Departmental Plan 2026-27 — Canadian Heritage

On this page

• At a glance
• From the Minister
• Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
  • Core responsibilities and internal services
  • 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
• Department-wide considerations
  • Related government priorities
  • Key risks
• Planned spending and human resources
  • Spending
  • Funding
  • Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
  • Human resources
• Supplementary information tables
• Federal tax expenditures
• Corporate information
• Definitions

Copyright information

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, 2026
Catalogue Number: CH1-36E-PDF
ISSN: 2371-7602

At a glance

This departmental plan details Canadian Heritage’s priorities, plans, and associated costs for the upcoming three fiscal years.

These plans align with the priorities outlined in the Mandate Letter, as well as Canadian Heritage’s Raison d’être, mandate and role.

Key priorities

Canadian Heritage identified the following key priorities for 2026–27:

• Canada’s identity balances shared characteristics—our values, symbols, geography and histories—with diverse perspectives. To support the work to strengthen Canadian identity, Canadian Heritage will continue to implement Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028, Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, the Indigenous Languages Act, the modernized Official Languages Act and the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act.
• Canadian Heritage will also bolster its supports for the arts, culture, heritage, sport sectors and celebrations, to promote and increase the social and economic impacts of critical cultural domains. For instance, the Department will seek to modernize federal support to the audiovisual sector. The Department also aims to feature and celebrate large-scale events of international scope, such as the FIFA World Cup 2026™, which will help highlight Canada’s culture and its leadership role in sport. In celebrating our collective heritage, the renewed Canada Strong Pass in the summer of 2026 will allow free or discounted access to participating Canadian museums and galleries across the country.
• The Department will ensure that Canadians get the best value for their money by reducing government operational costs, finding efficiencies, and focusing on measures that help lower costs and support them in getting ahead, such as through the transformation initiative of the delivery of grants and contributions programs currently in progress and responsibly adopting artificial intelligence within our business.

Comprehensive Expenditure Review

The government is committed to restraining the growth of day-to-day operational spending to make investments that will grow the economy and benefit Canadians.

As part of meeting this commitment, Canadian Heritage is planning the following spending reductions:

• 2026–27: $ 34,670,817
• 2027–28: $ 49,234,226
• 2028–29: $ 93,095,243

It is anticipated that these spending reductions will involve a decrease of approximately 172 full-time equivalents by 2028–29.

Canadian Heritage will achieve these reductions by doing the following:

1. Creativity, Arts and Culture

   Cost savings of $75.9 million by 2028–29, including a reduction of 44 full-time equivalents, will be achieved by Canadian Heritage through the following programs:

   • Canada Cultural Space Fund
   • Canada Media Fund
   • Canada Periodical Fund
   • Local Journalism
   • Digital Citizen program
2. Operating efficiencies

   Canadian Heritage will achieve cost savings of $17.2 million in operating funding by 2028–29, including a reduction of 128 full-time equivalents.

   This will include a wide number of efficiencies across the Department’s operations, impacting internal services and program administration, such as streamlining operations, leveraging synergies and technology, shifting to digital alternatives, modernizing transfer payment delivery, as well and realigning efforts to core priorities.

The figures in this departmental plan reflect these reductions.

Highlights for Canadian Heritage in 2026–27

Canadian Heritage continues to promote its mandate to support the arts, culture, heritage, celebration, sport, diversity and inclusion, and official languages of Canada:

• The Department will advance an ambitious legislative agenda and pursue modernization efforts to renew CBC/Radio-Canada and the broader system of public support for the audiovisual sector, ensuring it remains adaptive, innovative, and aligned with technological change.
• The Museums Assistance Program will support the participation of provincial and territorial museums and galleries in the Canada Strong Pass. Participating institutions will offer free admission for children and a 50% discount for young adults aged 18 to 24, from June 19 to September 7, 2026.
• In support of Canada’s role as co-host of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, between June 11 and July 19, 2026, Canadian Heritage will leverage opportunities to position Canada as a leading sport nation at home and abroad. The Department will integrate soccer-themed activities into Canada Day celebrations in communities across Canada through a special initiative.
• Sport will also be celebrated as a unifying force and source of national pride through Canada Day programming elements in Canada’s Capital Region highlighting the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Wheelchair Basketball World Championship.
• Sport Canada will engage collaboratively with stakeholders across the sport system to respond to the recommendations of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission’s final report, while continuing to ensure a safe, inclusive, and future-focused sport landscape.
• The Department will continue to uphold the Canadian Multiculturalism Act in a manner that is sensitive and responsive to the evolving multicultural reality of Canada, and by continuing to implement “Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028” and Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate.
• Canadian Heritage will continue to implement the Indigenous Languages Act and to support the efforts of Indigenous communities and organizations to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages.
• Canadian Heritage will pursue the implementation of the modernized Official Languages Act and the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act, continuing its work to achieve substantive equality of English and French in Canadian society.
• The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Action Plan 2025–2028 and 2026–2028 Accessibility Plan focus on culture as an enabler for meaningful and sustained change. A key priority in both plans is to equip managers with the tools they need to exercise inclusive leadership enabling every employee to feel respected, valued and fully able to contribute to the workplace. The Department will provide all managers with practical resources and best practices to apply IDEA principles every day.
• Canadian Heritage will continue implementing its three-year Reconciliation Action Plan (2024–25 to 2026–27), reaffirming the Department’s commitment to respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples and fostering meaningful engagement. Aligned with national reconciliation efforts including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and the Calls for Justice, the plan embeds reconciliation across Canadian Heritage’s mandate, supporting lasting systemic change.

In 2026–27, total planned spending (including internal services) for Canadian Heritage is $1,857,662,321 and total planned full-time equivalent staff (including internal services) is 1,872.

Summary of planned results

The following provides a summary of the results that the Department plans to achieve in 2026–27 under its main areas of activity, called “core responsibilities.”

• Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture

  Canadian Heritage will work towards ensuring its legislative and policy framework responds to the changing environment. For 2026–27, this includes monitoring the implementation of the Online News Act and the Online Streaming Act, advancing work to modernize the Copyright Act, implementing an “artist’s resale right,” and continuing domestic and international engagement on the impacts of artificial intelligence on the creative sector.

  The Department will strengthen Canada’s cultural industries by supporting the creation and accessibility of diverse, high-quality Canadian content across all platforms. In 2026–27, through initiatives such as the Local Journalism Initiative, the Indigenous Screen Office, and the Canada Media Fund, the Department will sustain access to reliable news, amplify Indigenous storytelling, and ensure Canadian audiovisual content remains visible and competitive. Continued support through the Canada Periodical Fund, Canada Music Fund, Changing Narratives Fund and Canada Book Fund will help Canadian creators and publishers share their stories, music, and voices with audiences at home and abroad, while ensuring public-service broadcasters, such as CBC/Radio-Canada, continue to deliver trusted and distinctive programming for Canadians.

  The Department will enhance access to arts and cultural experiences in communities across Canada by supporting live events, training, revenue diversification and improvement of cultural spaces. These initiatives will sustain employment for artists and cultural workers, foster creativity and innovation, and ensure Canadians can experience and participate in diverse artistic expressions.

  Planned spending: $471,115,556

  Planned human resources: 371

  More information about Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture can be found in the full plan.

• Core responsibility 2: Heritage and celebration

  Canadian Heritage will support Canada’s role as co-host of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, through a special initiative to integrate soccer-themed activities into Canada Day celebrations in communities across Canada and through programming elements in Canada’s Capital Region. Other important anniversaries will be highlighted, such as the 30th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day, the 25th anniversary of the STS-100 space mission in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency, and the 200th anniversary of the start of construction of the Rideau Canal, one of Canada’s most iconic national landmarks and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  The Department is also advancing developments with important national monuments, such as the launch of the Indian Residential Schools National Monument (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) design selection process co-developed with Professional Advisors from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Indigenous Task Force and endorsed by the Survivor-led Steering Committee in the fall of 2025. In addition, Canadian Heritage will continue to support the realization of major national monuments that commemorate and reflect Canada’s diverse stories, including the 2SLGBTQI+ National Monument (Thunderhead), the Global Affairs Canada Commemorative Artwork, and the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan. The Department will also support the installation of the renewed interpretive exhibit at the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa.

  Through the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program, Canadian Heritage will continue to encourage community engagement by providing financial support for local performances, for visual arts, for the celebration of local heritage, and for the commemoration and preservation of local history and identity.

  Budget 2025 proposes to provide supplementary funding for the Young Canada Works program, reinforcing the government’s commitment to support youth employment in the heritage, arts, and cultural sector through short-term jobs and internships, and will provide organizations the ability to maintain their operations in key functions.

  The Canada Strong Pass will be revived for the summer of 2026, continuing the benefits introduced in the summer of 2025. With funding support from the Museums Assistance Program, participating provincial and territorial museums and galleries will offer free admission for children and a 50% discount for young adults aged 18 to 24 from June 19 to September 7, 2026.

  The Museums Assistance Program will continue to provide funding to heritage organizations to support the development of professional skills, practices and knowledge relating to key museum functions, to reach new audiences through the production and presentation of travelling exhibitions and to foster the preservation, presentation and management of Indigenous cultural heritage in Canada.

  The Museums Assistance Program will also continue to support the Canadian Museums Association in a three-year initiative to fulfill some of the recommendations of the 2022 Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums (PDF Version, 18.1 MB) report.

  The Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program will continue to offer its support to Canadian institutions for the presentation of high-quality exhibitions on various themes and subject matters that reach out to the public across Canada.

  Meanwhile, the Department will review and amend two regulations which support the administration of the Cultural Property Export and Import Act, to contribute to a more effective export control system by reducing administrative burden on exporters while still creating opportunities to retain important cultural heritage in Canada.

  The Canadian Heritage Information Network will develop a new user-friendly national database to provide global audiences with enriched access to Canadian heritage collections, enabling deeper discovery and exploration of the objects, knowledge, and stories that shape Canada’s identity and culture. Also, the Canadian Conservation Institute and the Canadian Heritage Information Network will continue to collaborate with Parks Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada on the design of a new facility for the Cultural Heritage Science Hub.

  The Canadian Conservation Institute will publish new online resources and offer online training designed to support heritage institutions in developing emergency preparedness plans to safeguard their collections during emergencies. The Canadian Conservation Institute will also provide guidance to heritage workers on using newly developed climate control tools and resources to help them rethink and reduce energy consumption in their institutions.

  Canadian Heritage will continue its efforts to ensure that people in Canada are exposed to knowledge about Canada’s history, civic education and public policy. For example, in 2026–27, the Canada History Fund will support the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund to create a Digital Learning Hub, which will feature resources created by Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators. The Hub will incorporate learning materials into a multilingual learning management system that provides educators throughout Canada with tools and resources to support reconciliation.

  Planned spending: $124,192,315

  Planned human resources: 295

  More information about Core responsibility 2: Heritage and celebration can be found in the full plan.

