To provide an overview of the evaluation function at PCH.
B. Background and Current Status
In the Government of Canada, evaluations systematically and neutrally gather and analyze evidence to assess whether, why and how a program, initiative or policy works, to inform decision making, improvement, innovation, and accountability. The evaluation function contributes to the results agenda by providing evidence and expertise necessary to understand the continued relevance and performance of programming as well as offer advice on best practices and improvements. Footnote 1
The Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Policy on Results (2016) and the Federal Accountability Act (FAA) requires that all departments evaluate all ongoing grants and contributions (G&Cs) programs with five-year average annual expenditures of $5 million or more, at least every five years. Furthermore, all departments must prepare an annual rolling five-year evaluation plan, appoint a Head of Evaluation and ensure a robust evaluation function.
The Assistant Deputy Minister of the Strategic Policy, Planning and Corporate Affairs (SPPCA) sector assumes the role of Head of Evaluation at PCH. The Head of Evaluation ensures that the evaluation plan, evaluation reports and the results of monitoring the implementation of management action plans in response to evaluation recommendations are submitted to the Executive Committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister (DM), for review and approval, and then proceed for the DM’s approval.
Falling within the Planning, Evaluation and Research Branch of SPPCA, the mandate of the Evaluation Services Directorate (ESD) is to provide quality and timely evaluations to support accountability, decision-making, expenditure management, continuous program improvement and policy development at PCH. In addition, ESD provides advisory services to the Department’s senior management in a variety of areas, including the preparation of memoranda to Cabinet (MCs), TB submissions and performance measurement activities.
Given its large number of G&Cs programs (24 with planned spending over $5M), the PCH five-year evaluation plan includes a high level of FAA-required evaluations. The plan typically includes at least six evaluations for approval annually.
The pandemic has negatively affected the evaluation function at PCH. Due to the implementation of the business continuity plan in the early months of the pandemic, the ESD did not have access to the network, which led to delays in six FAA-required evaluations. In August 2020, DM Hélène Laurendeau informed the Secretary of the Treasury Board that these evaluations would not meet FAA deadlines and provided new dates for their expected completion. Given programs have been focused on the delivery of PCH’s emergency support fund, there have been further delays. New completion dates and other planned evaluations will be reflected in the PCH 2021-22 to 2026-27 five-year evaluation plan that must be approved and send to TBS by June 30, 2021.
C. Strategic Considerations
Despite the pandemic, the DM of PCH continues to be accountable to respect the Policy on Results and the FAA. In addition to approval of the five-year evaluation plan, DM approval will be requested for 6-8 evaluation reports in the first half of 2021-22 alone, due to the backlog created by the pandemic.
Within the context of pandemic pressures, ESD is currently implementing a number of strategies to carry out its responsibilities and to address the current backlog of FAA-required and other planned evaluations. These strategies include: staffing and organizational changes; maximizing the flexibility provided in the Policy or Results to calibrate and align projects with senior management needs; more grouping of programs for evaluation in some cases; and, negotiating timelines and scope of non-FAA evaluation requests with senior management.
As has been the practice over the past several years, the ESD will continue to work with PCH’s Office of the Chief Audit Executive (OCAE) to coordinate advice to senior management as well as to reduce overlap and program burden.
The ESD will continue and strengthen the implementation of the Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) lens in all evaluations, as per the Policy on Results. Evaluations will be planned and conducted with particular attention on government priorities that include reconciliation, anti-racism, and diversity and inclusion.
