continue to offer events and activities during and beyond the recovery period.

Planned results for Heritage and celebration

The following table shows, for Heritage and celebration, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2023–24, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Departmental result Departmental result indicator Target Date to achieve target 2019–20 actual results 2020–21 actual results 2021–22 actual results
Canadians are increasingly engaged in celebrations and commemorations of national significance Number of participants in events and activities by attending or volunteering. 9,500,000Footnote 15 March 2024 9,763,947 5,392Footnote 16 345,304
Number of participants in events and activities by viewing traditional and new media broadcasts or downloading related information materials. 14,000,000Footnote 17 March 2024 19,071,892 37,314,650Footnote 16 40,291,024Footnote 18
Canadians across the country are provided regular opportunities to engage in their communities through local arts and heritage activities. Number of performers and volunteers in Building Communities through Arts and Heritage funded arts and heritage projects each year. 145,000Footnote 19 March 2025 204,698Footnote 20 181,413 47,988Footnote 21
Total attendance for Building Communities through Arts and Heritage funded arts and heritage projects each year. 21,700,000 March 2025 20,295,082Footnote 20 23,221,181 21,410,746Footnote 22
The public is provided with access to cultural heritage. Number of in-person and online visits to cultural heritage accessible through heritage programs and services. 2,000,000Footnote 23 March 2024 1,504,563 740,811Footnote 24 756,002Footnote 25
Heritage objects and collections are preserved by heritage organizations for current and future generations. Number of heritage objects and collections whose preservation has been supported by heritage programs and services. 100,000 March 2024 169,836 43,941,159Footnote 26 60,808,711Footnote 27

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned budgetary spending for Heritage and celebration

The following table shows, for Heritage and celebration, budgetary spending for 2023–24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2023–24 planned spending 2024–25 planned spending 2025–26 planned spending
135,638,306 135,638,306 107,320,673 100,570,987

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned human resources for Heritage and celebration

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2023–24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents 2024–25 planned full-time equivalents 2025–26 planned full-time equivalents
350.0 340.5 341.0

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Core responsibility 3: Sport

Description

Promotes and enhances Canadian participation in sport from initial introduction to sport to the highest levels through transfer payments and policy leadership. Ensures that all Canadians have access to quality aligned sport programs in a safe and welcome environment regardless of race, gender or physical disability. Fosters the development of high-performance athletes, coaches, officials, leaders and organizations within the Canadian Sport System. Assists Canadian communities in hosting the Canada Games and international sport events.

Planning highlights

The Department contributes to Core Responsibility 3 through the Sport Development and High Performance Program. Sport Canada aims to establish Canada as a leading sport nation at home and abroad, where all Canadians and their communities enjoy, value and celebrate the benefits of active participation and excellence in sport. It contributes to advancing the goals of the Canadian Sport Policy, funds eligible organizations to deliver sport for social development projects in Indigenous communities in Canada and supports and promotes gender equity in Sport. The Department further provides direct support to foster the development of high-performance athletes and assists sport organizations to host international sport events in Canada.

The planned budget allocated to this core responsibility is $264,497,322 and activities are supported by a total of 102.8 planned full-time equivalents.

Canadian athletes succeed at the highest levels of competition.

In 2023–24, the Department will undertake the following notable activities towards achieving this departmental result by:

Canadian children and youth are enrolled in a sport activity.

The Department will undertake the following notable activities in 2023–24 towards achieving this departmental result by:

Canadians, regardless of gender, physical ability and cultural background, who participate in sport activities are satisfied with the manner in which the activity is provided.

In 2023–24, the Department will undertake the following notable activities towards achieving this departmental result by:

Gender-based analysis plus

Various activities under this core responsibility will seek to ensure inclusive outcomes in the Canadian sport system at all levels–from playground to podium–in 2023–24:

United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Various activities under this core responsibility will seek to contribute directly and indirectly to the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals by:

Key risks

Sport Canada will continue to support the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) as the national safe sport mechanism. There is a risk that some federally funded organizations may be slow to transition to the OSIC’s services as organizations already have an established relationship with an independent third party. To mitigate this risk, Sport Canada will continue to encourage and closely monitor the transition of all federally funded national sport organizations to become signatories to the Abuse-Free Sport program, including the services of the OSIC.

There is a risk that Sport Canada will need to postpone the launch of a redesigned program due to challenges encountered during the review on the design and delivery of the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities program component. To mitigate this risk, while awaiting the final report and recommendations from the consultation, Sport Canada will launch a one-year intake of the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities program component basing the design and delivery on the model previously used. The results from the consultation will be considered and implemented ahead of the following intake, now planned for fall 2023 for 2024-26.

Planned results for Sport

The following table shows, for Sport, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2023–24, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Departmental result Departmental result indicator Target Date to achieve target 2019–20 actual results 2020–21 actual results 2021–22 actual results
Canadian athletes succeed at the highest levels of competition.Footnote 28 Canada’s Olympic Ranking Index for summer sport. 15th March 2024 New indicator New indicator New indicator
Canada’s Olympic Ranking Index for winter sport. 3rd March 2024 New indicator New indicator New indicator
Canada’s Paralympic Ranking Index for summer sport. 14th March 2024 New indicator New indicator New indicator
Canada’s Paralympic Ranking Index for winter sport 6th March 2024 New indicator New indicator New indicator
Canadian children and youth are enrolled in a sport activity. Number of Canadian children and youth enrolled in a sport activity. 4,000,000 March 2024 4,594,540 n/aFootnote 29 3,652,198
Canadians, regardless of gender, physical ability and cultural background, who participate in sport activities are satisfied with the manner in which the activity is provided.Footnote 30 Percentage of Canadians (children and youth) reporting that they experience sport in a welcoming environment. 86% March 2024 82% 80% 79%
Percentage of Canadians (children and youth) reporting that they experience sport in a safe environment. 85% March 2024 82% 82% 83%
Percentage of Canadian high performance sport participants reporting that they experience sport in a welcoming environment. n/aFootnote 31 March 2025 New indicator New indicator New indicator
Percentage of Canadian high performance sport participants reporting that they experience sport in a safe environment. n/aFootnote 31 March 2025 New indicator New indicator New indicator