• Core responsibility 3: Sport

  Canadian Heritage will continue to support Canadian participation at international sporting events, by means of support to National Sport Organizations and National Multisport Service Organizations as they prepare the Canadian teams for international competitions, including the 2027 Pan and Parapan American Games. In addition, the Department will continue to work with franchise holders and other stakeholders to plan for and prepare to host international single sport events, the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the Québec 2027 Canada Winter Games and the 2029 Canada Summer Games in Moncton and St. John Region, New Brunswick.

  Canadian Heritage will continue to strengthen our national sport system for athletes, coaches, and all Canadians. It will collaborate with provincial and territorial governments on the sport priorities identified in the 2025–2035 Canadian Sport Policy.

  The Department will work with the sport community on high-performance initiatives supporting Canadian athletes’ success. Support will be provided to the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network to ensure accessible and healthy training environments.

  The Department will continue to support the Canadian Safe Sport Program, which is responsible for administering the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport and managing an independent complaint process. It will also work with recipients to enhance governance and accountability measures, including the ongoing implementation of new governance requirements and the implementation of the modernized Sport Support Program funding model. Sport Canada will also work on reviewing the final recommendations of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission’s final report.

  Finally, the Department will engage with the Ministerial Athlete Advisory Committee, providing a forum for Canadian athletes to share their lived experiences and offer guidance on key issues to inform sport programs and policies.

  Planned spending: $311,588,996

  Planned human resources: 119

  More information about Core responsibility 3: Sport can be found in the full plan.

• Core responsibility 4: Diversity and inclusion

  The Department will continue to implement Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028, a $110.4 million investment, and Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, with $273.6 million over six years, and $29.3 million ongoing. Canadian Heritage also continues to support efforts to combat racism and hate in all their forms, including antisemitism and Islamophobia, through the establishment of the new Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion.

  The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program continues to support community-based projects that promote dialogue and build understanding of multiculturalism, diversity, racism and religious discrimination. It also provides communities affected by racism, hate or any other form of discrimination with the resources they need to advance economic, social, cultural and political equality, while raising awareness of issues related to racism and hate in Canada. In addition, the Department continues to implement the National Holocaust Remembrance Program, which supports initiatives that seek to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and improve Canadians’ understanding and awareness of the Holocaust and of contemporary antisemitism in all its forms.

  To advance the objectives of the Strategy and the Action Plan, Canadian Heritage will continue to collaborate with Statistics Canada and Justice Canada on research projects through memoranda of understanding.

  Meanwhile, the Department will continue to preserve and promote the multicultural heritage of Canadians through commemorative events and celebrations such as Black History Month and Asian Heritage Month, to highlight the histories, contributions, and achievements of diverse communities from across Canada.

  The Human Rights Program will plan the hosting of the federal, provincial and territorial Forum of Ministers on Human Rights, and the regular meetings of the Senior Officials’ Committee Responsible for Human Rights and the Continuing Committee of Officials on Human Rights. As the Secretariat of Canada’s National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up, the Department will also coordinate federal, provincial and territorial efforts on reporting to the United Nations on Canada’s international human rights obligations and appearances before United Nations human rights treaty bodies. In addition, the Department will increase awareness across the federal government regarding United Nations recommendations on the implementation of Canada’s obligations to help inform decision-making and follow-up, including through new formalized processes under the Federal Human Rights Implementation Framework. Canadian Heritage will also be conducting engagement sessions with partners and stakeholders on Canada’s human rights reporting.

  The Department will ensure the University of Ottawa continues to deliver the Court Challenges Program according to the new contribution agreement, including by processing and transferring funds to the University of Ottawa and by ensuring that quorum is maintained on the two independent Expert Panels responsible for funding decisions.

  Canadian Heritage will continue its work with Indigenous partners to implement the Indigenous Languages Act, including distinction-based funding models that are long-term and more responsive to the unique needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis, advance the work on access to federal services in Inuktut in Nunavut, and support the independent review of the Indigenous Languages Act.

  The Department will adopt measures to improve the efficiency of administering and delivering the Youth Engagement Program. This program will continue ongoing efforts to promote participation among diverse groups, by assessing funding applications based on the diversity, scope, and number of youths involved and requiring funded organizations to deliver inclusive projects that reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of youth in Canada, involving youth from a wide range of backgrounds.

  Through the Youth Secretariat, Canadian Heritage will continue to disseminate emerging issues, priorities, and aspirations of youth in Canada. The Department will also strengthen the knowledge base on youth in Canada through targeted research and by developing strategic resources that can shape federal policies and programs.

  Planned spending: $234,341,214

  Planned human resources: 203

  More information about Core responsibility 4: Diversity and inclusion can be found in the full plan.

• Core responsibility 5: Official languages

  Canadian Heritage will finalize and implement two sets of regulations within its purview: regulations on administrative monetary penalties and regulations on the use of French in federally regulated private businesses. The Department will oversee the tabling of these instruments in Parliament, the associated legislative process and their coming into force. It will also support the Treasury Board Secretariat in developing the Part VII regulations, which requires federal institutions to take positive measures to advance English and French in Canadian society and enhance the vitality of official languages minority communities.

  The Department will step up engagement and dialogue with its partners to support the implementation of the modernized language regime, including with national and regional Indigenous organizations, federal partners, stakeholders, provinces and territories, businesses, unions, and the regulated entities to ensure the coherence and effectiveness of the language framework. Lastly, it will collect feedback from stakeholders and the public to support the final development of the regulations.

  The Department will also prepare for the 10-year review of the Official Languages Act by developing a conceptual and methodological evaluation framework to assess progress made, identify gaps and measure the impact of the Act between now and 2033.

  The Department’s Official Languages Support Programs, in collaboration with federal partners and community organizations will continue working to deliver the 82 initiatives in Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028.

  Finally, the Department will continue to implement the bilateral agreements with provincial and territorial governments on minority-language education, second-language instruction and minority-language services. In managing these agreements, the Department will work with provincial and territorial governments to improve administration to achieve efficiencies and to ensure that the agreements serve the needs of official language minority communities.

  Planned spending: $620,901,513

  Planned human resources: 144

  More information about Core responsibility 5: Official languages can be found in the full plan.

For complete information on Canadian Heritage’s total planned spending and human resources, read the Planned spending and human resources section of the full plan.

From the Minister

As Minister, I present the Department of Canadian Heritage’s 2026–27 Departmental Plan.

Over the coming year, the Department plans to adapt its legislative and strategic framework to an ever-evolving environment. This includes introducing an artist’s resale right for visual artists under the Copyright Act. At the same time, it will continue to support our cultural industries in order to promote creation and increase the visibility of Canadian works. Finally, it will improve access to cultural experiences from coast to coast to coast by supporting diverse festivals and gatherings, which will boost jobs, creativity and public participation.

Canadian Heritage will also highlight important anniversaries—including the 200th anniversary of the Rideau Canal, one of Canada’s most iconic heritage sites. It will also mark the 30th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day and launch the design selection process for the future Indian Residential Schools National Monument (First Nations, Métis and Inuit). Together, these projects will advance reconciliation and highlight the contributions of Indigenous cultures to our society. The Department will also maintain its support for the heritage sector and bring back the Canada Strong Pass for the summer season.

Hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Canada will be a landmark moment for sport in our country and across North America. The Department will contribute to the considerable efforts being made to present this major tournament and reap its benefits. Through Sport Canada, Canadian Heritage will also collaborate with the provinces and territories to achieve the goals set out in the Canadian Sport Policy 2025–2035. It will work with the sport community to support high-level sport. It will continue to support the Canadian Safe Sport Program and the participation of Team Canada in the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, as well as other international competitions that are sure to inspire pride across the country.

In 2026–27, Canadian Heritage will continue implementing Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028 and Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. It will continue to support community projects that foster intercultural dialogue, to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, and to take part in research projects to achieve the goals of the Strategy and the Action Plan. As part of the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act, the Department will advance the first ever independent review of the Act. It will also continue to promote commemorative activities to celebrate the history, contributions and accomplishments of multicultural communities in Canada. Finally, it will pursue its efforts to engage young people and support their participation in our society. Through the Youth Secretariat, the Department will continue to disseminate youth perspectives and policy analysis in support of government initiatives.

Canadian Heritage will continue to implement the new version of the Official Languages Act and the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act. It will finalize the necessary regulations to make these new systems fully operational, from their tabling in Parliament to their entry into force. At the same time, it will modernize the Official Languages Support Programs to simplify processes and increase the impact of investments. It will also maintain its support for minority-language education and second-language instruction through bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories. Along with its partners, Canadian Heritage will continue to implement the 82 measures of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028 and provide regular updates on the progress achieved. All of these actions are part of the Department’s efforts to achieve substantive equality of French and English in Canada.

Canadian Heritage wants to make the most of the new possibilities that emerging technologies offer. It intends to adopt tools such as automation and generative artificial intelligence (AI) in a responsible way. It will be able to count on its new PCH AI Governance Council to monitor and guide all AI projects taking place in the Department. Small-scale pilot projects will be launched to test generative AI tools in contexts specific to Canadian Heritage. This measure will make it possible to establish best practices and make informed decisions before scaling across the Department.

I am pleased to be joined in this work by my colleague the Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport). I invite you to read this report to learn more about the main goals of Canadian Heritage in 2026–2027.

Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibilities and internal services

• 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

Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Indicators, results and targets
• Plans to achieve results
• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Planned resources to achieve results
• Program inventory
• Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

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.

Quality of life impacts

Canada’s Quality of Life Framework measures the well-being of people in Canada. It is organized into domains and subdomains, each of which include several indicators. Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture is aligned with the following key domains, subdomains and indicators.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 1: Creative industries are successful in the digital economy, foster creativity and contribute to economic growth.

Table 1 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Creativity, arts and culture.

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for Creativity, arts and culture in 2026–27.

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

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Advance the modernization of the policy frameworks, institutional structures, and funding tools that support Canada’s screen sector. This work is focused on ensuring that the audiovisual sector remains resilient, competitive, and reflective of Canada’s evolving cultural and economic landscape.
  • Continue to implement the Changing Narratives Fund to help diverse communities and organizations have their stories and perspectives better represented in the media and culture sectors.
  • Advance work with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to introduce an artist’s resale right for visual artists under the Copyright Act to respond to challenges posed in the digital environment, and ensure protection for artists, creators and copyright holders.
  • Continue to engage domestically and internationally on artificial intelligence and culture to ensure that developments in artificial intelligence policy consider cultural considerations and support the diversity of cultural expression.
  • Ensure that foreign investments in Canada’s cultural sector are of net benefit to Canadians, and that sectoral foreign investment policies are updated to reflect current realities.
• Canadians are able to consume Canadian content on multiple platforms.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Support public-service broadcasters to ensure that they can continue to provide important programming and services that achieve the policy objectives of the Broadcasting Act.
  • Support policy efforts to strengthen and renew CBC/Radio-Canada to ensure its sustainability, independence and accountability.
  • Further policy work to support the sustainability of the Canadian news ecosystem, including monitoring the implementation of the Online News Act.
  • Further policy work to encourage and support a sustainable and equitable broadcasting sector, including overseeing the implementation of the Online Streaming Act.
  • Support Indigenous-led storytelling through the Indigenous Screen Office, thereby contributing to the authentic representation of Indigenous Peoples in Canada on screen and contributing to reconciliation by enabling audiences to discover and enjoy Indigenous audiovisual content, fostering greater awareness and appreciation of Indigenous cultures, stories and perspective.
  • Continue working with the Canada Media Fund Corporation to ensure that Canada Media Fund programs support the audiovisual industry and offer Canadians rich and diverse Canadian content across all platforms.
  • Protect Canada’s information ecosystem via continued support to media, journalism and periodicals.
  • Support access to reliable news and information in underserved communities through the Local Journalism Initiative.
  • Continue to stimulate investments by the Canadian-owned music sector in Canadian artists and enhance their ability to compete for audiences on global digital platforms and on stages across Canada and around the world, through the Canada Music Fund.
  • Implement the additional funding for Canadian book publishers through the Canada Book Fund to elevate Canadian authors and stories both at home and abroad.
• Creative industries are successful in global markets.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Support the multilateral TV5 partnership to showcase content from la Francophonie in Canada and Canadian Francophone content abroad.
  • Continue to negotiate modernized audiovisual coproduction treaties that will make Canada a partner of choice internationally.
  • Advance Canada’s creative sector and copyright interests in international trade agreements by negotiating appropriate cultural safeguards to further domestic cultural policy objectives and broaden opportunities in domestic and foreign markets.
• Professional arts experiences are available to Canadians in their community.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Enhance Canadian engagement with the arts by connecting cultural organizations with their communities and supporting high-quality training for artists.
  • Support professional arts festivals, and encourage access and resilience in the arts.
  • Support the Harbourfront Centre as a key cultural hub that anchors arts organizations, sustains employment for artists and cultural workers.
  • Help festivals and live events to adapt to evolving sector pressures and sustain access to diverse artistic experiences through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund.
• Canadians are better equipped to counter the effects of online disinformation.

  • As the Digital Citizen Contribution Program will be modified as part of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, no results are expected.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

The Canada Music Fund’s Initial Recipients, FACTOR and Musicaction, will continue to include incentives for Canadian-owned music companies to invest in the career development of artists from Indigenous communities and equity-deserving groups. To communicate the impact of the Canada Music Fund’s investments, the Fund’s performance measurement strategy reports on the number of artists from these communities supported by the Canada Music Fund, as well as the total investments in these artists. Furthermore, the Canada Music Fund will continue to monitor issues relating to equity, diversity and inclusion, and explore ways to alleviate systemic barriers faced by Indigenous communities and equity-deserving groups through short-, medium- and long-term changes to the program.

The Canada Arts Training Fund has reduced barriers and improved access to funding through its tailored application forms and guidelines for Indigenous and equity arts organizations as well as through prioritizing funding for Indigenous and equity deserving groups’ arts training to address historic inequities in funding levels. The Fund has strengthened its ability to report on gender and diversity impacts by introducing standardized self-identification questions, implementing evaluation recommendations to improve demographic data collection, aligning with broader departmental priorities, and is participating in a data-reporting working group to better define data needs in response to GBA Plus data gaps.

The Canada Arts Presentation Fund, through both the Programming Component and the Development Component, will continue to support arts presenters in programming diverse artists and will prioritize funding to organizations with strong equity representation in key leadership, governance, and artistic programming positions. The Fund will also provide enhanced access to funding opportunities through its Development Component that reduces barriers to equity-deserving applicants, Indigenous organizations, and underserved disciplines through adapted eligibility and funding criteria in response to the unique needs of these recipients and communities. The Fund is actively strengthening its data verification and equity reporting by updating its evaluation framework, embedding Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility questions in grant processes, increasing funding for equity-deserving groups, and deepening engagement with its community — all of which are measurable in its departmental reporting. The Fund is also participating in a data-reporting working group to better define data needs in response to data gaps.

The Harbourfront Centre Funding Program supports a single recipient that prioritizes equity representation and access in its organization’s governance, artistic programming, and partnerships. It has demonstrated ongoing results in both gender and equity advancement achieved through its programming and related activities. The Program is now actively building out a stronger data and reporting infrastructure — updating its performance indicators and aligning them with reporting tools.

The Canada Book Fund will continue to explore ways to reduce barriers to access for publishers from official language minority, Indigenous, and racialized communities. It will also incentivize publishers to produce and promote more works by authors from these communities and encourage the production and sale of accessible digital books. The Fund continues to collect program data in these areas but is refining its performance metrics around Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility and participating in departmental initiatives to identify common data points and standardize data collection related to GBA Plus data gaps.

The Indigenous Screen Office Program strengthens narrative sovereignty and promotes authentic representation by supporting First Nations, Inuit, and Métis creators in film, television, and digital media. Through distinctions-based and gender-inclusive reporting, the program advances equity and informs future design, while aligning with Indigenous data sovereignty principles and federal frameworks. Ongoing efforts aim to close data gaps and ensure meaningful representation of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada’s audiovisual sector.

The Canada Media Fund aims to bolster Canada’s audiovisual sector through targeted funding to support equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. Through its three funding pillars of Ideation, Creation, and Industry, the Canada Media Fund contributes to a more resilient, inclusive, and culturally diverse media landscape. Industry partners are also encouraged to invest in and promote these creators, fostering a more inclusive sector that authentically reflects Canada’s diverse perspectives, promoting long-term social cohesion and national identity. The Canada Media Fund will utilize its PERSONA-ID^{Footnote 15} system to monitor and assess its impact and will report on disaggregated program demographic data. This data will allow the Canada Media Fund to measure program effectiveness, adapt to emerging needs, and improve accessibility for diverse creators across Canada.

The Local Journalism Initiative will also continue to promote diversity in the news ecosystem, in collaboration with its delivery organizations, to promote hiring of journalists and coverage in a manner that is reflective of Canadian diversity. To achieve these objectives, the program has a reserved funding for coverage of Indigenous, ethnocultural, official language minority, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities and promotes diversity hiring practices. The program gathers data on journalists hiring and coverage of underrepresented communities.

Under the Changing Narratives Fund, the Collective Initiatives component of the Canada Periodical Fund, the Local Journalism Initiative, and the Canada Media Fund program will support mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities for diverse communities (i.e., Indigenous, Black, racialized, ethno-religious minority, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ communities) at all career stages to encourage better participation in the audiovisual, media, and cultural industries. The Changing Narratives Fund also supports internships and work placements to provide on-the-job training and experience, leverages program administrative data (i.e., information from application forms, project reports, program surveys) and collects broader demographic data to determine the reach and impact of the Fund on diverse communities and to support equity in the arts and media sector. All programs are actively refining reporting and performance measurement to address gaps and ensure GBA Plus-informed outcomes.

The Collective Initiatives component of the Canada Periodical Fund collects data through application forms and projects reports and will help facilitate participant surveys to determine the portion of professionals from Indigenous, Black, racialized, ethno-religious minority, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ communities that have benefitted from Changing-Narratives Funded-funded projects.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 6: Planned resources to achieve results for Creativity, arts and culture

Table 6 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Program inventory

Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture is supported by the following programs:

• Arts
• Cultural Marketplace Framework
• Cultural Industries Support and Development

Additional information related to the program inventory for Core responsibility 1: Creativity, arts and culture is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

The following new indicators were introduced in 2026–27. However, please note that the Digital Citizen Contribution Program will be modified as part of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, and as such the indicators will not be measured:

• Number of projects with at least two new research products available to Canadians on disinformation, other online harms or efforts to prevent and counter this harmful online content.
• Number of Canadians reached through citizen-focused activities carried out by funding recipients.

The following indicator was modified to improve clarity:

• Growth of Canadian content on multiple platforms, by production levels: Number of new Canadian-authored books published by Canada Book Fund recipients

A few indicators were adjusted in English and French to fix minor errors and ensure consistency between both languages.

Core responsibility 2: Heritage and celebration

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Indicators, results and targets
• Plans to achieve results
• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Planned resources to achieve results
• Program inventory
• Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

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.

Quality of life impacts

Canada’s Quality of Life Framework measures the well-being of people in Canada. It is organized into domains and subdomains, each of which includes a number of indicators. Core responsibility 2: Heritage and celebration is aligned with the key domains, subdomains and indicators below.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for Core responsibility 2: Heritage and celebration. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 7: People across Canada are provided regular opportunities to engage in their communities through local arts and heritage activities.

Table 7 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Heritage and celebration.

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for Heritage and celebration in 2026–27.