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned budgetary spending for Sport

The following table shows, for Sport, budgetary spending for 2023–24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2023–24 planned spending 2024–25 planned spending 2025–26 planned spending
264,497,322 264,497,322 237,180,444 233,447,336

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned human resources for Sport

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2023–24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents 2024–25 planned full-time equivalents 2025–26 planned full-time equivalents
102.8 102.8 102.8

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Core responsibility 4: Diversity and inclusion

Description

Focuses on celebrating Canada’s diversity, identity and multicultural heritage, promoting resilient communities and reinforcing the rights of Canadians, as a means to foster diversity and inclusion and supports legislation on multiculturalism. Promotes and supports domestic implementation of international human rights treaties, constitutional and quasi-constitutional rights in Canada. Works in collaboration with a variety of governmental and non-governmental organizations to support the provision of programs and services on matters of diversity and inclusion. Supports the engagement, participation and inclusion of Canadian youth in their communities and in exchange activities. Revitalizes, preserves and promotes Indigenous languages and cultures and celebrates achievements, and strengthens Indigenous communities through investments in a variety of initiatives.

Planning highlights

The Department contributes to Core responsibility 4 by working to build a more equitable and inclusive society through the following program areas: Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism; Human Rights; Indigenous Languages and Cultures; and Youth Engagement. Through these programs, the Department seeks to build an integrated, socially inclusive society, by supporting communities confronting racism, engaging on multiculturalism, incorporating equity, diversity and inclusion, and by strengthening research, data and evidence to better understand disparities and challenges faced by Indigenous peoples, racialized and religious minority communities. Canadian Heritage also seeks to strengthen and maintain one of the core values relating to Canadian identity—respect for human rights—by addressing barriers to active participation that arise from a lack of awareness, understanding and access to rights. The Department aims to increase awareness among youth of the importance of being active and engaged citizens, increase youth knowledge and understanding of Canada, and strengthen their sense of belonging to Canada, thereby strengthening their sense of shared Canadian identity. Canadian Heritage also focuses on supporting Indigenous peoples in their efforts to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen their Indigenous languages. By providing investments, it contributes to the efforts of Indigenous communities to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen their Indigenous languages and develop and deliver innovative and culturally appropriate projects under the Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program, including the Indigenous Languages Component, Northern Aboriginal Broadcasting, Territorial Language Accords, National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Scholarships, Youth initiatives and Indspire.

Furthermore, two federal secretariats and a branch dedicated to advancing reconciliation report under this core responsibility.

The planned budget allocated to this core responsibility is $322,704,475 and activities are supported by a total of 212.2 planned full-time equivalents.

Canadians value diversity

The Department will undertake the following notable activities in 2023–24 towards achieving this departmental result by:

Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy is guided by a vision of Canada where all Canadians benefit from equitable access to and participation in the economic, cultural, social and political spheres. To achieve this vision, the Government of Canada is supporting communities with lived experience of and expertise in addressing various forms of racism and discrimination. The Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program and the Anti-Racism Action Program were both designed to support communities in confronting racism and discrimination, promoting intercultural and interfaith understanding and fostering equitable opportunities to participate fully in Canadian society. There is no place in Canada for racism, discrimination or hate.

Canadian Heritage will continue to implement new measures to strengthen these programs, including enhanced assessment criteria, and clarifying responsibilities and expectations of funding recipients in the application process as well as through the contribution agreement. Organizations or individuals that are found to have adopted racist, antisemitic, and other forms of hateful content, will be ineligible to receive funding through these programs that support Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy. For example, any applicant will now be required to sign an attestation committing to adhere to the goals that underpin Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act. Applicants will be informed of the expectations for them to receive any funding; and should they receive funding, the consequences of non-compliance.

Reversal of the current downward trend in the use and fluency of Indigenous languages

In 2023–24, the Department will undertake the following notable activities towards achieving this departmental result by:

Youth enhance their appreciation of the diversity and shared aspects of the Canadian experience

The Department will undertake the following notable activities in 2023–24 towards achieving this departmental result by:

The federal Youth Secretariat will undertake the following key activities:

Individuals or groups have access to funding to initiate or participate in test cases pertaining to rights and freedoms covered by the Court Challenges Program

In 2023–24, the Department will undertake the following notable activities towards achieving this departmental result by:

Canadians value human rights

The Department will undertake the following notable activities in 2023–24 towards achieving this departmental result by:

Other
Assessment of Memoranda to Cabinet and Treasury Board Submissions

The Reconciliation, Treaties and Engagement Branch supports the entire Department to ensure that considerations concerning Indigenous peoples and modern treaty obligations have been assessed in all program and policy proposals (e.g. Memorandum to Cabinet, Treasury Board submissions) sent to Cabinet. The Branch thus contributes to oversight and awareness of commitments and initiatives to help Canadian Heritage officials to better participate in the Reconciliation process and to meet departmental obligations.