• People across Canada are provided regular opportunities to engage in their communities through local arts and heritage activities.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Continue to support live and recurring community festivals that present the work of local artists, local artisans, local heritage performers or specialists, and local First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural carriers through the Local Festivals component of the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program.
  • Continue to support one-time community events that commemorate the 100th anniversary – and every 25 years after – of significant local events or personalities through the Community Anniversaries component of the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program.
  • Support local capital projects, such as the “Wood Islands Lighthouse Restoration, Exhibits & 150th Anniversary” project in Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island, through the Legacy Fund component of the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program. This project will commemorate 150 years since the opening of the Wood Islands Lighthouse in 1876 through the restoration and revitalization of the historic site, which include modernizations to the building, accessibility improvements, and new interpretive exhibits in English, French, and Mi’kmaq. The exhibits will highlight the region’s marine transportation and fishing heritage. Displays will recognize all captains and crew who have sailed from Wood Islands, with special recognition of female and Indigenous fishers. The project will conclude with a celebratory event in 2026 marking the lighthouse’s 150th anniversary.
• The public is provided with access to cultural heritage.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Support youth involved with heritage, arts, and cultural sectors through the Young Canada Works—Heritage Program. The program enables heritage organizations to hire youth in short-term jobs and internships, which also boosts organizations’ ability to maintain their operations in key functions, thereby providing the public with access to heritage. Budget 2025 proposes to provide supplementary funding to strengthen and expand this support.
  • Continue to offer its support to Canadian institutions through the Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program for the presentation of high-quality exhibitions on various themes and subject matters that reach out to various publics across Canada.
  • Revive the Canada Strong Pass for the summer of 2026, continuing the benefits introduced in the summer of 2025. With funding support from the Museums Assistance Program, participating provincial and territorial museums and galleries will offer free admission for children and a 50% discount for young adults aged 18 to 24, from June 19 to September 7, 2026.
  • Develop a new platform to support the sharing of Canadian heritage, through the Canadian Heritage Information Network. This new user-friendly national database will replace Artefacts Canada. It will provide global audiences with enriched access to Canadian heritage collections, enabling deeper discovery and exploration of the objects, knowledge, and stories that shape Canada’s identity and culture. This initiative will be founded on partnerships to strengthen the digital capacity of the heritage sector, particularly in the effective management of collection data. This will also include exploring the use of artificial intelligence in the platform.
• Heritage objects and collections are preserved by heritage organizations for current and future generations.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Continue to provide funding through the Museums Assistance Program to heritage organizations to support the development of professional skills, practices and knowledge relating to key museum functions such as collections management, to increase understanding and awareness of Indigenous cultural heritage in Canada, and to reach new audiences through the production and presentation of travelling exhibitions.
  • Continue to support the Canadian Museums Association in a three-year initiative to fulfill some of the recommendations of the 2022 Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums (PDF Version, 18.1 MB) report, a report which resulted from a national review of museum policies and practices in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 67. Activities include conducting studies, establishing networks and developing tools, resources and training for museum professionals.
  • Continue to collaborate, between the Canadian Conservation Institute, Canadian Heritage Information Network, Parks Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada on the next phase of the design of a new facility for the Cultural Heritage Science Hub.
  • Publish new online resources and offer online training through the Canadian Conservation Institute, to support heritage institutions in developing emergency preparedness plans to safeguard their collections during emergencies.
  • Provide guidance through the Canadian Conservation Institute to heritage workers on using newly developed climate control tools and resources to help them rethink and reduce energy consumption in their institutions.
  • Review and amend two regulations that support the administration of the Cultural Property Export and Import Act, namely, the Canadian Cultural Property Export Control List and the Cultural Property Export Regulations, as part of the Red Tape Reduction Exercise. Amending these two regulations will contribute to a more effective export control system by reducing administrative burden on exporters while still creating opportunities to retain important cultural heritage in Canada.
• Canadians participate in events and activities of national significance that celebrate and commemorate Canada’s cultures, shared values, symbols and institutions.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Mark Canada’s role as co-host of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ through a special initiative to integrate soccer-themed activities into Canada Day celebrations in communities across Canada. Sport will also be celebrated as a unifying force and source of national pride through Canada Day programming elements in Canada’s Capital Region highlighting the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Wheelchair Basketball World Championship.
  • Mark the 30th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day by expanding awareness and the scope of community celebrations across the country through the Celebration and Commemoration Program, further supporting reconciliation and recognition of the diverse cultures and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
• Celebrations and commemorations of national significance strengthen the sense of belonging to Canada.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Mark the 25th anniversary of the STS-100 space mission, which included the first spacewalk by a Canadian astronaut and the installation of Canadarm2 on the International Space Station. In collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency, Canadian Heritage will present a photo display on Plaza Bridge and commemorative banners along Confederation Boulevard. These activities will align with the themes of Canada Day 2026, celebrating Canadian innovation and strengthening pride in national achievements. The mission’s legacy will also be linked to the Artemis II mission, featuring Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, highlighting Canada’s continued leadership in space exploration.
  • Advance the realization of the Indian Residential Schools National Monument (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), fulfilling Call to Action 81 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In 2026–27, the Department will launch the design selection process for the Monument, following an approach co-developed with Professional Advisors from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Indigenous Task Force, and endorsed by the Survivor-led Steering Committee in the fall of 2025.
  • Continue to support the realization of major national monuments that commemorate and reflect Canada’s diverse stories. The Department will provide functional support to the LGBT Purge Fund and the National Capital Commission in the delivery of the inauguration ceremony for the 2SLGBTQI+ National Monument (Thunderhead), planned for summer 2026, providing its expertise in artistic programming, production services and protocol. Work will also continue on the Global Affairs Canada Commemorative Artwork, with construction beginning in spring 2026 and an inauguration anticipated in fall 2026. In partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada and the National Capital Commission, construction of the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan is scheduled to begin in 2026.
  • Support the installation of the renewed interpretive exhibit at the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa. This initiative follows the recommendations of the advisory panel established in 2024 and reflects the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to educate current and future generations about the Holocaust and the consequences of antisemitism.
  • Mark the 200th anniversary of the start of construction of the Rideau Canal, one of Canada’s most iconic national landmarks and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Department will use this unique opportunity to showcase Canada’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves in a photo exhibit on Château Laurier Terrace during the summer. The anniversary also coincides with the founding of Bytown in 1826, a settlement that would later become Ottawa, Canada’s capital, highlighting the deep historical ties between the canal and the development of the region.
• Other activities in support of the core responsibility

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Continue efforts to ensure that people in Canada are exposed to knowledge about Canada’s history, civic education and public policy through the Canada History Fund.
  • Support the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund to create a Digital Learning Hub which will feature lesson plans and resources created by Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators to meet the needs of students in every province and territory. The Hub will gather hundreds of learning materials including videos, interviews, learning guides, and lesson plans into a multilingual learning management system that provides educators throughout Canada with tools and resources to support reconciliation.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

Events organized by the Major Events, Commemorations and State Ceremonial Branch, such as Canada Day and Winterlude, are free, open to the public, and aim to be accessible to all Canadians, for instance through various broadcast initiatives. GBA Plus related data is collected only through public opinion research, which is subject to approval and the availability of resources. The Department is planning to conduct public opinion research periodically in coming years to improve the quantity and quality of data available to inform decision making, and is currently taking steps to secure resources and approvals required for GBA Plus data collection.

The Celebration and Commemoration Program largely distributes small grants to community organizations, not individuals or large arts and cultural institutions, where tracking may be more institutionalized and where the reporting capacity is higher. While funding recipients are required to report on the number of participants reached by a project or initiative, they are not obliged to track the intersectional identity factors of participants and the final activity reports do not generally capture disaggregated data. As part of a larger government initiative to enhance the accessibility of funding programs, Celebrate Canada implemented a Fast Track system for grants under $5,000, which requires less information from clients and simplifies the application process for organizations.

By the end of 2026–27, the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program will have a full year of data from the pilot self-assessment question added to its application form for the Local Festivals component in 2025–26. The collected data will enable disaggregated analysis of results to help measure the impact of funding on equity-deserving groups across Canada, including Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, Black, ethnocultural and official language minority communities, persons with disabilities and women.

There is currently no plan to expand on Young Canada Works–Heritage’s data gathering as it is quite robust. Gender and diversity data of participating youth is collected for Young Canada Works–Heritage. The gender and diversity questions are part of the “youth facing barriers to employment” initiative of Employment and Social Development Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy. Through the program evaluation questionnaire, youth participants are asked to self-identify their gender and indicate whether they live in a rural or remote area, belong to an Indigenous community or various other equity-deserving groups (such as official languages minority communities, women, racialized youth, persons with a disability, and more recently, as of 2025–26, Black and 2SLGBTQI+ youth groups).

Starting in 2021-22, with the launch of the Digital Access to Heritage component, and following its participation in the Department’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Review in 2022-23, the Museum Assistance Program made improvements around data gathering for its client organizations. The Program has specifically improved its application portal forms to gather self-identification data according to these identifiers: First Nations, Inuit, Métis, ethnocultural, racialized, Official Language Minority Communities, other underserved communities (2SLGBTQI+, youth, etc.), and location (rural or remote). The Program also tracks the same identifiers for the communities involved in the project and target audiences. Currently, the Museum Assistance Program is undergoing its cyclical evaluation process. Once results are shared, the Program will review the recommendations and address what additional improvements can be made to its data collection and performance information profile.

The Canadian Conservation Institute and the Canadian Heritage Information Network established a cross-disciplinary Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility working group to review current data management practices and strengthen how both organizations measure, monitor, and analyze their impact on equity-deserving communities, thereby informing future service delivery.

The Canada History Fund is implementing recommendations in 2026-27 stemming from the Department’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Review to address eligibility requirements that may pose barriers to equity-deserving groups, such as track record of applicants, and to improve application and assessment processes. Adjustments are being made in collaboration with departmental partners to apply a decolonial, anti-racism and accessible-by-design lens to its application documents and assessment processes. Furthermore, taking into consideration the recommendations from the program evaluation, the Canada History Fund will review program indicators in 2026-27 to address any gaps in its performance measurement strategy and to align with the departmental Data Strategy.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 12: Planned resources to achieve results for Heritage and celebration.

Table 12 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Program inventory

Core responsibility 2: Heritage and Celebration is supported by the following programs:

• National Celebrations, Commemorations and Symbols
• Community Engagement and Heritage
• Preservation of and Access to Heritage
• Learning about Canadian History

Additional information related to the program inventory for Core responsibility 2: Heritage and Celebration is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

The following new results were introduced to better reflect the departmental mandate:

• Canadians participate in events and activities of national significance that celebrate and commemorate Canada’s cultures, shared values, symbols, and institutions
• Celebrations and commemorations of national significance strengthen the sense of belonging to Canada

The following result was modified to adopt a more inclusive language:

• People across Canada are provided regular opportunities to engage in their communities through local arts and heritage activities

The following new indicators were introduced to better reflect departmental activities:

• Number of people taking part in events by attending or volunteering
• Number of people reached through national broadcasts of events
• Number of people taking part in learning or educational activities
• Percentage of people reporting a stronger sense of belonging to Canada after taking part in a celebration or commemoration of national significance

Core responsibility 3: Sport

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Indicators, results and targets
• Plans to achieve results
• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Planned resources to achieve results
• Program inventory
• Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

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.

Quality of life impacts

Canada’s Quality of Life Framework measures the well-being of people in Canada. It is organized into domains and subdomains, each of which includes several indicators. Core responsibility 3: Sport is aligned with the key domains, subdomains and indicators below.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for Core responsibility 3: Sport. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 13: Canadian athletes succeed at the highest levels of competition.

Table 13 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Sport.

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for Sport in 2026–27.

• Canadian athletes succeed at the highest levels of competition.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Continue engaging with the sport community on strategic high-performance initiatives to help Canadian athletes succeed at the highest levels of competition.
  • Directly support Canadian high-performance athletes through the Athlete Assistance Program. Funding will assist athletes with expenses related to training and competitions, as well as offset some costs associated with tuition costs for post-secondary education.
  • Streamline funding to sport stakeholders to ensure the delivery of a welcoming, accessible, and healthy competition and Daily Training Environment for athletes and for National Sport Organizations to support national team programs.
  • Continue to coordinate federal activities for international sporting events and fund national team preparations. In 2026–27, this includes working collaboratively with key Government of Canada partners in preparation of the Team Canada Celebration for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as well as the 2026 Commonwealth Games and 2027 Pan and Parapan American Games on elements such as incident management and security oversight to ensure the safety of Team Canada at Games.
  • Support the Paralympic Endowment Fund (created in 2024), which will ensure that the financial reward paid to Paralympian and Olympian medal winners will be the same in 2026.
  • Provide support to International Single Sport Events which assists National Sport Organizations in hosting international single sport events in Canada, such as World Championships, Olympic or Paralympic qualification events and World Cups.
  • Continue to coordinate and support Government of Canada planning and preparations to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026™. This includes oversight of the federal funding and essential service contributions to support event delivery in the two host cities and provinces, as well as the overall Government of Canada communications and activation activities to leverage the event.
• Canadian children and youth are participating in a sport activity.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Advance the new Federal-Provincial/Territorial Canadian Sport Policy 2025–2035 and Priorities for Collaborative Action 2025–2030 by publishing a federal commitment for leading, supporting and promoting sport participation and performance policy issues of national interest.
  • Work closely with the Canada Games Council, provinces and territories, the Host Society, and other stakeholders in the lead up to and through the successful delivery of the 2027 Canada Winter Games in Québec, Québec. The Department will also continue to work to support the wrap-up of operations of the 2025 Canada Summer Games Host Society in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Also, the Department continues efforts to establish the Host Society for the 2029 Canada Summer Games in Moncton and the St. John Region, New Brunswick.
  • Continue to fund projects that expand the use of sport for social development in Indigenous communities, ensuring community driven sport-related projects, which address the self-identified social development needs of Indigenous communities and Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples.
  • Work with our federal colleagues (such as Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, Regional Development Agencies) and provinces and territories for increased investment in sport and recreation facilities across Canada.
• 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.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Review the final report of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission and its final recommendations. The Department will continue to promote strong measures to support safe and welcoming sport experiences, and will continue to engage with stakeholders to respond to emerging priorities.
  • Support the Canadian Safe Sport Program, which is responsible for administering the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport and managing an independent complaint process. The Department will continue to support the Canadian Safe Sport Program for awareness and education initiatives. This ongoing support will ensure that national-level sport participants are subject to the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport and that individuals have access to an independent complaint mechanism should they experience maltreatment. The adoption of the Canadian Safe Sport Program remains a condition of receiving federal funding. Sport Canada will continue to engage with provincial and territorial governments to ensure sport participants have access to an independent third-party safe sport mechanism at all levels.
  • Work with recipients to enhance governance and accountability measures, including the ongoing implementation of new governance requirements and the implementation of the modernized Sport Support Program funding model.
  • Engage with the Ministerial Athlete Advisory Committee, providing a forum for Canadian athletes to share their lived experiences and offer guidance on key issues to inform sport programs and policies.
  • Provide support for the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, affirming the Government of Canada’s commitment to strengthening integrity in sport.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

The Hosting Program and the Athlete Assistance Program collect data to monitor and report program impacts by sex. Sports are traditionally divided by biological sex, not gender, and participation in events tends to align with sex. Data on other identity factors are also collected through events geared towards specific demographics, such as the North American Indigenous Games or the Paralympic Games.

The Sport Support Program collects sufficient data to monitor and report on program impacts by GBA Plus identity factors. The National Sport Organization component of the Sport Support Program collects data on the self-described gender identity of athlete competitors, coaches, officials, other club/league recreational participants, board of directors, paid staff, staff leadership, and technical experts. Responses are optional but are intended to help improve Sport Canada’s understanding and commitment to strengthening Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility. Other components of the Sport Support Program target specific underrepresented groups and collect relevant data to demonstrate program impact. For example, the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities component targets Indigenous communities.

Sport Canada contribution agreements provide guidance to National Sport Organizations that receive core funding to develop plans with concrete actions and goals to address gaps with respect to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 16: Planned resources to achieve results for Sport

Table 16 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Program inventory

Core responsibility 3: Sport is supported by the following programs:

• Sport Development and High Performance

Additional information related to the program inventory for Core responsibility 3: Sport is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

The following result was slightly modified to improve clarity:

• Canadian children and youth are participating in a sport activity.

The following indicators replace previous similar indicators in order to improve the quality and reliability of data:

• Percentage of Canadian high performance athletes reporting that they experience sport in a welcoming environment
• Percentage of Canadian high performance athletes reporting that they experience sport in a safe environment

The following indicators were modified to improve clarity:

• Canada’s Global Competition Ranking Index for Paralympic winter sport
• Canada’s Global Competition Ranking Index for Olympic winter sport
• Canada’s Global Competition Ranking Index for Paralympic summer sport
• Canada’s Global Competition Ranking Index for Olympic summer sport
• Number of Canadian children and youth participating in a sport activity

The name of the following program was modified only in French to improve clarity:

• Développement du sport et haute performance

Core responsibility 4: Diversity and inclusion

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Indicators, results and targets
• Plans to achieve results
• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Planned resources to achieve results
• Program inventory
• Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

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.

Quality of life impacts

Canada’s Quality of Life Framework measures the well-being of people in Canada. It is organized into domains and subdomains, each of which includes a number of indicators. Core responsibility 4: Diversity and inclusion is aligned with the key domains, subdomains and indicators below.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for Core responsibility 4: Diversity and inclusion. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 17: Canadians have a strong sense of belonging to Canada.

Table 17 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Diversity and inclusion

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for Diversity and inclusion in 2026–27.

• Canadians have a strong sense of belonging to Canada.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Continue to invest in Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028, launched on June 8, 2024, with $110.4 million aimed at driving action in employment, justice and law enforcement, housing, healthcare and immigration systems. The Strategy encompasses over 70 federal initiatives designed to ensure federal policies, programs and services reflect the needs of Canadians, while also working in partnership with communities across the country.
  • Establish an Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion comprised of prominent Canadians from academia as well as experts and community leaders, with a mission to foster social cohesion, rally Canadians around shared identity, and combat racism and hate in all their forms, including antisemitism and Islamophobia.
  • Continue to invest in Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, launched on September 24, 2024, with $273.6 million over six years, and $29.3 million ongoing, to tackle hate from multiple angles to increase support to victims and survivors of incidents of hate; help communities prevent, address, and protect people from hate; enhance research and data collection; provide greater resources for law enforcement; and raise public awareness.
  • Support community-based projects to provide communities affected by racism, hate or any other form of discrimination with the resources they need to advance economic, social, cultural and political equality, while raising awareness of issues related to racism and hate in Canada.
  • Maintain collaboration through memoranda of understanding with Statistics Canada and Justice Canada on research projects to advance the objectives of the Strategy and the Action Plan.
  • Support projects and initiatives that promote discussion and information sharing on multiculturalism, diversity, racism and religious discrimination through the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program.
  • Preserve and promote the multicultural heritage of Canadians through commemorative events and celebrations such as Black History Month and Asian Heritage Month.
  • Conduct outreach efforts to disseminate knowledge and form connections with stakeholders for the purpose of tackling hate, racism and other forms of discrimination.
  • Continue to apply the governance framework for Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy and Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, which will encourage collaboration and provide implementation oversight. Convene key policy tables on anti-racism and anti-hate, including the Government of Canada Assistant Deputy Minister Steering Committee on Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate for the implementation of the Anti-Racism Strategy and Action Plan on Combatting Hate.
• Canadians value human rights.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Promote key national and international commemorative and awareness days, such as Human Rights Day, through social media, events and other activities.
  • Lead key human rights accountability processes in collaboration with federal, provincial, and territorial partners, including preparing reports on international human rights treaties for submission to the United Nations and participating in reviews by United Nations expert bodies to discuss Canada’s implementation of its treaty obligations.
  • Ensure that timely actions are undertaken in follow up to the priorities set during the May 2026 Forum of Ministers on Human Rights.
  • Engage civil society, Indigenous representatives, and human rights commissions in the preparation of reports and in the implementation of recommendations issued by international human rights bodies, including those received during Canada’s Fourth Universal Periodic Review (2023), recent reviews under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (2024), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2025), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (2026), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2026).
  • Disseminate information with respect to United Nations Treaty Bodies and mechanisms with partners and stakeholders to ensure greater transparency.
  • Continue developing a distinction-based mechanism to formalize participation of Indigenous peoples’ representative institutions throughout the federal government’s processes for:
    • ongoing implementation of Canada’s obligations under international human rights treaties;
    • monitoring and reporting on Canada’s obligations under those treaties;
    • follow-up on recommendations by international human rights bodies; and
    • consideration of adherence to international human rights treaties to which Canada is not yet party in line with the Department’s commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan.
  • Strengthen Canada’s Federal Human Rights Implementation Framework, including through the organization of strategic discussions through the Directors General Forum on Human Rights (DGRights) and the consolidation of mechanisms to strengthen follow-up efforts.
  • Establish an external advisory committee to Canada’s national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up (RightsAC).
• 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.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Continue transferring funds to the University of Ottawa, the third-party delivery organization, and maintaining quorum on the two independent Expert Panels responsible for funding decisions.
  • Focus on implementing the 2025–2030 contribution agreement with the University of Ottawa, monitoring its application, and enhancing reporting and accountability. The Court Challenges Program also supports the government’s priority to uphold the rule of law and priorities on inclusion and reconciliation by ensuring that constitutional rights are accessible to all, including minority groups and Indigenous Peoples.
• Increase in the use of Indigenous languages.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Advance the work on access to federal services in Inuktut, in collaboration with Inuit partners, the Government of Nunavut and other federal institutions.
  • Support the first-ever independent review of the Indigenous Languages Act.
  • Work with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis Nation to continue to fully implement the Indigenous Languages Act, including long-term, predictable and sustainable funding to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages in Canada.
• Participants in the Exchanges Canada Program enhance their appreciation of the diversity and shared aspects of the Canadian experience.

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Through the Youth Engagement programs, support forums, reciprocal exchanges and youth-led projects that bring together youth from across Canada—including Indigenous and racialized youth, youth with a disability, youth from rural communities, and low-income households—so that they may learn about their country, gain appreciation for Canada’s diversity, be engaged in their communities, and understand the importance of being an active and engaged citizen. The Youth Engagement programs aim to contribute to developing participants’ sense of belonging to Canada and Canadian identity.
  • To ensure the transfer payment programs achieve their expected results in 2026–27, the Youth Engagement programs will adopt measures to increase efficiency in the administration and delivery.
• Other activities in support of the core responsibility

  Results we plan to achieve:

  • Continue the Department’s efforts to support young people’s participation in the Government of Canada’s decision-making through the Youth Secretariat. Through the Secretariat’s engagement activities, the perspectives, priorities and needs of youth in Canada can inform federal policies and programs.
  • Foster whole-of-government collaboration by continuing interdepartmental meetings on youth and enhance youth participation in national dialogues by supporting government initiatives that integrate youth voices into public policy development.
  • Disseminate youth perspectives and policy analysis in support of government initiatives, including highlighting emerging issues affecting youth in Canada and sharing findings with policymakers through its cross-government collaborative networks to better address the aspirations and realities of today’s youth.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program actively contributes to the Government of Canada’s goal to preserve and enhance the multicultural heritage of Canadians while working to achieve the equality of all Canadians in the economic, social, cultural and political life of Canada. Activities and funding touch on issues that affect various groups differently across Canada in consideration of GBA Plus, which is a factor in research projects and for grants and contributions project funding. The program collaborates with federal institutions such as Statistics Canada and the Department of Justice, on research projects to support the goal of enhancing data with particular attention to the intersectional analysis of race, indigeneity, rurality, disability, sexual identity, and ethno-religious minorities among other characteristics.

In 2026–27, the Court Challenges Program will continue to support test cases that clarify constitutional and quasi-constitutional rights in Canada. While the program advances equity, diversity, and inclusion outcomes, due respect to solicitor-client privilege limits the collection of detailed beneficiary information. To address this data gap, a data collection tool has been put in place to strengthen the program’s capacity to capture and communicate GBA Plus outcomes. The tool, to be fully implemented before 2026–2027, will track the characteristics of the identity groups that benefit from the positive impacts of funded cases, while maintaining the confidentiality of program beneficiaries. Through its support for test cases that help define and strengthen constitutional protections, the Court Challenges Program will continue to contribute to a more inclusive justice system and advance equitable outcomes for all people in Canada.

The Human Rights Program is not a grants and contributions program, and therefore, no such data is captured with this respect. The activities of the Human Rights Program are directed at all people living in Canada, and efforts are made to raise awareness and understanding of human rights by the public.