Gender-based analysis plus

Various programs under this core responsibility will seek to ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians through various activities in 2023–24:

United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Various activities under this core responsibility will seek to contribute directly and indirectly to the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals by:

Key risks

Addressing racism is a long-term objective that requires sustained commitment as well as systemic and generational change. There is a risk that Canadian Heritage may face challenges in getting evidence-based, measurable, and accurate data on the impact of its grants and contributions investments. This would undermine the Government of Canada’s capacity to show its results. To mitigate this risk, the Multiculturalism and Anti-racism program will continue to enhance its performance measurement methodology and tools to assess the effectiveness of interventions, measure program impacts, build evidence of what works in anti-racism programming, and support improved reporting and policy-making. In addition, the summative evaluation of the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program will be complete by March 2023.

The Human Rights Program engages with key partners, including Indigenous representatives and civil society organizations in order to ensure that they are fully part of the conversation on reporting to the United Nations on Canada’s international human rights obligations. In the context of these consultations, concerns regarding the results achieved and follow-up to United Nations recommendations can be raised. Measures are already in place to mitigate this risk, based primarily on an ongoing process of discussion and consultation with these groups so that their views and comments can be incorporated into program activities.

The implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act by the Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program includes new distinction-based funding models aiming to increase self-determination, and to provide long-term, sustainable and predictable funding. There is a risk that the implementation of the new funding models may require more time to implement for some Indigenous communities and organizations based on their specific needs, state of readiness and funding availability. To mitigate this risk, the program will provide an opportunity for short-term funding to support readiness, while also enabling Indigenous communities and organizations qualified for long-term, sustainable and predictable funding to benefit from the enhanced approach. This approach will also allow for a gradual implementation of new agreements.

As the arts and heritage sector emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, impacted organizations funded by youth programs may continue to face challenges related to the delivery of in-person activities. To mitigate this risk, to the extent possible, the programs will remain flexible in supporting organizations as they adapt so that they can continue to offer projects, exchanges, and forums during the pandemic recovery period.

There is a risk that the federal Youth Secretariat will find greater challenges to deliver effectively on its commitments (such as with the Prime Minister’s Youth Council or providing policy and research support). To mitigate the risk, the Secretariat can continue to be nimble and adjust as priority initiatives are refined.

Planned results for Diversity and inclusion

The following table shows, for Diversity and inclusion, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2023–24, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Departmental result Departmental result indicator Target Date to achieve target 2019–20 actual results 2020–21 actual results 2021–22 actual results
Canadians value diversity Percentage of Canadians who feel that ethnic and cultural diversity is a shared value. 80% May 2030Footnote 33 n/aFootnote 34 n/aFootnote 34 80%
(GSS-SI 2020 data)
Reversal of the current downward trend in the use and fluency of Indigenous languages. Percentage of First Nations who can conduct a conversation in an Indigenous language that is not their mother tongue. 4% increase in the number of First Nations who can conduct a conversation in an Indigenous language that is not their mother tongueFootnote 35 March 2024 26.7%
(Census 2016)
26.7%
(Census 2016)
26.7%Footnote 36
Census 2016)
Percentage of Métis who can conduct a conversation in an Indigenous language that is not their mother tongue. 4% increase in the number of Métis who can conduct a conversation in an Indigenous language that is not their mother tongue March 2024 41.7%
(Census 2016)
41.7%
(Census 2016)
41.7%Footnote 37
(Census 2016)
Percentage of Inuit speaking in an Inuit language 63.3% March 2024 64.3%
(Census 2016)
64.3%
(Census 2016)
64.3%Footnote 38
(Census 2016)
Number of participants in language-learning activities. 30,000 March 2024 12,223Footnote 39 n/aFootnote 40 n/aFootnote 40
Youth enhance their appreciation of the diversity and shared aspects of the Canadian experience. Percentage of participants in the Exchanges Canada Program who report having a better understanding of what Canadians have in common. 85% February 2025Footnote 41 82% 81% 75%Footnote 42
Percentage of participants in the Exchanges Canada Program who report having a greater appreciation of how diverse Canada is. 90% February 2025Footnote 41 87% 86% 81%Footnote 42
Individuals or groups have access to funding to initiate or participate in test cases pertaining to rights and freedoms covered by the Court Challenges Program. Number of recipients who received funding for cases related to the rights and freedoms of people in Canada under the Court Challenges Program. 58 November 2024 78 57 41Footnote 43
Canadians value human rights. Percentage of Canadians who feel that human rights are a shared value. 92% March 2024 n/a n/a n/aFootnote 44

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned budgetary spending for Diversity and inclusion

The following table shows, for Diversity and inclusion, budgetary spending for 2023–24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2023–24 planned spending 2024–25 planned spending 2025–26 planned spending
322,704,475 322,704,475 218,407,189 186,678,990

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned human resources for Diversity and inclusion

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2023–24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents 2024–25 planned full-time equivalents 2025–26 planned full-time equivalents
212.2 202.2 200.2

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Core responsibility 5: Official languages

Description

Supports the promotion of Canada’s two official languages in Canadian society as well as the development of official-language minority communities by collaborating with voluntary organizations and provincial and territorial governments. Fosters a coordinated approach to ensure participation from across the federal government in the implementation of the Official Languages Act, and the coordination of related horizontal initiatives.

Planning highlights

The Department contributes to Core Responsibility 5 through the Official Languages Support Programs. These Programs support the promotion of both official languages in Canadian society, as well as the development of official-language minority communities, by collaborating with community organizations and provincial and territorial governments. They foster a coordinated approach to ensure participation from all institutions of the federal government in the implementation of the Official Languages Act, and the coordination of whole-of-government initiatives on Official Languages. The Department also coordinates the implementation of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in our futureFootnote 45, a horizontal Government of Canada strategy for official languages.