The Indigenous Languages Program recognizes the diverse needs of Indigenous populations in varied contexts—on reserve and off reserve, in remote, urban and Northern communities. Gender is an important identity factor in assessing program impacts due to the unique position of Indigenous women as traditional keepers of language and their related social roles in linguistic transmission, socialization of children, and education. According to the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan, reconnecting with Indigenous languages fosters a positive identity and contributes to healing and the safety of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. The program also recognizes the importance of youth and Elders in intergenerational language transmission.

The Indigenous Languages Program collects information on distinction (First Nation, Inuit and Métis), place of residence (province, territory, community), as well as variables of language, remote/rural/urban location, on and off reserve, gender and age, based on availability. This information supports program design, impact assessment and decision-making. The program continues to work jointly with Indigenous partners on its results framework to determine how best to collect information about the differential impacts of the program on segments of the Indigenous population, and to determine what, if any, specific targets should be set for diverse groups. This collaborative approach helps identify and address data gaps while respecting Indigenous priorities and perspectives. The program also reviews Census data from Statistics Canada on an ongoing basis to understand the characteristics of Indigenous populations in Canada, including the number of speakers of Indigenous languages, which helps inform gender and diversity-sensitive program design and implementation.

The Youth Engagement Program is committed to making its programs more inclusive and equitable to ensure it includes a diverse community of funded client organizations building on work already underway to apply a decolonial, anti-racism and accessibility lens.

To support the departmental priority of Diversity and Inclusion, and in accordance with ongoing efforts to promote participation among diverse groups, in 2026–27, the Exchanges Canada and Youth Take Charge programs will continue to assess funding applications based on the scope, diversity and number of youths reached. They will also require funded organizations to deliver inclusive projects representing the geographic and demographic diversity of the Canadian youth population, meaning they actively involve youth from a wide range of backgrounds. For Exchanges Canada, data collection focuses on participant age, gender, province/territory of residence, language, Indigenous and racialized youth, youth with a disability, and youth from a rural community (low-income household is also included). For the Youth Take Charge Program, data is collected on participant age, gender, province/territory of residence, language, official-language minority community, as well as identification of Indigenous and racialized youth, and youth with a disability.

These results are tracked by the programs to monitor performance from a GBA Plus perspective, in the aim that youth from diverse backgrounds have opportunities to participate in funded activities. The data enables the identification of participation gaps and supports the implementation of corrective measures to address them and improve program inclusivity. Drawing from the findings from the in-depth internal GBA Plus analyses completed in 2023-24 for the Exchanges Canada Program and in 2024-25 for the Youth Take Charge, processes, program tools, application and administrative documents will be reviewed and refined to ensure their alignment with an inclusive, equity-focused approach for both programs.

In 2026–27, the Youth Secretariat will use the GBA Plus lens to guide its analysis and research and any activities that it leads. The GBA Plus lens considers the diverse identities of youth (age, gender, language spoken, cultural identity, disability, etc.) when analyzing policies and providing advice on youth-related issues as well as when planning youth engagement activities. The Secretariat will continue to promote its Youth Impact Analysis Tool to federal government decision-makers.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 22: Planned resources to achieve results for Diversity and inclusion

Table 22 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Program inventory

Core responsibility 4: Diversity and Inclusion is supported by the following programs:

• Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism
• Human Rights
• Indigenous Languages
• Youth Engagement

Additional information related to the program inventory for Core responsibility 4: Diversity and Inclusion is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

The following new result was introduced to better reflect the departmental mandate:

• Canadians have a strong sense of belonging to Canada

The following result was modified to improve clarity:

• Participants in the Exchanges Canada Program enhance their appreciation of the diversity and shared aspects of the Canadian experience

The following new indicators were introduced to better reflect departmental activities:

• Percentage of Canadians with a strong sense of belonging to Canada
• Percentage of participants in the Exchanges Canada Program who report having a better understanding of what unites the people living in Canada
• Percentage of participants in the Exchanges Canada Program who report having a greater understanding of diversity in Canada
• Percentage of Canadians who value human rights

Minor errors were also corrected in the French version of a few results and indicators.

Core responsibility 5: Official languages

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Indicators, results and targets
• Plans to achieve results
• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Planned resources to achieve results
• Program inventory

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.

Quality of life impacts

Canada’s Quality of Life Framework measures the well-being of people in Canada. It is organized into domains and subdomains, each of which includes several indicators. Core responsibility 5: Official Languages is aligned with the key domains, subdomains and indicators below.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for Core responsibility 5: Official languages. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 23: Canadians recognize and support Canada’s official languages.

Table 23 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Official languages.

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for Official languages in 2026–27.

Canadians recognize and support Canada’s official languages.

Results we plan to achieve:

• Help ensure that Canadians recognize and support the official languages by finalizing and implementing two sets of regulations that are key to modernizing the federal language regime:
  • The implementation of regulations for the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act will clarify the duty to ensure that, in Quebec and regions with a strong Francophone presence, consumers are able to receive service in French and employees are able to work in French.
  • The implementation of regulations for the administrative monetary penalties regime will strengthen respect for language rights of the travelling public with certain organizations in the transportation sector.
  • To support consistent, transparent, accessible implementation, the Department will develop a suite of implementation tools, guides and information documents. To help the relevant entities understand and comply with their obligations, the Department will organize outreach and dialogue activities.
• Support the implementation of the modernized language regime through increased engagement and dialogue with our partners. In keeping with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Department will continue to engage with national and regional Indigenous organizations. We will also maintain an ongoing, constructive dialogue with federal partners, stakeholders, provinces and territories, businesses, unions, and the regulated entities to ensure the coherence and effectiveness of the language framework. Lastly, the Department will gather and consider feedback from stakeholders and the public to support the final development of the regulations.
• Continue to work with federal partners and the community sector to implement Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028 and its component initiatives, including the Department’s Official Languages Support Programs.
• Prepare for the 10-year review of the Official Languages Act by developing a conceptual and methodological evaluation framework to assess the progress made, identify gaps and measure the impact of the Act between now and 2033. The Department will establish performance indicators and monitoring mechanisms to support reporting and continuous improvement of the federal language regime. Meanwhile, Canadian Heritage will contribute to the horizontal evaluation of the federal official languages strategy, while planning and initiating the cross-Canada consultations on the renewal of that strategy.
• Support official language minority communities (services and education), foster the equality of the two official languages and advance opportunities for members of those communities to pursue quality learning throughout their lives. The Department will provide this support by delivering the investments set out in the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028 and the Protocol for Agreements for Minority-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction Between the Government of Canada and the Provinces and Territories 2024–2025 to 2027–2028.
• Monitor the implementation of the bilateral official languages agreements with the provincial and territorial governments on first- and second-language education and minority-language services.
• Through the Ministers’ Council on the Canadian Francophonie, collaborate with the provincial and territorial governments to implement various initiatives, such as a cultural mediation project within Francophone businesses in minority settings to support the integration and retention of recently immigrated Francophone workers.
• Continue to implement the Partnerships to Strengthen Part VII of the Official Languages Act, announced in the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028 as the Centre for Strengthening Part VII of the Official Languages Act. This joint initiative of Canadian Heritage and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat seeks to advance the substantive equality of English and French in Canadian society. This initiative strengthens leadership within the federal administration, coordinates federal efforts and fosters greater collaboration with Canadians, for the benefit and the increased visibility of our official languages. Canadian Heritage is responsible for the following:
  • Regional coordination and ongoing collaboration with federal institutions and key stakeholders, informed by a “by and for” approach.
  • Coordination, implementation and annual reporting for the five-year federal official languages strategy (Action Plan for Official Languages) and its 82 component initiatives.
  • Stronger collaboration and cooperation among key federal partners on horizontal official languages issues—such as the restoration of the demographic weight of Francophones, and labour needs and economic development in official language minority communities—in consultation with stakeholders.
• Support the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat in the development of the Part VII regulations (participation in working groups, consultations and governance committees).
• Increase awareness, accountability and engagement within federal institutions, as well as senior management in the public service, by supporting our Deputy Minister in his role as Champion of the public service official languages community.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

As part of the development of regulatory instruments key to the modernization of the Official Languages Act, a monitoring and performance-indicator strategy will be developed to gauge the effectiveness of those instruments and of the accommodations stemming from the GBA Plus analyses prepared for the two sets of draft regulations. Canadian Heritage will work with partners, such as Employment and Social Development Canada and Statistics Canada, to implement a monitoring framework that includes data collection and analysis, in order to assess impacts differentiated by identity factors. As well, a comprehensive long-term collection, evaluation and improvement strategy that incorporates GBA Plus analysis is being developed to support future reviews of the regulatory instruments and ensure that they achieve their objectives.

The Official Languages Branch will continue to use GBA Plus to ensure that policies and programs are inclusive of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, mental or physical disability, and a host of other factors. As part of the annual reporting process for the Action Plan for Official Languages, the Official Languages Branch will continue to require federal partners to report on how their initiatives incorporate a GBA Plus lens.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 24: Planned resources to achieve results for Official languages

Table 24 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Program inventory

Core responsibility 5: Official Languages is supported by the following programs:

• Official Languages

Additional information related to the program inventory for Core responsibility 5: Official Languages is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Internal services

In this section

• Description
• Plans to achieve results
• Planned resources to achieve results
• Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

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:

• acquisition management services
• communications services
• financial management services
• human resources management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• legal services
• material management services
• management and oversight services
• real property management services

Plans to achieve results

This section presents details the department’s plans to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.

Management and oversight services

Grants and contributions transformation initiative

Canadian Heritage will pursue the transformation of how it governs and delivers grants and contributions programs. This work will focus on strengthening the internal mechanisms, governance and digital capabilities that support program delivery, while aligning service functions and processes around a more integrated, consistent and results-focused model of administration. This strategic shift reflects a broader imperative across Government to improve productivity, steward public resources responsibly, and deliver better outcomes for Canadians.

The following key initiatives are planned for 2026–27:

• The Department will implement an integrated operating model, clarifying roles, standardizing business processes, and streamlining administrative activities across programs and services.
• Canadian Heritage will deepen the use of modern digital platforms to support end-to-end program administration, reducing reliance on fragmented legacy systems and enabling more coherent, accessible and user-centred service pathways.
• As part of its evolution, the Department will strengthen data practices and introduce responsible digital and artificial intelligence-enabled approaches that support efficiency while maintaining fairness and transparency.

These efforts will streamline administrative processes, improve the timeliness and consistency of service delivery, and support more efficient decision-making. They will also enhance the Department’s capacity to measure results and learn from outcomes, supporting continuous improvement over time. Finally, targeted workforce supports, including role-specific training, change management and ongoing engagement, will help employees adapt to new ways of working and build sustainable digital, data and service delivery skills across the organization.

Ultimately, this transformation will enable Canadian Heritage to achieve its intended results more effectively and equitably, reinforcing trust in how public funding contributes to Canada’s cultural vitality, community well-being, and broader social and economic resilience.

Canadian Heritage Data Strategy

The Department will continue to implement activities related to the focus areas of the Canadian Heritage Data Strategy. This will include the development of a data governance proposal with clarified roles and responsibilities for data-related decisions. It will also include the implementation of a Data Literacy Survey for all employees and an analysis of the results to better understand data literacy needs of the department.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Office

The IDEA Action Plan 2025-2028 and 2026-2028 Accessibility Plan both emphasize culture as a key enabler of meaningful and sustained change in alignment with Canadian Heritage’s Culture Statement. The following initiatives are planned for 2026-27 through partnerships across the Department:

• Managers will receive an Inclusive Leadership Toolkit, providing practical resources and guidance to help foster welcoming and inclusive teams. This toolkit will equip managers to better support diverse staff and cultivate a respectful, inclusive workplace.
• Mental health and well-being services for managers will be assessed to improve ease of access and relevance, ensuring managers feel more supported in their roles and can effectively take better care of both their teams and themselves.
• A review of the Department’s complaints mechanism for harassment and discrimination will be conducted, to strengthen trust and fairness in complaint resolution processes. Recommendations from this review will be implemented in the following year, helping to ensure that employees have access to a reliable and equitable process when they need support.
• Department-wide training and guidance on creating accessible documents will continue to be provided to reinforce disability inclusion through enhanced skills and habits.
• Procurement and contracting forms will continue to be updated to explicitly include accessibility requirements in contracts and agreements.

Gender-Based Analysis Plus Responsibility Centre

The Department’s Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) Responsibility Centre will continue its efforts to embed GBA Plus across our operations and in policy and program development, implementation, and outcomes measurement.

The following key initiatives are planned for 2026–27:

• Continue to provide support and guidance, including tools and resources, for internal partners so they can efficiently produce high-quality deliverables that are responsive to the diverse needs of all Canadians.
• Refine the activities of the GBA Plus Community of Practice to ensure they are purpose-driven and yield meaningful results. Lessons learned and insights from the community of practice members will be leveraged to promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement across the Department.
• Continue to provide a review and challenge function to ensure that the mandatory GBA Plus in Cabinet documents and Budget proposals are complete and rigorous.

Medium-Term Policy

The Strategic Policy and International Affairs Branch will continue engaging with the departmental policy community and external experts as relevant on medium-term policy work, to inform ongoing policy development and strengthen horizontal collaboration.

Canadian Heritage’s Reconciliation Action Plan

The Department will advance a department-wide engagement approach rooted in trust, empathy, and culturally appropriate communications with Indigenous Peoples.

It will embed Indigenous-Centred Gender Based Analysis Plus across business lines to inform policy and program decisions and address systemic barriers.

The Department will also strengthen internal capacity by equipping staff with targeted tools and learning to embed reconciliation in everyday practice.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Canadian Heritage will continue to advance implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act including the action-plan measures it leads, and support effective treaty implementation, specializing in negotiations on copyright and repatriation, broadcasting, and the protection of tangible and intangible heritage.

Canadian Heritage will develop a consistency of laws tool to help implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, giving teams clear guidance and practical support to strengthen accountability and uphold Indigenous rights across all departmental programs and policies.

Financial management services

Canadian Heritage will continue to align its comptrollership functions resources to Government priorities and to promote accountability, transparency and oversight through effective financial management, risk management, and controls, in a context of fiscal restraint. The Department will start the implementation of the savings emerging from the Comprehensive Expenditure Review as announced in Budget 2025.

Human resources management services

Canadian Heritage will use all means at its disposal to mitigate, as much as possible, the impacts on employees resulting from the Comprehensive Expenditure Review. It will continue to act with transparency and be guided by the values of fairness, consistency, and respect for diversity.

The Department will continue to develop and make accessible to all employees its disaggregated workforce employment equity data. It will continue its efforts to make Canadian Heritage more inclusive, diverse, and accessible by drawing on the findings from the employment systems review as well as on the implementation of measures aimed at preventing harassment and violence incidents, in order to provide a healthy work environment.

The Department will collaborate with Public Services and Procurement Canada to plan the return to Les Terrasses de la Chaudière complex, while taking into account progress on the building Envelope Replacement Project. In addition, it will continue to support the governmental initiative aimed at optimizing and reducing office space.

Information management and information technology services

Digital workforce enablement

The Department is integrating technological tools that foster digital collaboration and virtual communication within the office environment. This includes supporting the new workspaces within Canadian Heritage buildings and modernizing regional boardroom technologies.

The Department will continue to advance Digital Workforce Enablement by adhering to the mandatory requirements of the Digital Talent Directive. This includes fostering departmental collaboration, sharing information/best practices and resources, and coordinating efforts in planning, talent sourcing, talent management, and leadership development.

Service delivery to Canadians

The Department continues to improve digital services relying on modern information technology infrastructure and systems. Initiatives to support service delivery to Canadians include:

• Migrating legacy applications to secure, cloud-based environments for improved performance and reliability;
• Applying secure application development practices to mitigate the risk of vulnerabilities in application software;
• Collaborating with program partners to leverage technology that enhances program delivery and effectiveness. These efforts aim to empower business users, improve data utilization, and scale the systems solution to enhance program efficiency and client service;
• Adopting emerging technologies responsibly, including automation and generative artificial intelligence, to improve operational efficiency and service delivery. Small-scale pilot projects will be used to test generative artificial intelligence tools in real-world settings, enabling learning, refinement, and informed decisions prior to broader adoption.

Accessible Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)

To ensure digital systems and services are intentionally accessible by design and responsive to the needs of employees with disabilities, the Department will:

• Ensure accessibility criteria are integrated into the planning, procurement, and deployment of all information and communication technologies. Any new public software or system must meet accessibility standards or include a plan to achieve compliance.
• Continue to favour commercially available products that meet accessibility standards out-of-the-box.
• Apply lifecycle management practices to address accessibility gaps in legacy systems. This includes the review of existing systems for compliance, upgrading or replacing inaccessible systems, or implementing assistive technologies that bridge gaps while long-term fixes are in progress.
• Maintain targets for accessibility compliance in new and existing information and communication technologies projects and reporting on progress to increase accountability.

Information Management

The Department will advance digital information management across the department by rolling out improved, user-centric onboarding for information management-enabled SharePoint structures and digitizing paper records to improve accessibility, reduce physical storage, and support the transition to digital information management.

Corporate Security

The 2024–2027 Departmental Security Plan outlines 12 targeted actions items, aimed at strengthening the Department’s overall security posture. These initiatives focus on enhancing employee awareness of departmental security risks, promoting proactive strategies to safeguard our employees, systems, information and facilities.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 25: Planned resources to achieve results for internal services this year

Table 25 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for the Canadian Heritage’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

In support of the Government of Canada’s commitment to increasing the number of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses, the Department will continue to promote and encourage Indigenous participation by developing and improving processes and procedures and by raising awareness throughout the Department.

Training and information sessions will continue to be provided to procurement stakeholders across the Department to raise awareness of our obligations to award a minimum of 5% of the total value of all contracts issued annually to registered Indigenous businesses. The Department will continue to participate in outreach opportunities including Industry Days, Reverse Trade Shows and Buyers’ Expos.

The central repository of procurement-related tools, templates and procedures will host a dedicated space for Indigenous procurement resources, which is available to all Canadian Heritage employees.

Procurement planning considers the availability of Indigenous suppliers in the market as part of determining the appropriate procurement strategy. Procurement personnel consider and leverage the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business in procurement activities to facilitate the awarding of contracts to Indigenous businesses whenever feasible. When using Public Services and Procurement Canada’s suite of procurement tools, the Department will ensure that pre-qualified Indigenous firms are invited to submit a proposal.

Procurement personnel will continue to participate in interdepartmental working groups and outreach events to establish best practices for Indigenous procurement to be applied within the Department.

Table 26: Percentage of contracts planned and awarded to Indigenous businesses

Table 26 presents the current, actual results with forecasted and planned results for the total percentage of contracts the department awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Department-wide considerations

In this section

• Related government priorities
• Key risks

Related government priorities

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

More information on Canadian Heritage’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Artificial Intelligence

Delivering on the departmental mandate

Canadian Heritage has taken early steps in establishing two governance committees to guide the Department’s artificial intelligence (AI) implementation efforts in support of our mandate. In 2026-27, the AI Business Intake Director General Committee is responsible for early-stage intake and risk screening of proposals from teams across the Department. Following this, the Transformation Program Oversight Committee oversees an enterprise-level delivery, sustainability and integration of approved AI initiatives.

A number of small experiments and pilot projects are already underway across departmental programs and services. Insights from these initiatives will help inform the development of a Canadian Heritage policy aligned with the Government of Canada’s AI Strategy, related guidance and Directive on Automated Decision-Making.

Meanwhile, the Department will develop a short-term AI strategy and supporting tools to ensure that employees are well prepared, ethically responsible and able to safely adopt these new technologies. Canadian Heritage will also be increasing internal capacity and awareness through mandatory AI training and launching an internal communications campaign. Together, these efforts will enhance our ability to develop and manage emerging AI powered technologies such as the Enterprise Grants and Contributions Solution.

By overseeing and managing these pilot projects through the two governance committees, the Department will be able to monitor and report on results and risks. This governance-driven approach will support future scaling and help expand on ethical use guidance of AI technologies.

Key risks

Through an evaluation of the corporate risks that could impact the successful achievement of the Department’s mandate if they were to materialize, Canadian Heritage has identified the following three principal department-wide risks:

Public funds management risk

Transfer payment programs help the Department realize its objectives through funding to external organizations. There is an inherent level of risk in any transfer payment program that a department provides funding to an organization that may eventually act in a way that contravenes public norms, Canadian values, or legislations, which can ultimately lead to Canadians’ loss of confidence in the public service. The Department has put in place measures to help mitigate this risk. This includes attestations where applicants seeking Canadian Heritage funding agree to comply with program guidelines; the development and implementation of a program integrity framework, to strengthen the prevention, detection and control of issues related to the unethical behaviours of funding recipients and the creation of a program integrity coordination and oversight team to analyze and respond to situations where funding recipients engage in unethical actions.

Governance and strategic direction risk

In a context of budget constraints and a rapidly changing economic, social, and technological environment, there is a risk that the Department will face challenges in focusing on core priorities that promote Canadian identity and build a stronger economy for all Canadians and in aligning its resources accordingly. To mitigate this risk, the Department has an oversight function, Budget processes and planning exercises to help determine organizational priorities and associated resource requirements.

Program and service delivery risk

To keep pace with Canada’s evolving economic, social, and technological landscape, Canadian Heritage must ensure that its funding programs are delivered efficiently and effectively. If the Department is unable to properly update and adapt its Grants and Contributions programs and service delivery, there is a risk that it will not fully meet the growing needs of Canadians. To address this risk, a department-wide Transformation Initiative has been launched. This unified effort focuses on four key areas (Process, Policy, People, and Platform) to modernize how the Department delivers its Grants and Contributions programs. A strong governance structure has been established to guide this major initiative. Several committees are actively overseeing progress, reflecting the Department’s commitment to making this Transformation a top organizational priority. In addition, financial resources have been allocated to support this project as part of the Department’s overall financial strategy, helping to ensure that it achieves its end goal.

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of Canadian Heritage’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and of planned spending for 2026–27 with actual spending from previous years.

In this section

• Spending
• Funding
• Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
• Human resources

Spending

This section presents an overview of the Department’s planned expenditures from 2023–24 to 2028–29.