Over the past two years, the Official Languages Support Programs have shown flexibility in the delivery of the various program subcomponents, particularly by supporting departmental efforts to mitigate the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic for the beneficiaries. Lessons learned will be put forward by the programs to streamline their processes, where possible, to support beneficiaries, particularly arts and cultural organizations from official language minority communities. The Department will also continue its efforts to modernize and strengthen the Official Languages Act and its related instruments.

The planned budget allocated to this core responsibility is $522,774,917 and activities are supported by a total of 171.6 planned full-time equivalents.

Canadians recognize and support Canada’s official languages.

In 2023–24, Canadian Heritage will undertake the following activities towards achieving this departmental result by:

Federal institutions develop and implement policies and programs in accordance with Section 41 of the Official Languages Act.

The Department will undertake the following notable activities in 2023–24 towards achieving this departmental result:

Gender-based analysis plus

Various activities under this core responsibility will seek to ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians in 2023–24:

United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Various activities under this core responsibility will seek to contribute directly and indirectly to the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals by:

Key risks

Canada’s two official languages, English and French, are at the heart of who we are as Canadians. Data from the 2021 census confirms a decline in the demographic weight of the French-speaking population in the country as well as a slight decrease observed in the bilingualism rate of the population living outside Quebec. Based on these results, there is a risk that the vitality of the French language, including the bilingualism rate of the population living outside Quebec, will continue to decline in Canada.

To mitigate this risk, the Department’s work on the modernization and strengthening of the Official Languages Act and its related instruments take into consideration the unique reality of French in Canada, including within Quebec. The modernization of the Act is therefore an opportunity for the Government of Canada to advance towards substantive equality for the status of French and English as official languages of Canada, to highlight their importance in the construction of Canadian identity and to promote their essential role as a vector of integration into Canadian society. Similarly, the announcement and implementation of the Government of Canada’s next Action Plan for Official Languages will make it possible to reiterate its commitment to our official languages.

A competent workforce is essential so that the provinces and territories can continue to provide quality French-language education in French as a second language programs, including French immersion, as well as in French-language schools. There is a risk that labour shortage will continue to have a direct impact on the recruitment and retention of French-language teachers across the country. To mitigate this risk, the Department will continue to support several projects to counter the shortage of French-language teachers across the country, including a symposium on teacher recruitment and retention. We will also continue to work with the provinces and territories to find solutions to alleviate problems caused by the labour shortage.

Planned results for Official languages

The following table shows, for Official languages, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2023–24, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Departmental result Departmental result indicator Target Date to achieve target 2019–20 actual results 2020–21 actual results 2021–22 actual results
Canadians recognize and support Canada’s official languages. Percentage of Canadians who agree that Canada’s two official languages (English/French) are an important part of what it means to be Canadian. 60% March 2024 60% 60% 60%
Number of Canadians who can conduct a conversation in their second official language.Footnote 47 6,200,000 March 2024 6,216,070 6,216,070 6,216,070
Maintenance of the percentage of official-language minority communities who live within a 25 km radius of an arts/culture organization that offers services in the minority language. 85% March 2024 89.8% 85.7% 85.7%
Maintenance of the percentage of official-language minority communities who live within a 25 km radius of a regional/local community development organization that offers services in the minority language. 85% March 2024 86% 87.3% 87.3%
Federal institutions develop and implement policies and programs in accordance with Section 41 of the Official Languages Act. Percentage of federal institutions that report concrete results in their annual review in support of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act. 80% March 2024 n/a 73.4% n/aFootnote 48

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned budgetary spending for Official languages

The following table shows, for Official languages, budgetary spending for 2023–24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2023–24 planned spending 2024–25 planned spending 2025–26 planned spending
552,774,917 552,774,917 457,607,688 451,041,083

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Planned human resources for Official languages

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2023–24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents 2024–25 planned full-time equivalents 2025–26 planned full-time equivalents
171.6 149.6 147.6

Financial, human resources and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Internal services: planned results

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

Planning highlights

Management and oversight services

In addition to core governance and business processes, Canadian Heritage will take on notable initiatives regarding its data strategy, re-engaging medium-term policy work and supporting its accessibility plan.

The Department will update the Canadian Heritage Data Strategy to ensure it aligns with the renewed Data Strategy Roadmap for the Federal Public Service. This update will ensure that the Department proactively considers data needs when designing initiatives; establishes data stewardship approaches; creates systems and mechanisms for using and sharing data; and equips teams with the talent and tools that they require to integrate data into their work.

Canadian Heritage will also focus efforts on data literacy and training to ensure that employees have the necessary knowledge to incorporate data as required into their work activities, and will work on issues around data collection, with a focus on identifying current needs and addressing data gaps, particularly in relation to diversity and inclusion and disaggregated data.

The Department will explore options for elaborating on its data governance and data stewardship mechanisms. It will also continue to improve processes related to research and data ethics, especially as relates to human-centred research and the protection of individual privacy and confidentiality.

The Department will participate in interdepartmental working groups and committees to ensure that best practices and initiatives to better collect, manage, analyze, communicate, and optimize data.

In 2023–24, Canadian Heritage plans to re-engage its departmental policy community on medium-term policy work, to inform ongoing policy development processes and strengthen horizontal collaboration.

Canadian Heritage’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Review presented its findings to senior management in early 2023. Work on implementing changes in response to those findings has already begun and will continue in 2023–24. GBA Plus as well as other tools will be employed in support of this and other input. Changes may include initiatives like the Innovation and Impact Program, which would be managed by the Department’s Innovation Lab. The Innovation and Impact Program would be both a supported process and an innovation fund. It would offer a structured yet flexible process, guidance on public service innovation and experimentation, and access to resources such as funding, technical experts and senior leadership. It is intended to provide employees of Canadian Heritage with the experience, mindsets, skills and resources required to make a transformative impact, leading to an organization that is relevant to Canadians.

The Accessibility Office will continue to lead efforts to implement Canadian Heritage’s Accessibility Plan 2023–2025; support the Department in meeting its obligations under the Accessible Canada Act and in engaging with persons with disabilities in the spirit of Nothing without UsFootnote 49; foster cultural change towards people with disabilities who face the highest rates of harassment and discrimination, increase accessibility knowledge and skills of our employees, address concerns raised through internal/external feedback mechanisms, and produce an annual progress report accessibility.

Gender-Based Analysis Plus

The Department’s GBA Plus Responsibility Centre will continue to undertake efforts to strengthen the rigour and intersectionality of GBA Plus, with a view to ensuring GBA Plus is undertaken as part of a meaningful analysis of the broader context, and is meaningfully integrated into policy and program development, implementation, and outcomes measurement. In particular, work will be undertaken to advance the mandate commitment for the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion to continue “to support the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth in the evaluation process of GBA Plus with the goal of enhancing the framing and parameters of this analytical tool and with particular attention to the intersectional analysis of race, indigeneity, rurality, disability and sexual identity, among other characteristics.” Finally, the GBA Plus Responsibility Centre will continue its activities geared towards building internal GBA Plus capacity among Canadian Heritage employees and providing them with GBA Plus tools and resources.

The Accessibility Office works to create a respectful and inclusive culture at all levels of society, and supports government-wide goals related to:

United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The work of the Accessibility Office will seek to contribute directly and indirectly to the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals by:

Human resources management services

The Department will continue optimizing the new work model, including: updating human resources policies, guidelines and learning products; workplaces reorganization for the National Capital Region and regional offices; participating in the GCcoworking space pilot project as well as transforming how space is used, creating a modern workplace consistent with Treasury Board Secretariat directives.

Starting from actions outlined in the Canadian Heritage’s Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan 2021–2024, the Department will consult and work closely with partners for the implementation of activities; update the action plan to reflect new departmental and government reports and action plans; monitor achievement of results and report/communicate progress made.

The Department will also coordinate activities linked to the “Employment” and “Built environment” pillars in order to meet the requirements of the Accessible Canada Act.

The Office of Values and Ethics will continue to promote various platforms and resources fostering well-being by renewing its agreement with Health Canada to continue to offer the virtual well-being platform LifeSpeak to employees and by renewing its agreement as a strategic partner of the Canadian Centre for innovation for Mental Health in the Workplace to allow the Department access, in a timely manner, to the workshops, conferences and information sessions offered by the Centre on mental health, leadership and well-being.

The Office of Values and Ethics also plans to continue offering sessions of The Working Mind training sessions and will renew its agreement with Health Canada in 2023–24 to offer Mental Health First Aid training.

For continuous improvements of its services, tools and trainings, the Office of Values and Ethics plans to use qualitative and quantitative results of the Annual Canadian Heritage Mental Health Survey, the “Over to you!” survey and the survey on the Office of Values and Ethics’ services.

Gender-Based Analysis Plus

The new model of work will factor in the use of GBA Plus, as well as equity-deserving groups’ points of view to ensure that it is reflective of an equality, diversity and inclusion perspective.

The Canadian Heritage Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan 2021–24 aim to implement all the conditions that will allow for a competent and diverse workforce, as well as a welcoming and inclusive workplace within the Department.

The Office of Values and Ethics reviews and updates its services, tools and workshop on a regular basis. In doing so, it ensures that these reflect the needs and realities of the employees’ workplace, as well as respect governmental-wide priorities in diversity and inclusiveness, such as: the Accessible Canada Act and the Accessibility Plan; the Canadian Heritage Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan 2021–24, and all proceedings related to Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

To achieve this, the Office of Values and Ethics plans to consult with various departmental employment equity committees and employee networks to implement adapted services, tools and trainings that will contribute to strengthening a healthy, diversified, and respectful workplace.

Financial management, material management and acquisition management services

Canadian Heritage will continue to strengthen the Department’s accountability measures by ensuring good internal controls and enhanced compliance monitoring and modernizing financial processes through digitization and data analytics to provide accessible, reliable and accurate information. The Department will support this through the development of user-friendly tools for managers such as a dashboard and an expense forecasting tool to promote sound financial management and informed decision-making.

Client service will remain a driving factor and business processes will be reviewed and aligned, equipping the Department with the ability to stay nimble and flexible to respond to governmental and departmental objectives such as Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility.

Information management and information technology services

The Chief Information Officer Branch will continue to provide the Department with the most current, secure and cloud-based tools to support productivity and collaboration, and will participate in Workplace Modernization to create a more open, modern, flexible, and collaborative office environment. These activities include upgrades to audiovisual and videoconferencing, wireless mobility and Wi-Fi technology.

In support of the Government’s Digital and Data Strategy, the Chief Information Officer Branch will provide the Department with workforce Data Analytics and Visualization tools to enhance management insights and strengthen evidence-based, decision-making.