Budgetary performance summary

Table 27: Three-year spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 27 presents Canadian Heritage’s spending over the past three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services. Amounts for the 2025–26 fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.

Analysis of the past three years of spending

Creativity, Arts and Culture: The $14 million increase in spending for 2024–25 is due to new funding for the construction of the new Montreal Holocaust Museum, for the renewal and expansion of the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, and for the Canada Music Fund. However, the increase in spending is partially offset by the end of funding for online book sales of Canadian booksellers, and support for performing arts festivals, cultural events, arts and heritage institutions, celebrations, and commemorations that strengthen communities. The Canada Media Fund funding profile varies from year to year as the increase in funding related to Budget 2018 is confirmed on a yearly basis. This contributes to the increase in spending in 2024–25 and the decrease in forecasted spending in 2025–26. However, the latter is balanced by new funding for the Glenn Gould Foundation in 2025–26.

Heritage and Celebration: The $49 million decrease in spending for 2024–25 is explained by one-time funding received in 2023–24 for the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, the end of support for Digital Access to Heritage, and performing arts festivals, cultural events, arts and heritage institutions, celebrations, and commemorations that strengthen communities. The $32 million increase in 2025–26 forecasted spending is explained by new funding for the Brian Mulroney Institute and funding for the Canada Strong Pass, a federal initiative delivered through the Museum Assistance Program at Canadian Heritage. Also, contributing to the increase is the funding received to support the community celebrations across Canada as well as funding for the Hellenic community of Vancouver.

Sport: The $40 million increase in spending for 2024–25 and the $62 million increase in forecasted spending for 2025–26 are both explained by various funding announced in Budget 2024, the most significant investment being a $220 million in funding over four years to support co-hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with Vancouver and Toronto.

Diversity and Inclusion: The $34 million decrease in spending for 2024–25 is due to variations in the funding profile for various Indigenous languages initiatives, partially offset by a new five-year investment and ongoing funding to support the Indigenous Languages Act. The $6 million increase in 2025–26 forecasted spending is attributed to the funding received for the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award.

Official Languages: The $20 million increase in spending in 2024–25 is due to variations in funding profiles received for intergovernmental collaboration on official languages and for the official languages action plan of 2023–28. The 2025–26 forecasted spending is comparable to the previous year.

Internal Services: The $10 million increase in 2025–26 forecasted spending is explained by the reallocation of funds to strengthen the management of the department’s transformation of its grants and contributions. Other funds were also reallocated for priorities, such as updating the leave system to MyGCHR—a new human resources management system, which represents a significant milestone in the streamlining of human resources processes within the Government of Canada. Internal services for subsequent years will align with fluctuations in temporary funds.

The Department’s contribution to the refocusing of government spending announced in Budget 2023 contributes to the decrease in 2024–25 actual spending and to the 2025–26 forecasted spending, in most of the core responsibilities.

More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC InfoBase.

Table 28: Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 28 presents Canadian Heritage’s planned spending over the next three years by core responsibilities and for internal services.

Analysis of the next three years of spending

The Department’s contribution to the refocusing of government spending announced in Budget 2023 reaches its maximum yearly contribution of $39 million starting in the 2026–27 planned spending on an ongoing basis. Additionally, Budget 2025 introduces annual savings of $13 billion by 2028–29 across over 100 federal organizations with the Comprehensive Expenditure Review. The Government of Canada launched the Comprehensive Expenditure Review to ensure that spending is responsible and cost-effective delivering results for Canadians. At Canadian Heritage, this represents annual savings of $93.1 million per year by 2028–29. To meet savings targets over the next three years, the department will refocus its cultural programming to meet the evolving needs of recipients and ensure the effectiveness of its programs. This process will also affect the Department’s workforce in achieving efficiencies.

Planned spending for 2026–27 and subsequent years indicates a significant decrease, which is explained by various temporary funding initiatives ending and programs being phased out.

Nevertheless, Budget 2025 also includes significant investments aimed at supporting Canada’s arts, culture, and heritage sectors, which plays a vital role in the country’s economy and social fabric. Budget 2025 funding will be reflected in future years’ spending. The budget proposes investing $328 million by 2029–30 in a diversity of programs and initiatives supported by Canadian Heritage:

• Canada Music Fund: to enhance the careers of Canadian artists while strengthening the competitiveness and stability of the Canadian music sector;
• TV5MONDEplus: to maintain funding levels for the purchase of Canadian content;
• Canada Media Fund: to support Canada’s audiovisual content creators and to the component Public Service Media to support designated public-service broadcasters to continue to produce and distribute programming;
• Canada Periodical Fund: to the Special Measures for Journalism to help small community news outlets continue producing quality Canadian editorial and journalistic content;
• Building communities through Arts and Heritage: to support local festivals;
• Canada Arts Presentation Fund: to support professionally presented arts festivals or performing arts series;
• Celebration and Commemoration Program: to support Canada Day celebrations and National Acadian Day; and
• Capital Experience program: to support major events and activities in Canada’s Capital region.

New funding for the “Canada Strong Pass” initiative, which is delivered through the Museums Assistance Program and offers opportunities to discover and celebrate even more of what Canada has to offer, has been integrated into the 2026–27 planned spending figures.

More detailed financial information on planned spending is available on the Finances section of GC InfoBase.

Funding

This section provides an overview of the department’s voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.

Graph 1: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a six-year period

Graph 1 summarizes the Department’s approved voted and statutory funding from 2023–24 to 2028–29.

Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period

As illustrated in the graph showing the trend in Canadian Heritage departmental funding, expenditure for 2023–24 and 2024–25 fiscal years are similar. Forecast spending for 2025–26 indicates an increase in spending of approximately $87 million, mainly for its Sport core responsibility due to funding received to host the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

Planned spending for 2026–27 and subsequent years indicates a significant decrease, which is explained by various temporary funding initiatives ending and programs being phased out. Nevertheless, Budget 2025 also includes significant investments aimed at supporting Canada’s arts, culture, and heritage sectors, which plays a vital role in the country’s economy and social fabric.

The Department’s voted funding is affected by the Government’s exercise to refocus spending, announced in Budget 2023, which prioritizes what matters most to Canadians. Furthermore, the Department’s funding is affected by the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, announced in Budget 2025, to ensure spending is responsible, cost-effective and delivers results for Canadians. To comply with these reduction exercises, the Department has introduced measures to achieve total savings of $14.3 million in 2024–25, $25.2 million in 2025–26, $74.3 million in 2026–27, $88.9 million in 2027–28 and $132.8 million in 2028–29 and onwards.

Over the six-year period covered by this report, statutory funding remained stable at less than 2% of yearly funding. Statutory items are mainly contributions to employee benefit plans.

For further information on Canadian Heritage’s departmental appropriations, consult the 2026–27 Main Estimates.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of Canadian Heritage’s operations for 2025–26 to 2026–27.

Table 29: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ended March 31, 2027 (thousands of dollars)

Table 29 summarizes the expenses and revenues which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers for 2025–26 to 2026–27. 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.

Analysis of forecasted and planned results

The overall net decrease of $374 million in 2026–27 planned results compared to 2025–26 forecast results is largely due to the end of targeted temporary funding initiatives and the Department’s contribution to the Refocusing Government Spending initiative announced in Budget 2023 and to the Comprehensive Expenditure Review announced in Budget 2025.

A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated Notes for 2026–27, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, is available on Canadian Heritage’s website.

Human resources

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2023–24 to 2028–29.

Table 30: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 30 shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents, for Canadian Heritage’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Human resources for the 2025–26 fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.

Analysis of human resources over the last three years

The Department’s full-time equivalent trend may fluctuate depending on the temporary funding received, which explains the slight increase in 2024–25. Nevertheless, it is important to note that most of the new funding is received in the form of grants and contributions, with only modest portions allocated to the operating budget for delivering these new or renewed initiatives.

The Department’s full-time equivalents start to decrease in 2025–26. In addition to temporary funding ending, the Department’s contribution to the Government’s refocused spending priorities, as announced in Budget 2023, impacts on its number of full-time equivalents.

Table 31: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 31 shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents, for each of Canadian Heritage’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next three years.

Analysis of human resources for the next three years

Starting in 2026-27, the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, announced in Budget 2025, which aims to ensure responsible and cost-effective spending that delivers results for Canadians, will also affect the number of full-time equivalents.

The Department ensures that it has an adequate workforce to fulfill its mandate.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Canadian Heritage’s website:

• Details on transfer payment programs
• Up-front multi-year funding

Information on Canadian Heritage’s Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy can be found on Canadian Heritage’s website.

Federal tax expenditures

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

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.

This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

Corporate information

• Departmental profile

  Appropriate minister:

  The Honourable Marc Miller, P.C., M.P.
  Minister of Identity and Canadian Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages

  Institutional head:

  Francis Bilodeau

  Ministerial portfolio:

  Department of Canadian Heritage

  Enabling instrument:

  Department of Canadian Heritage Act

  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.

• Departmental contact information

  Mailing address:

  15 Eddy Street
  Gatineau QC  J8X 4B3 Canada

  Telephone:

  1-866-811-0055
  Call toll-free from all regions, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 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:

  Canadian Heritage

Definitions

List of terms

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, departments 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 report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3-year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. 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 quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

equity-deserving group(s) (groupes méritant l’équité)

A group of people who, because of systemic discrimination, face barriers that prevent them from having the same access to the resources and opportunities that are available to other members of society, and that are necessary for them to attain just outcomes. In Canada, groups generally considered to be equity-deserving groups include women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people who are part of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, religious minority groups and racialized people. The types of equity-deserving groups may vary based on factors such as geography, sociocultural context, or the presence of specific subpopulations. Some people argue that this term could be seen to imply that not all people are deserving of equity and may prefer different terminology, such as “equity-seeking group”, which highlights the actions of the communities that fight for equal access to resources and opportunities by actively seeking social justice and reparation. Other terms include “equity-denied group”. For further information, refer to the Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology.

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. For a particular position, the full-time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.

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 (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Using GBA Plus involves taking a gender- and diversity-sensitive approach to our work. Considering all intersecting identity factors as part of GBA Plus, not only sex and gender, is a Government of Canada commitment.

government priorities (priorités gouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2026–27 Departmental Plan, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2025 Speech from the Throne.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)

Requirements for verifying Indigenous businesses for the purposes of the departmental result report are available through the Indigenous Services Canada Mandatory minimum 5% Indigenous procurement target website.

nonbudgetary -expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Non-budgetary authorities that comprise assets and liabilities transactions for loans, investments and advances, or specified purpose accounts, that have been established under specific statutes or under non-statutory authorities in the Estimates and elsewhere. Non-budgetary transactions are those expenditures and receipts related to the government’s financial claims on, and obligations to, outside parties. These consist of transactions in loans, investments and advances; in cash and accounts receivable; in public money received or collected for specified purposes; and in all other assets and liabilities. Other assets and liabilities, not specifically defined in G to P authority codes are to be recorded to an R authority code, which is the residual authority code for all other assets and liabilities.

performance (rendement)

What a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of a department, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department 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 to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in 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 the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

A consequence attributed, in part, to a department, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single department, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the department’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 a department, 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 groupes 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.

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.