Canadian Heritage will continue efforts to strengthen the overall health of our application portfolio. Initiatives include the prioritization of cloud services; leveraging common enterprise solutions and cloud-based solutions such as Software as a Service (SaaS); monitoring and investing resources as needed to keep the application portfolio in good health; applying secure application development practices to mitigate the risk of vulnerabilities in application software; the use of standards, tools, and guidance in the application development process, in support of a user-centred approach to accessibility and disability; and continue to work with program partners to leverage technology to enhance program effectiveness and improve services to Canadians. With the increased risk of cyber security events, the Chief Information Officer Branch strives to protect the Department’s data, information, and information technology assets. We review and update our processes, procedures, and reporting mechanism to ensure we can respond to cyber security events in a consistent, coordinated, and timely manner.

The Chief Information Officer Branch has developed an action plan, with a focus on the three technical dimensions of accessible information and communication technologies (Software—information systems, desktop applications, mobile applications; Information and Communication Devices; and Assistive Technologies). The focus will be on the implementation of the plan, and monitoring and reporting on progress against stated objectives.

The Department will continue its effort to strengthen information and records management practices by providing advice, guidance, workshops, and tools related to information management generally, and records management specifically. As the Department moves forward with its hybrid work environment, and the major renovations underway at the Department’s headquarters, we are ensuring sound information management clean-up through the depersonalization of workspaces. Furthermore, the Department is currently exploring options for storing electronic information of business value from available resources, in accordance with current policies and directives.

Building on the success of the My PCH Online project, the Department will continue to modernize the delivery of grants and contributions. Key priorities centre on enabling an accessible, responsive, consistent client experience; improving service levels and satisfaction; and improving data-driven administration. The Department will continue to drive Canadian Heritage Funding Portal program onboarding and improvements in support of these priorities.

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

In support of the Government of Canada’s commitment to increasing the participation of Indigenous businesses, the Contracting and Materiel Management Directorate will continue to develop processes and procedures to further enhance the participation of Indigenous businesses in federal procurement. Canadian Heritage continues to advance its efforts to ensure compliance with the target, to have a minimum of 5% of the total annual value of federal contracts awarded to businesses managed and led by Indigenous peoples.

In addition to the mandatory, voluntary and conditional set-asides practices currently in place, and where Indigenous market capacity is identified, the Contracting and Materiel Management Directorate continues to seek opportunities to increase the participation of Indigenous firms across all its procurement activities.

An approach being pursued is to increase Indigenous participation through use of Public Services and Procurement Canada’s suite of procurement tools. These tools are often used by the Contracting and Materiel Management Directorate and has accounted for 11.3% of our total number of contracts awarded this fiscal year. Of those contracts issued via Public Services and Procurement Canada tools, 16.5% of those contracts were awarded to Indigenous firms.

Based on current practices and through the exploration of new approaches and opportunities, the Contracting and Materiel Management Directorate is well positioned to meet and exceed the required minimum 5% baseline without complications.

Percentage of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

The following table shows in percentages, the actual, forecasted and planned value for the target.

5% reporting field description 2021-22 actual % achieved 2022-23 forecasted % target 2023-24 planned % target
8.4% 9.1% 9% 10%

Planned budgetary spending for internal services

The following table shows, for internal services, budgetary spending for 2023–24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2023–24 planned spending 2024–25 planned spending 2025–26 planned spending
83,128,810 83,128,810 80,685,340 80,751,533

Planned human resources for internal services

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to carry out its internal services for 2023–24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents 2024–25 planned full-time equivalents 2025–26 planned full-time equivalents
780.5 780.5 780.5

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the department’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2023–24 with actual spending for the current year and the previous year.

Planned spending

Departmental spending 2020–21 to 2025–26

The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.

Departmental spending 2020–21 to 2025–26 (in millions of dollars) – text version
2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
Statutory 450 30 31 29 28 28
Voted 1,512 1,977 2,332 1,911 1,561 1,488
Total 1,962 2,007 2,363 1,940 1,589 1,516

ln 2020-21, Canadian Heritage saw over $400 million of statutory funding come through the Department by way of the Public Health Events of National Concern Payment Act in order to establish a COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations as well as to support students and youth impacted by COVID-19. Together, these initiatives explain the significant increase in statutory spending seen in 2020-21.

To further promote recovery from the pandemic for heritage, arts, and sport sectors that contribute profoundly to the cultural, civic and economic life of Canada, the 2020 Fall Economic Statement and Budget 2021 allocated unprecedented investments of $2.3 billion to Canadian Heritage and its Portfolio organizations for a variety of programs, starting in 2021-22. These include funding of $181.5 million to support the planning and presentation of COVID-19-safe events and in the arts—both live and digital—and to stimulate work opportunities in these sectors and to provide $89.1 million in support over five years, for performing arts festivals, cultural events, arts and heritage institutions, celebrations, and commemorations which all play a vital role in the Canadian cultural and social fabric all while helping build strong communities. Budget 2021 also announced that starting in 2021-22, over two years, the distribution of the $300 million Recovery Fund to help restore immediate viability for organizations with pandemic-related financial needs and help them adapt to post-pandemic realities and the $200 million Reopening Fund to support local festivals, community cultural events, outdoor theatre performances, heritage celebrations, local museums and amateur sport events, while ensuring events comply with local public health measures. Lastly, the 2020 Fall Economic Statement also announced an expansion of Canadian Heritage’s Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program and its Anti-Racism Action Program by $50 million over two years, starting in 2021-22, to deliver on the government’s anti-racism objectives.

Contributing to the increase in the 2021-22 expenditures and 2022-23 forecast spending as well as 2023-24 planned spending is the $383.5 million three-year investment announced in Budget 2021, starting in 2021-22 to support second-language learning, high-quality postsecondary minority-language education and the construction, renovation and expansion of educational and community spaces that serve official language minority communities and the $215.7 million additional funding, to support Indigenous communities in their efforts to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages. Furthermore, the increase in 2021-22 actuals and 2022-23 forecast spending is impacted by another Budget 2021 announcement: an investment of $14.3 million over five years and ongoing for Indigenous Reconciliation and Strength for Indigenous Women and Girls through Sport to ensure that Indigenous women and girls have access to meaningful sports activities through the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities Initiative and to respond to the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Additionally, another Budget 2021 initiative that explains the peak seen in the 2022-23 Planned Spending: Community Sport for All which sought $80 million over two years, starting in 2021-22, to support organized sport at the community level to help Canadians and communities recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

Announced in the 2021 Fall Economic Statement and contributing to the culmination of the 2022-23 forecast spending, is the $62.3 million Canada Performing Arts Worker Resilience Fund initiative which will help retain specialized workers in the sector during a period of heightened precarity for the cultural workforce.

Further adding to the increase in 2022-23 forecast spending is the delivery of a temporary $62.1 million for Canadian Heritage and portfolio organization for a measure announced in Budget 2022 to compensate Canadian arts, culture, and heritage organizations for revenue losses due to public health restrictions and capacity limits. The funding will be delivered mostly in 2022-23.

Lastly, for 2022-23 forecast spending, the Prime Minister’s announced a legacy gift to the Queen Elizabeth Scholars Program of $20 million on September 19, 2022.

Starting in 2023-24 and future years, a downward slope in planned spending is foreseen due to the ceasing of the aforementioned temporary funding initiatives and a return to pre-COVID-19 departmental program activity levels.

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

The following table shows information on spending for each of Canadian Heritage’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2023–24 and other relevant fiscal years.

Core responsibilities and internal services 2020–21 actual expenditures 2021–22 actual expenditures 2022–23 forecast spending 2023–24 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2023–24 planned spending 2024–25 planned spending 2025–26 planned spending
Creativity, arts and culture 811,416,984 786,146,182 778,695,757 581,358,679 581,358,679 488,199,021 463,651,565
Heritage and celebration 162,057,233 170,227,101 223,477,700 135,638,306 135,638,306 107,320,673 100,570,987
Sport 321,270,921 285,863,288 342,466,598 264,497,322 264,497,322 237,180,444 233,447,336
Diversity and inclusion 107,737,768 172,146,413 265,379,679 322,704,475 322,704,475 218,407,189 186,678,990
Official languages 462,296,619 491,573,181 648,200,774 552,774,917 552,774,917 457,607,688 451,041,083
Subtotal 1,864,779,525 1,905,956,165 2,258,220,508 1,856,973,699 1,856,973,699 1,508,715,015 1,435,389,961
Internal Services 96,762,722 100,578,014 104,524,179 83,128,810 83,128,810 80,685,340 80,751,533
Total 1,961,542,247 2,006,534,179 2,362,744,687 1,940,102,509 1,940,102,509 1,589,400,355 1,516,141,494

Creativity, arts and culture, Heritage and celebration and Sport: As previously mentioned, the increase in spending since 2020–21 and decrease in 2023–24 are explained by targeted temporary funding received to support the planning and presentation of COVID-19-safe events and in the arts, both live and digital; to stimulate work opportunities in these sectors; and to provide support over five years, for performing arts festivals, cultural events, arts and heritage institutions, celebrations, and commemorations, which all play a vital role in the Canadian cultural and social fabric all while helping build strong communities. Also, other temporary funding include:

Diversity and inclusion: The 2020 Fall Economic Statement also announced an expansion of Canadian Heritage’s Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program and its Anti-Racism Action Program by $50 million over two years, starting in 2021–22, to deliver on the Government’s anti-racism objectives. Additional funding was also received to support Indigenous communities in their efforts to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages.

Official languages: Contributing to the increase in the 2021–22 expenditures and 2022–23 forecast spending as well as 2023–24 planned spending is the three-year investment announced in Budget 2021, starting in 2021–22, to support second-language learning, high-quality postsecondary minority-language education and the construction, renovation and expansion of educational and community spaces that serve official language minority communities.

Internal services: Starting in 2023–24 and future years, a downward slope in planned spending is foreseen due to the ceasing of the aforementioned temporary funding initiatives and a return to pre-COVID-19 departmental program activity levels.

Planned human resources

The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for each of Canadian Heritage’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2023–24 and the other relevant years.

Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibilities and internal services 2020–21 actual full-time equivalents 2021–22 actual full-time equivalents 2022–23 forecast full-time equivalents 2023–24 planned full-time equivalents 2024–25 planned full-time equivalents 2025–26 planned full-time equivalents
Creativity, arts and culture 416.0 430.2 470.0 454.0 432.7 414.2
Heritage and celebration 286.8 323.9 357.9 350.0 340.5 341.0
Sport 96.4 100.6 107.8 102.8 102.8 102.8
Diversity and inclusion 194.8 234.3 243.2 212.2 202.2 200.2
Official languages 148.8 163.3 182.6 171.6 149.6 147.6
Subtotal 1,142.8 1,252.3 1,361.5 1,290.6 1,227.8 1,205.8
Internal Services 701.6 739.3 789.2 780.5 780.5 780.5
Total 1,844.4 1,991.6 2,150.7 2,071.1 2,008.3 1,986.3

The departmental full-time equivalents trend is in line with the fluctuations seen in its planned funding levels. Nonetheless, it is important to note that most new funding is received in grants and contributions with modest portions going to the operating vote to facilitate in delivering these new or renewed initiatives. The Department ensures that its employee base is adequate to ensure proper support and is available to carry out the departmental mandate.

Estimates by vote

Information on Canadian Heritage’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2023–24 Main Estimates.Footnote 50

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of Canadian Heritage’s operations for 2022–23 to 2023–24.

The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, are available on Canadian Heritage’s website.Footnote 51

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2024 (thousands of dollars)

Financial information 2022–23 forecast results 2023–24 planned results Difference (2023–24 planned results minus 2022–23 forecast results)
Total expenses 2,403,201 1,970,711 (432,490)
Total revenues 11,349 8,032 (3,317)
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 2,391,852 1,962,679 (429,173)

The overall net decrease of $429 million in planned results in 2023–24 compared to forecasted results in 2022–23 is largely due to a return to pre-COVID-19 spending levels and to the end of temporary funding.

The largest decrease ($201 million) in planned results is seen in the Creativity, Arts and Culture sector as a result of temporary funding ending in 2022–23. This funding supports community cultural events, outdoor theatre performances, performing arts workers, provide compensation to Canadian arts and culture organizations because of revenue losses due to public health restrictions and capacity limits, and help them adapt to post-pandemic realities. The greatest impact of this decrease can be seen in the Support for cultural workers ($61 million), the Canada Music Fund ($23 million), the Canada Media Fund ($37 million), and the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund ($30 million).

Another substantial decrease ($95 million) in planned results is observed in the Official Languages sector and is due to the three-year investment of second-language learning, postsecondary minority-language education and the construction, renovation, and expansion of educational and community spaces, which ends in 2022–23.

Decreases in Heritage and Celebrations ($90 million) and the Sport ($77 million) sectors are largely a result of a return to pre-COVID-19 spending levels and an end to temporary funding to support heritage celebrations, local museums, and amateur sport events, to provide compensation to organizations in these sectors because of revenue losses due to public health restrictions and capacity limits and help them adapt to post-pandemic realities. Another contributing factor is the Prime Minister’s one-time legacy gift to the Queen Elizabeth Scholars Program of $20 million in 2022–23.

Notwithstanding these decreases, there will be an increase ($61 million) in planned results in 2023–24 compared to 2022–23 forecasted results which is largely for planned payments ($69 million) to Indigenous communities to reclaim, revitalize, maintain, and strengthen Indigenous languages. This increase is offset by a decrease in planned payments ($8.7 million) under the Anti-Racism Action Program.

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate ministers:
  • The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, P.C., M.P.
    Minister of Canadian Heritage
  • The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P.
    Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
  • The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P.
    Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
  • The Honourable Marci Ien, P.C., M.P.
    Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
  • The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, P.C., M.P.
    Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Institutional head:
Isabelle Mondou
Ministerial portfolio:
Department of Canadian Heritage
Enabling instrument:
Department of Canadian Heritage ActFootnote 52
Year of incorporation/commencement:
The Department of Canadian Heritage was created in June 1993. However, the Department of Canadian Heritage Act received Royal Assent in June 1995.

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do” is available on Canadian Heritage’s websiteFootnote 53.

For more information on the Department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Ministers’ mandate lettersFootnote 54.

Operating context

Information on the operating context is available on Canadian Heritage’s websiteFootnote 53.

Reporting framework

Canadian Heritage’s approved departmental results framework and program inventory for 2023–24 are shown below and are also available in text version.

Visual representation of Canadian Heritage's departmental results framework for 2023-24, showing the five core responsibilities, thirteen programs in the program inventory and ten internal services.

Changes to the approved reporting framework since 2022–23

The Departmental Results Framework was amended to fully align programs, results and indicators with the departmental mandate and activities. The updates are reflected in this Departmental Plan.

Supporting information on the program inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.Footnote 14

Federal tax expenditures

Canadian Heritage’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government-wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.Footnote 55 This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address:
Canadian Heritage
15 Eddy St
Gatineau QC  J8X 4B3
Canada
Telephone:
819-997-0055
Toll-free:
1-866-811-0055 Call toll-free from all regions, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
TTY:
1-888-997-3123 (for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired)
Email:
info@pch.gc.ca
Website:
www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage.html

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)
Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A document that sets out a department’s priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three-year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
departmental result (résultat ministériel)
A change that a department seeks to influence. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.
departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.
Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report on a department’s actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its Departmental Plan for that year. Departmental Results Reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.
fiscal year (exercice)
The period beginning on April 1 in one year and ending on March 31 in the next year.
full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
An analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography, language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2023–24 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the Government’s agenda in the 2021 Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fighter harder for safer communities; standing up for diversity and inclusion; moving faster on the path to reconciliation and fighting for a secure, just, and equitable world.
high impact innovation (innovation à impact élevé)
High impact innovation varies per organizational context. In some cases, it could mean trying something significantly new or different from the status quo. In other cases, it might mean making incremental improvements that relate to a high-spending area or addressing problems faced by a significant number of Canadians or public servants.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement)
What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)
Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within a department and that focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
An inventory of a department’s programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department’s core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.
result (résultat)
An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead, they are within the area of the organization’s influence.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse people (2SLGBTQI+) (personnes aux deux esprits, lesbiennes, gaies, bisexuelles, transgenres, queers, intersexuées et celles qui indiquent leur appartenance à divers groups sexuels et de genre [2ELGBTQI+])
This is the designation used by the Government of Canada to refer to the Canadian community. Gender and sexual diversity terminology is continuously evolving. For further information, refer to the Gender and sexual diversity glossary.Footnote 56
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

©His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of the Department of Canadian Heritage, 2023.
Catalogue No. CH1-36E-PDF
ISSN 2371-7602

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